CBS News has officially named Tony Dokoupil, the 44-year-old co-anchor of CBS Mornings, as the new solo anchor of CBS Evening News, marking a significant shift for the network's flagship evening broadcast.
This move comes under the leadership of new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who was hired in October 2025 to revitalize the struggling program.
Dokoupil, known for his investigative reporting and occasional controversial interviews, will replace the current co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, both of whom are departing CBS later this month. Their final broadcast is scheduled for December 18, 2025, with Dokoupil expected to take over in early 2026.
The announcement aims to return the show to a single-anchor format, reversing the dual-host experiment that began in January 2025 after Norah O'Donnell's exit. CBS hopes Dokoupil's elevation will help boost ratings, as the program has languished in third place behind ABC's World News Tonight and NBC's Nightly News, averaging under 4 million viewers nightly—down from over 5 million under O'Donnell.Who Is Tony Dokoupil.
Dokoupil, born December 24, 1980, is an American broadcast journalist and author with a reputation for hard-hitting, sometimes polarizing coverage. He joined CBS News in August 2016 as a New York-based correspondent after stints at NBC News and MSNBC (2013–2016), where he served as a senior writer and reporter. Before that, he was a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast (2007–2013), focusing on topics like technology, crime, and culture.
Dokoupil has been married to NBC News correspondent Katy Tur since 2017; they have two children. At 44, he'll be the youngest broadcast evening news anchor, edging out NBC's Tom Llamas (46) and ABC's David Muir (52).
The CBS Evening News has endured frequent anchor changes over the past decade—Dokoupil will be the sixth since 2015 (following Scott Pelley, Jeff Glor, Norah O'Donnell, and the Dickerson-DuBois duo). The show's woes stem from broader industry challenges: declining linear TV viewership, competition from cable news like Fox's Special Report (also anchored by Bret Baier), and CBS's historical disadvantages, such as losing NFL broadcast rights in 1994, which ceded affiliates to Fox.
Tony Dokoupil
Ratings plummeted after O'Donnell's January 2025 departure, with the co-anchor format under Dickerson (a veteran CBS journalist) and DuBois (a 21-year network staple) failing to stem the tide.
Weiss, a former New York Times editor and founder of The Free Press, was brought in to "win" back trust in media, per her first staff meeting. She prioritized Dokoupil, reportedly favoring his alignment with her pro-Israel views and resistance to "elite consensus," despite internal pushback.
Reactions and Controversies
The hire has sparked division at CBS. Supporters, including Weiss, praise Dokoupil's authenticity: "We live in a time in which many people have lost trust in the media. Tony Dokoupil is the person to win it back." However, anonymous staffers have been scathing, calling him a "mediocre straight white man" rewarded for ideological fit rather than star power, and mocking the anchor desk as a "toilet seat" given the show's low ratings.
A Senate hearing Tuesday, brought the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA) closer to reality than ever before, with KISS co-founder Gene Simmons declaring opposition to performance royalties on AM/FM radio “un-American” and vowing the issue will finally be resolved in the current Congress.
The bipartisan bill would require terrestrial radio stations — currently the only major music platform in the world that pays no royalty to performers or copyright owners of sound recordings — to begin compensating artists, aligning U.S. law with every other developed nation.
Key developments from the hearing:
Gene Simmons testified without notes, calling the exemption an “injustice” and highlighting that even Russia pays royalties to Elvis Presley’s estate while U.S. radio does not.
SoundExchange CEO Michael Huppe stated the change would generate hundreds of millions annually for artists, with 80 % going directly to performers.
Ranking Member Adam Schiff (D-CA) emphasized that foreign countries withhold approximately $70 million a year from American artists because the U.S. refuses to pay their performers.
Broadcasters, led by NAB board member Henry Hinton, warned that new fees could exceed $500 million industry-wide and force smaller stations to shrink playlists or close.
Bill provisions:
Small commercial stations (under $1.5 million annual revenue) and non-commercial stations would pay a maximum of $500 per year.
Larger stations would pay market-rate royalties collected and distributed by SoundExchange.
No payments would go to record labels; featured artists receive 80 %, session musicians and background vocalists split the rest.
The National Association of Broadcasters continues to back the competing Local Radio Freedom Act, which has near-majority support in the House and pledges to block any new performance fee.
Despite the opposition, momentum has shifted: this was the first Senate hearing on the issue in over a decade, and both Republican and Democratic members signaled willingness to negotiate a compromise before the 119th Congress adjourns.
If passed, AMFA would end the last major exemption allowing free use of recorded music on a for-profit platform and fundamentally alter the economics of U.S. radio broadcasting.
iHeartRadio released its annual Year-End Rewind on Wednesday, revealing that Sabrina Carpenter was the most-played artist across its 850+ stations in 2025, racking up an astonishing 2.7 billion audience impressions (spins × average quarter-hour listeners). Close behind in the Top 3 were SZA and Kendrick Lamar, cementing pop, R&B, and hip-hop’s continued grip on terrestrial radio airwaves.
Carpenter’s blockbuster year was fueled by inescapable hits “Espresso,” “Please Please Please,” and “Taste,” all of which spent multiple weeks atop iHeartRadio’s national airplay chart. The former Disney star’s 2.7 billion spins dwarfed the runner-up by hundreds of millions, marking one of the widest margins in Rewind history.
Sabrina Carpenter
The full Top 10 most-played artists of 2025 on iHM stations:
Sabrina Carpenter – 2.7 billion audience spins
SZA
Kendrick Lamar
Taylor Swift
Post Malone
Morgan Wallen
Teddy Swims
Beyoncé
Billie Eilish
Drake
While radio remains a powerful promotional engine—often the final stepping stone before an artist crosses into true mainstream ubiquity—the Rewind numbers also spotlight the growing financial disconnect between airplay success and artist earnings.
Terrestrial radio in the U.S. is not required to pay performers royalties for over-the-air spins (only songwriters and publishers receive performance royalties via ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR). That means Carpenter, SZA, Lamar, and every other artist on the list earned $0 in direct sound-recording royalties from their billions of iHeartRadio impressions in 2025.
The contrast with streaming is stark: the same level of consumption on Spotify or Apple Music would generate millions in master royalties for labels and artists. The disparity has reignited calls from the music industry for Congress to close the “terrestrial loophole” through legislation such as the proposed American Music Fairness Act, which would finally require AM/FM stations to pay performers when their recordings are broadcast.
iHeartMedia, the nation’s largest radio broadcaster, continues to emphasize its promotional value, noting that heavy rotation often translates into streaming gains, tour sales, and merchandise revenue for artists.
Yet as streaming payouts (however controversial) remain the primary income source for most recording artists, the 2025 Rewind serves as both a celebration of radio’s cultural influence and a reminder of the ongoing debate over fair compensation in the royalties gap that has persisted for decades.
U.S. antitrust authorities are poised to challenge either a Netflix–Warner Bros. Discovery or Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, with experts and lawmakers warning that both deals would severely damage competition in the American streaming market.
WBD is the target of two blockbuster bids: an $83 billion offer from Netflix and a hostile $108.4 billion all-cash counter from Paramount Global (backed by Skydance and investors including Jared Kushner-linked funds). Either transaction would create a streaming giant controlling 35–45% of U.S. premium video-on-demand subscribers and an outsized share of Hollywood’s most valuable film, TV, and sports rights.
Regulators are almost certain to intervene. The deals exceed the 30% concentration threshold that the 2023 Merger Guidelines treat as presumptively illegal, and both the Department of Justice and FTC have recent track records of blocking media consolidation that harms consumers and creators. President Trump has already signaled personal involvement, calling a Netflix–WBD combination “a problem,” while senators from both parties — Elizabeth Warren and Mike Lee among them — have publicly demanded rigorous reviews.
Analysts and antitrust advocates predict the following harms if either merger closes without major concessions:
Higher subscriber prices as the new entity exploits “must-have” content bundles
Reduced bargaining power and residuals for writers, actors, and directors
Fewer distribution outlets for independent films and smaller networks
Diminished incentives for innovation in a market dominated by two or three scaled players
Market data underscores the risk: Netflix already holds 30–35% of U.S. streaming subscribers, Disney roughly 25%, and Amazon around 20%. Adding WBD’s Max (10–15%) or Paramount’s assets would tip the balance decisively toward oligopoly.
Wall Street now assigns less than 25% odds to either deal closing in its current form, with prolonged litigation or forced divestitures the most likely outcomes. The saga highlights a bitter irony for media executives who routinely demand “regulatory certainty”: in today’s environment, massive streaming mergers face anything but clear, predictable rules.
Erika Kirk, the widow of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and current CEO of Turning Point USA, delivered a poised and heartfelt performance as guest co-host on Fox News' The Five on Tuesday.
The episode marked a key stop in her multi-day media tour for Charlie's posthumous book, Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life, which hit shelves that day.
Kirk joined rotating panelists including Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, Greg Gutfeld, and Jessica Tarlov, blending sharp commentary on current events with personal tributes to her husband's legacy of faith and family.
During the hour-long show, Kirk opened up about the book's core message—emphasizing Sabbath observance as a path to "connection, peace, and presence"—and how it could "impact millions" by addressing "deeply human" societal issues like gun violence, rather than framing them solely as policy failures. She shared poignant family anecdotes, including how her 3-year-old daughter expressed eagerness to "go to heaven" after Charlie's death, underscoring their reliance on Christian faith for healing.
ERIKA KIRK: “Faith is just a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets."
The panel also touched on politics, with Kirk weighing in on President Trump's upcoming economy tour ahead of the midterms, praising it as a bold move to rally conservatives. Her composure amid grief drew widespread praise from viewers, with one X user calling her "perfection" and suggesting she become a regular co-host, while another noted how the panel "made her smile" during tough discussions.
The appearance sparked some backlash, however, particularly over Tarlov's seating next to Kirk—viewers criticized it as insensitive given past on-air tensions between Tarlov and Charlie Kirk, with posts decrying it as an "insult" and questioning Fox's choice of "token Democrats."
A few expressed fatigue with Kirk's frequent Fox spots, dubbing it "Erika Kirk Week" and questioning the promotional intensity, though supporters defended her right to honor her husband's work without gendered double standards. Despite the divide, the episode trended on X, amplifying the book's launch and Kirk's role as a rising conservative voice.
Kirk's The Five slot capped a packed Tuesday, following a morning interview on Fox & Friends and a radio chat on The Brian Kilmeade Show, all building buzz for the book Charlie completed just a month before his September 10, 2025, assassination at Utah Valley University.
The tour, announced December 4, continues with a full-hour guest spot on Outnumbered today (December 10) and a CBS News town hall moderated by Bari Weiss on December 13, where Kirk's public forgiveness of her husband's killer has already been hailed as "unforgettable."
Through it all, Kirk has vowed to expand Turning Point USA's campus outreach, channeling personal loss into a broader mission of faith-driven activism.
Radio One (also known as Urban One) announced a major frequency realignment across its Charlotte cluster last week, effective December 11, 2025. The primary goal is to boost the reach of its flagship News/Talk station, WBT, by moving it to the stronger 100,000-watt 107.9 FM signal (currently WLNK-FM, "Mix 107.9").
This move displaces several other formats, including a shift for the Gospel programming currently on 100.9 FM (WPZS, "Praise 100.9") to the 610 AM/102.5 FM combo (WFNZ-AM and translator W273DA), which will replace the Hip Hop/R&B "102.5 The Block."
The Hot AC "Mix 107.9" format relocates to a simulcast on 100.9 FM (new calls WMXG) and 99.3 FM (formerly WBT-FM).
Specific Plans for 1110 AM WBT's News/Talk programming—featuring local hosts like Bo Thompson, Beth Troutman, and sports director Jim Szoke—will no longer air on 1110 AM after the switch. Instead, the AM signal will carry the Gospel "Praise 100.9" format, including its current lineup with midday host Melanie Pratt.
Radio One Charlotte VP/GM Marsha Landess confirmed the company will "continue to proudly own and operate AM 1110 WBT," but emphasized the historic AM frequency's stewardship now shifts away from News/Talk to support the Gospel service.
This ends nearly a century of WBT's News/Talk presence on 1110 AM (dating back to 1922), though the brand fully migrates to FM for broader coverage.
The change aims to optimize the cluster's signals: WBT gains a full-market FM powerhouse, while Gospel gets dedicated AM bandwidth to maintain its inspirational focus without competing on weaker rimshot FMs. No further details on potential future uses for 1110 AM beyond the Gospel simulcast have been announced.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced Tuesday, a $26 million emergency grant program to keep dozens of public radio stations on the air amid devastating federal funding cuts. The one-time “Public Media Stabilization Fund” will distribute money to 74 public media organizations—most of them radio stations—starting immediately, with awards ranging from $50,000 to $750,000 each.
The grants are a direct response to the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated more than 90% of federal appropriations for public broadcasting in FY 2026 and beyond.
Many stations have already lost six-figure CPB grants; for example, KDNK in Carbondale, Colorado, was stripped of $112,450—28% of its annual budget—forcing program cancellations and staff layoffs.
Sixty percent of the new money ($15.6 million) is earmarked for basic operations (payroll, utilities, transmitters), 30% ($7.8 million) for digital upgrades and content development, and 10% ($2.6 million) as emergency reserves for stations on the verge of closure.
Eight states with the most acute crises—Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Wyoming—will receive 42% of the total ($10.9 million). Rural and minority-serving stations in these regions were hit hardest by the federal cuts and donor fatigue.
The infusion is expected to:
Prevent 200–300 layoffs in the next six months
Restore 15–20% of local programming hours slashed since January 2025
Fund emergency transmitter repairs and digital transitions that stations could no longer afford
CPB officials described the allocation as a “bridge, not a solution,” emphasizing that without restored federal funding, 150–200 public radio stations could still close by 2027. The grants rely partly on reallocated FY 2025 reserves and matching philanthropic dollars, underscoring a rapid pivot away from traditional CPB support toward private and foundation funding.
Public radio still reaches 40 million weekly listeners, but 68% of stations are currently operating in deficit. Today’s $26 million announcement buys them time—but only time.
Milwaukee conservative radio host Jay Weber is ending his 35-year run on News/Talk 1130 WISN-AM, with his final daily morning show airing before the end of December 2025.
Jay Weber
Weber, whose 6–9 a.m. program has been Wisconsin’s top-rated morning drive show for years, announced the move Monday, on the air. He is not retiring; beginning in spring 2026 he will host a twice-weekly podcast for iHeartRadio while continuing to contribute occasional segments to WISN.
The longtime host joined the station in 1990 and has anchored mornings since 2007. Program Director Jerry Bott called Weber “one of the best talk show hosts in America for a long time.” Colleagues including Mark Belling (who moved to podcasting himself in 2024) and political figures such as U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald quickly praised Weber’s decades of influence on Wisconsin politics and culture.
WISN has not named a replacement for the weekday morning slot. Weber’s final daily broadcasts will air through late December; details on the upcoming iHeartRadio podcast will be released in early 2026.
USA Today’s editor-in-chief Caren Bohan is out effective immediately, the second top editor to depart the Gannett-owned newspaper in less than two years, the company has announced.
Bohan, who was promoted to the top job in September 2024 after serving as interim editor since July, is leaving as Gannett executives say they want to rebalance the brand around news, entertainment, sports, and service content. No specific reason for her abrupt exit was given.
Bohan
In an internal memo, senior vice president Monica Richardson called Bohan a “valued colleague” and thanked her for her contributions. Bohan herself posted on X that she was “incredibly proud” of the team’s work on watchdog reporting and narrative storytelling.
Michael McCarter, the newspaper’s opinion editor, has been named interim editor-in-chief while a new permanent leader is sought.
Bohan’s 15-month run (including interim time) follows that of predecessor Terence Samuel, who lasted just one year before departing in July 2024. The rapid turnover comes as Gannett continues to grapple with financial pressures, digital-transition challenges, and industry-wide declines in print advertising revenue.
A 30-year journalism veteran, Bohan joined USA Today in 2018 as Washington editor after two decades at Reuters, where she covered the White House and served as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association in 2012. During her tenure she launched “The Backstory” narrative newsletter and emphasized audience-focused, engaging journalism.
Audacy welcomes Glenn Marshall as the new evening anchor and reporter for WBBM Newsradio (780 AM / 105.9 FM) in Chicago.
“Glenn’s combination of experience, authenticity and professionalism will immediately strengthen our afternoon reporting and bring a recognizable, trusted voice to our evening anchoring,” said Craig Schwalb, Brand Manager, WBBM Newsradio. “We’re excited to welcome Glenn and see the impact he will have on our newsroom and the Chicago audience."
Glenn Marshall
“Chicago made me. I listened to WBBM Newsradio as a kid and dreamed of one day being part of the voices that inform this city. Now I get to continue telling the stories that matter to the neighborhoods I know and love,” said Marshall. “I am proud to join the team and shine a light on the issues and victories that shape our communities every day. Thanks to Craig Schwalb, Kevin Cassidy and everyone at Audacy for this opportunity."
A proud native of Chicago, Marshall is an Emmy-nominated multimedia journalist whose work has consistently centered on community storytelling and elevating underrepresented voices. His career began at NBC Chicago, where he rose from intern to news associate. Marshall's reporting experience spans the country, including work as a general assignment reporter for WICS-TV in Springfield, a reporter for NBC Boston and NECN in Boston and various roles in Atlanta at CBS46. He most recently returned home to report for WGN-TV, covering breaking news and issues impacting Chicago’s South and West Sides. Marshall remains active with NABJ, committed to mentoring young journalists while continuing to tell stories that reflect and uplift Chicago’s communities.
📻Listeners can tune in to WBBM Newsradio (780 AM / 105.9 FM) in Chicago on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
99.5 The Wolf (KWJJ-FM), an Audacy station in Portland, helped pay off $2.17 million in local qualifying medical debt during its 6th annual “Nick and Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff.” In partnership with the national nonprofit charity Undue Medical Debt, this campaign has raised over $18 million over the past six years, paying off full medical debt for over 10,000 people in the Pacific Northwest.
“Our listeners continue to humble us in their support of our mission to free our friends and neighbors from crippling medical debt,” said Nick and Kristen, co-hosts, Nick & Kristen in the Morning. “We personally understand the massive weight this debt can have on a family, and we are so grateful to have eliminated that burden for over 1,400 people this holiday season.”
The campaign ran from November 17 to 21. Every day, Nick and Kristen encouraged listeners to donate to alleviate the worries of struggling local families during the holiday season.
Undue Medical Debt is a charity that aims to strengthen communities by lifting the weight of strenuous medical debt.
📻Listeners can tune in to 99.5 The Wolf (KWJJ-FM) in Portland on air and nationwide on the Audacyapp and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
Cumulus Media’s 99.5 WZPL and the Smiley Morning Show successfully concluded their 29th annual Make-A-Wish Request-A-Thon on December 5, 2025, raising an impressive $824,983 and granting 82 life-changing wishes for children served by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana.
The marathon 36-hour live broadcast ran from 6:00 a.m. Thursday, December 4, through 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 5. For the entire duration, the station played any song requested by listeners who made a donation—no request was too painful (yes, even the Ohio State fight song aired) or too obscure (KPop Demon Hunters made the cut).
Listeners also queued up classics like N’Sync’s “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” and everything in between.The Smiley Morning Show team—Dave Smiley, Nikki, Producer Will, and Toni—stayed on air live for the full 36+ hours, powered by caffeine and the mission to help as many Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio kids as possible.
Over its 29-year history, the WZPL Request-A-Thon has now raised more than $13 million for Make-A-Wish, positively impacting hundreds of children and families across the tri-state region.
➦In 1889...actor Ray Collins was born in Sacramento. Although best remembered as Lt. Tragg in 86 episodes of TV’s Perry Mason, he was a prominent member of Orson Welles Mercury Players beginning in radio. He played 3 roles in CBS Radio’s legendary 1938 War of the Worlds. For several seasons he played Commissioner Weston on Mutual Radio’s The Shadow. He died of emphysema July 11 1965 at age 75.
David Brinkley, Chet Huntley
➦In 1911...Newscaster Chester Robert "Chet" Huntley born (Died at age 63 from lung cancer – March 20, 1974). He is best known for co-anchoring NBC's evening news program, The Huntley-Brinkley Report, for 14 years beginning in 1956.
Huntley began his radio newscast career in 1934 at Seattle's KIRO AM, later working on radio stations in Spokane (KHQ) and Portland. His time (1936–37) in Portland was with KGW-AM, owned by The Oregonian, a Portland daily newspaper. At KGW he was writer, newscaster and announcer. In 1937 he went to work for KFI in Los Angeles, moving to CBS Radio from 1939 to 1951, then ABC Radio from 1951 to 1955.[5] In 1955, he joined the NBC Radio network, viewed by network executives as "another Ed Murrow".
In 1956, coverage of the national political party conventions was a major point of pride for the fledgling broadcast news organizations. NBC News executives were seeking to counter the growing popularity of CBS' Walter Cronkite, who had been a ratings success at the 1952 conventions. They decided to replace their current news anchor, John Cameron Swayze, but there was a disagreement on who the new anchorman should be. The two leading contenders were Huntley and David Brinkley. The eventual decision was to have both men share the assignment. Their on-air chemistry was apparent from the start, with Huntley's straightforward presentation countered by Brinkley's acerbic wit.
This success soon led to the team replacing Swayze on the network's nightly news program. It was decided to have the two men co-anchor the show; Huntley from New York City, Brinkley from Washington, D.C. The Huntley-Brinkley Report began in October 1956 and was soon a ratings success. Huntley and Brinkley's catchphrase closing of "Good night, David"—"Good night, Chet... and good night for NBC News" was developed by the show's producer, Reuven Frank. Although both anchors initially disliked it, the sign-off became famous. Huntley and Brinkley gained great celebrity themselves, with surveys showing them better known than John Wayne, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart or the Beatles. The gregarious Huntley remained the same, a friend commenting in 1968 that "Chet is warm, he's friendly, he's unaffected, he's—well, he's just so damned nice."
Huntley's last NBC News broadcast was aired on July 31, 1970. He returned to Montana, where he conceived and built Big Sky, a ski resort south of Bozeman, which opened in December 1973.
➦In 1913...pianist, composer, conductor, and arranger Morton Gould was born at Richmond Hill NY. In the 1930’s & 40’s he was musical director for national programs originating at WOR Mutual, and CBS Radio. He moved on to composing Broadway & Hollywood film scores, winning a Grammy & Pulitzer Award along the way. Gould died Feb 21, 1996 at age 82.
1938 issue
➦In 1914...actress/singer Dorothy Lamour was born in New Orleans. In the early 30’s she had her own quarter-hour NBC radio show out of Chicago, and in the late 40’s she was singing hostess of NBC’s weekly Sealtest Variety Theatre from Hollywood. Besides her movie career, which included the “Road” series with Bob Hope & Bing Crosby, she made guest appearances on numerous TV series, including Damon Runyon Theatre, the Steve Allen Show, Burke’s Law, I Spy, Name of the Game, Marcus Welby MD, Hart to Hart, & Murder She Wrote. She died of a heart attack Sep 22, 1996 at age 81.
➦In 1961...John, Paul George and Pete Best met for the third time with their new manager Brian Epstein. They eventually signed a five-year contract with Epstein on 24 January 1962 giving Epstein 10 to 15 per cent of their income. They signed a new contract in October 1962 which gave Epstein 15, 20, or 25 per cent of revenues, depending on how much he helped the band earn. The Beatles would then share any income after various expenses had been deducted. Epstein then formed a management company, NEMS Enterprises.
On October 1, 1962, four days before the release of "Love Me Do", Epstein signed Lennon and McCartney to a three-year NEMS publishing contract.
In 1963, Epstein advised the creation of Northern Songs, a publishing company that would control the copyrights of all Lennon–McCartney compositions recorded between 1963 and 1973. Music publisher Dick James and his partner Charles Silver owned 51 per cent of the company, Lennon and McCartney 20 per cent each, and Epstein 9 per cent.
Epstein's death in 1967 marked the beginning of the group's dissolution and had a profound effect on each Beatle. In 1997, McCartney said, "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."
Beatles' Manager Brian Epstein was interviewed in New York City by Murray the K for WOR-FM Radio in March 1967.
➦In 1963..."The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite" featured a story about the new British pop music sensations, the Beatles. The report originally had been scheduled to air November 22 but was delayed because of extended news coverage of the presidential assassination.
➦In 1963... One day after his 6th birthday Donny Osmond made his debut, singing with his brothers “The Osmonds” on NBC-TV’s “Andy Williams Show.”
➦In 1967...Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays (Otis’ backup group) were killed in the crash of a private plane near Madison, Wisconsin. Redding was just 26 years old. He came along at a time when black rhythm-and-blues artists were making inroads into the Top-40. But it was not until after his death that one of his records made the top of the charts. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was a number-one hit in early 1968, selling four-million copies in five months.
Spotify launched music videos for all Premium subscribers in the United States and Canada on December 9, 2025, directly challenging YouTube’s long-held dominance in music video streaming.
The beta rollout, which began immediately and will be fully available by the end of December, brings full-screen, ad-free official music videos to Spotify’s iOS, Android, desktop, and TV apps. Users can seamlessly switch between audio and video on supported tracks with a single tap, with playback continuing from the exact same spot.This marks the first time the feature — originally tested in 11 countries in March 2024 — is available in North America’s two largest music markets.
At launch, videos from artists including Ariana Grande, Tyler Childers, Addison Rae, BABYMONSTER, and Carín León are available, with Spotify promising rapid catalog growth.
The expansion was made possible by a November 2025 licensing deal with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) and major publishers (Universal, Sony, Warner Chappell, Kobalt), unlocking U.S. audiovisual rights and creating new royalty streams for songwriters and publishers.
Spotify is also adding video discovery tools: personalized recommendations on the home screen, a “Related Music Videos” section, genre-specific video playlists, and a dedicated “Music” tab on artist pages.
The move is part of Spotify’s broader push into video to boost engagement and keep users inside its ecosystem instead of switching to YouTube, which still offers music videos for free (with ads) or through YouTube Premium and YouTube Music.
Internal data shows fans who watch a music video on Spotify are 34% more likely to stream the song again the following week and 24% more likely to save or share it.
The feature remains exclusive to Premium subscribers; free users have no access.
According to Nielsen’s new Q3 2025 Ad-Supported Gauge, football season drove a sharp increase in ad-supported TV viewing, which peaked at 74.7% of total TV usage in September — the highest monthly share of the year.
For the full third quarter (June 30 – September 28, 2025), ad-supported television accounted for 72.9% of all TV viewing. Within that ad-supported total:
Streaming led with 46.4%
Cable took 27.2%
Broadcast captured 26.4%
Nielsen highlighted clear seasonal swings in the data. July was one of the strongest months of the year for streaming (48% of the ad-supported pie) because children and teens were on summer break and many viewers shifted to ad-free streaming options during a lighter period for traditional TV.
When live sports — especially football — returned in September, broadcast surged, lifting the overall ad-supported share while streaming dropped 3.6 points to 44.4%. Broadcast gained 4.4 points, rising to 29.1%, fueled by a robust sports lineup. Cable stayed relatively steady throughout the period.
Among adults 18+, ad-supported TV performed even stronger, claiming 75.1% of total viewing. In this demographic, streaming’s share within ad-supported viewing fell four points to 42.4%, with those points evenly split between broadcast (+2 to 28.4%) and cable (+2 to 29.2%).
Paramount Global CEO David Ellison launched a hostile $108.4 billion all-cash tender offer directly to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders on December 8, 2025, after WBD CEO David Zaslav stopped responding to calls and texts about a sixth unsolicited bid, effectively ghosting him.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the dramatic move came four days after Ellison, on the morning of December 4, texted Zaslav about a revised all-cash $77.9 billion enterprise-value proposal ($30 per share) that he believed addressed every prior concern. Zaslav never replied, even as Paramount warned in letters that WBD’s board was running an “unfair and tilted” process favoring Netflix.
Hours later, on December 5, Netflix announced an $82.7 billion deal to acquire only WBD’s studios, Max streaming service, and HBO, leaving cable assets (CNN, TNT, etc.) behind under Zaslav.
Ellison’s hostile bid, fully backstopped by his billionaire father Larry Ellison, RedBird Capital, and a consortium including Saudi, Qatari, and Abu Dhabi sovereign funds, bypasses WBD’s board entirely and offers shareholders roughly $18 billion more in immediate cash than the Netflix transaction.
Paramount has signaled the $30-per-share offer is not its final number.
The bid caps a 12-week campaign in which Paramount raised its unsolicited offer six times, climbing from $19 to $30 per share. Zaslav rejected every approach, reportedly viewing Paramount as too small and preferring to split the company. Sources say Larry Ellison lobbied President Trump against the Netflix deal, and Trump publicly criticized it, but the White House influence appears limited.
WBD shares rose 4.41% and Paramount (PSKY) jumped 9.02% on the hostile announcement, while Netflix fell 3.44%. WBD’s board has until approximately December 18 to respond formally, setting the stage for a potential proxy war as Paramount courts shareholders directly in what is shaping up as one of the most aggressive takeover battles in Hollywood history.
MS NOW host Nicolle Wallace unleashed a profanity-laced on-air takedown of President Donald Trump on Monday, calling his repeated insults toward female reporters “verbal violence” and “sick s–t” that should never be normalized.
The outburst came immediately after Trump singled out ABC News White House correspondent Rachel Scott during a briefing, labeling her “the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place.”
Wallace refused to move on, declaring live on Deadline: White House: “This is sick. This is verbal violence.”
She then rattled off a string of Trump’s recent attacks on women in the press corps:
Called New York Times reporter Katie Rogers “ugly” (Nov 26)
Described ABC’s Mary Bruce as “terrible and insubordinate” (Nov 18)
Told a Bloomberg reporter to “Quiet, Piggy” (Nov 14)
Wallace urged journalists to ask their families whether female reporters should ever again have to endure being called “obnoxious, terrible, stupid, nasty, ugly, insubordinate, or piggy” simply for doing their jobs.
The segment quickly went viral, racking up millions of views across social media within hours, with clips shared widely on X and covered by outlets including TheWrap, Raw Story, and AlterNet.
Supporters hailed it as a rare moment of raw pushback against gendered verbal abuse from the White House, while the incident underscored the escalating tension between Trump and the press corps early in his second term.
Wallace, a former George W. Bush White House communications director turned vocal Trump critic, delivered the remarks during her 4 p.m. ET broadcast on MS NOW.
Victor "Vic Slick" Corral, a 31-year staple of afternoon drive on classic hits KOLA (99.9 FM, Riverside-San Bernardino, CA), is signing off for retirement this Friday capping a storied career that bridged the analog-to-digital era of radio. Tributes poured in across the Inland Empire's airwaves and social media today, with fans and colleagues hailing him as a "legend" whose warm, relatable style defined generations of classic rock listening.
Corral joined KOLA in 1994, starting in nights before rising to mornings and eventually settling into the 2-7 p.m. slot, where he spun hits from the '60s through the 2000s while fostering deep community ties. Off-air, he became the iconic "Voice of the Rendezvous," emceeing San Bernardino's Route 66 Rendezvous car show for years and earning a 2012 Lifetime Achievement induction into the Cruisin' Hall of Fame.
"Vic has spent 31 incredible years doing what he does best—connecting with listeners in the Inland Empire," said KOLA Program Director Gary Springfield. Anaheim Broadcasting owner Mark/Anaheim owner Mark/Anaheim owner and Vic's boss, Mark/Anaheim Broadcasting owner, called him "a diligent, loyal broadcasting professional" and "dear friend" whose absence will be felt daily. Corral himself reflected in a farewell message: "
As the saying goes, 'Nothing ever lasts forever,' and it is with a mix of emotions... that I announce my official retirement." Listeners are tuning in for his final week (December 8-12).
Victor Corral
Impact on Radio: A "Great Retirement Wave
Corral's departure spotlights a broader "great retirement wave" sweeping U.S. radio, particularly in legacy formats like classic hits, where veteran talent—honed in the vinyl-to-streaming shift—is exiting en masse without robust pipelines to replace them.
Anaheim Broadcasting attributed Corral's exit partly to "streaming pivots," as stations reallocate resources to digital platforms where podcasts and on-demand audio now drive growth (up 22% in ad revenue to over $1 billion in 2025, per S&P Global). Similar shifts at giants like Cumulus and iHeartMedia have accelerated retirements, opening an estimated 500+ on-air slots nationwide in the next 12-18 months.
Industry leaders, polled in Radio Ink's 2025 "40 Most Powerful People" preview, emphasize urgency: "In the next 10 years, this industry is going to shed its most experienced veteran corps of... air talent due to retirement," one exec noted, advocating "retired mentoring" programs to transfer institutional knowledge before it's lost. NAB's broader 2025 outlook highlights talent shortages as a top threat, potentially costing the sector billions in unrealized revenue by 2030 if unaddressed.
WFAN is bringing back polarizing host Craig Carton to afternoon drive in early 2026, a move that immediately drew fierce criticism from rival ESPN New York’s Don La Greca, who branded the decision “a huge mistake” and “horrible” for pushing out popular hosts Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata.
Speaking on his December 2 show, La Greca called the shakeup a perfect example of everything wrong with sports radio: “This business is in a really bad spot right now… Two guys that work their ass off, have families, and it sounds like two empty chairs when the music stops. That sucks.”
The Audacy-owned station confirmed Carton, 56, will pair with overnight host Chris McMonigle in the 2–7 p.m. slot. That forces current afternoon team Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber to middays (12–2 p.m.), directly against ESPN New York’s Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg show.
Tierney and Licata, whose 6–10 p.m. program had built a loyal following with sharp Mets, Jets, and Knicks takes, appear to be the odd men out with no announced roles.
Carton’s return marks his third stint at WFAN. He previously co-hosted the blockbuster Boomer and Carton morning show (2007–2017) until his 2017 arrest and conviction on fraud charges that sent him to prison. After a post-release comeback with Evan Roberts and a failed FS1 TV show that was canceled this summer, Carton is now being positioned as the station’s afternoon savior.
The move has split New York sports radio fans and insiders. Supporters believe Carton’s brash style can recapture drive-time energy and ratings; critics, led by La Greca, argue it sacrifices two homegrown, hardworking talents for a controversial figure with a checkered past.
As of today, Tierney and Licata remain in limbo, with contracts nearing expiration and no official comment from WFAN or Audacy on their future.
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” ties the all-time record with a 19th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, matching the 19-week reigns of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (2019) and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (2024), Billboard announced December 8, 2025.
The 1994 holiday classic surged from No. 5 to No. 1 on the latest chart (tracking week ending December 12), powered by a 37% jump in radio airplay and 33.7 million U.S. streams. It has now led the Hot 100 in seven separate holiday seasons (2019–2025), the first song ever to do so, and extends Carey’s record for most total weeks at No. 1 by any artist (98 weeks).
With Christmas still more than two weeks away, the song is poised to potentially claim sole possession of the record before the season ends.
Carey, who co-wrote and co-produced the track, now has 19 career No. 1s—the most among solo artists and just one behind the Beatles’ all-time mark of 20.The current top five is entirely holiday-dominated:
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
“Last Christmas” – Wham!
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
“Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
“Golden” – Huntr/x (non-holiday)
Originally released on Carey’s Merry Christmas album, the song took 25 years to reach No. 1 (December 2019), the longest climb in Hot 100 history at the time. It has since become a perennial billion-stream juggernaut and the defining modern Christmas standard.
The Q3 2025 edition (covering July-September 2025) highlights the enduring strength of traditional audio formats amid growing digital options.
Westwood One's blog post Monday, emphasizes how AM/FM radio continues to dominate, particularly in ad-supported listening, while noting shifts in podcast demographics and the limitations of digital-only strategies.
AM/FM Radio's Domination in Ad-Supported AudioAM/FM radio remains the unchallenged leader in ad-supported audio, capturing 64% of total share—far outpacing competitors. This dominance holds across all demographics, making it a reliable choice. for advertisers seeking broad reach. For context, here's a breakdown of ad-supported audio shares from the report:
Marketers and agencies often misjudge these figures: they perceive AM/FM radio's share at just 26% (underestimating it by 2.5x), while overestimating Pandora and Spotify combined at 41% (actual combined share: ~11%). In reality, AM/FM radio's audience is 11x larger than ad-supported Spotify and 13x larger than ad-supported Pandora.A key insight for brands: Relying solely on digital platforms (e.g., Spotify, Pandora, podcasts) reaches only 33% of Americans.
Adding AM/FM radio boosts this to 74%, underscoring its role in expanding campaign efficiency.In-Car Listening:
AM/FM's Stronghold
AM/FM radio's lead is even more pronounced in vehicles, where it commands an 84% share of ad-supported audio. This varies slightly by age but remains robust:
35-64 years: 84%
25-54 years: 81%
18-34 years: 79%
With much consumer decision-making happening on the go (e.g., path-to-purchase moments), this positions AM/FM as essential for retail, automotive, and local advertising.
Other Notable Trends...Podcasts Are Aging:
The median podcast listener age has risen from 29 in 2017 to 39 in Q3 2025, fueled by surges among 45-64-year-olds.
Daily reach now peaks among 25-44s, a shift from the younger 18-24 skew of the past.
Streaming Growth, But Limited Scale: While platforms like Spotify show gains, their ad-supported shares remain niche compared to radio's ubiquity.
Overall, the report reinforces AM/FM radio's resilience in a fragmented audio landscape, advising marketers to integrate it for maximum impact rather than betting solely on digital upstarts. For the full blog post, check Westwood One's analysis.
iHeartPodcasts and its massive ad network continued to dominate U.S. podcast listening in November 2025, even as the typical year-end holiday slump caused most publishers tracked by Podtrac to post month-over-month declines in downloads and unique listeners.
iHeartPodcasts itself recorded 165 million U.S. downloads/streams and 30 million unique listeners, while the broader iHeart Audience Network — which bundles iHeart shows with roughly 26,000 third-party podcasts — delivered 337 million U.S. downloads/streams and reached 64 million unique listeners, more than double any single publisher.
Only three publishers saw gains in November. Acast and NPR remained tied for third place: NPR led in total downloads (112 million vs. Acast’s 77 million), while Acast had a slightly larger unique audience (21 million vs. NPR’s ~20 million). Libsyn held fifth with 87 million downloads and nearly 20 million unique listeners.
At the individual show level, the top three were unchanged: NPR News Now stayed #1, followed by The New York Times’ The Daily (#2) and NPR’s Up First (#3). Notable climbers included NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! (up 4 spots to #14), Cumulus Podcast Network’s The Shawn Ryan Show (into the top 5), and Vox Media’s Today, Explained (into the top 10).
The Charlie Kirk Show (Salem Podcast Network) continued its sharp decline after host Charlie Kirk’s murder in September, falling eight spots to #19 from a September peak of #7.
Globally, the iHeart Audience Network again led with 738 million downloads and views, with 30% now coming from YouTube despite only 89 of its 30,820 shows being distributed there.
Several publishers now get more consumption from YouTube than traditional audio: Libsyn (154 million YouTube views vs. 111 million audio), Sonoro (>50% YouTube), and Paramount (61% YouTube, the highest reliance among major players, driven by brands such as BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Showtime).
Anderson Cooper has signed a new multiyear contract with CNN, ending months of intense speculation that he would leave the network to anchor the CBS Evening News.
The deal, finalized in recent weeks and first reported by Variety on December 8, 2025, ensures Cooper will remain host of Anderson Cooper 360° at 8 p.m. ET, continue contributing to 60 Minutes, co-host CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast with Andy Cohen, and expand his role in digital and podcast content including The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper and All There Is.
Sources say CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss aggressively pursued Cooper to replace departing anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, but Cooper ultimately chose to stay at the network he joined in 2001.
His decision comes despite CNN’s sharp primetime ratings declines—down 42% overall and 58% in the key 25–54 demographic in Q3 2025—and amid broader industry upheaval as networks shift toward streaming and digital revenue.
The renewal locks in one of CNN’s biggest remaining stars as the network, led by CEO Mark Thompson, pushes deeper into paywalled digital content and broadband distribution while linear viewership continues to erode.
KNSS, an Audacy station in Wichita, is launching a new morning show, “Woodward and Whit,” on January 5, 2026. John Whitmer will join co-host Ted Woodward weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CST. Whitmer succeeds Steve McIntosh following his retirement
“We are excited to welcome John Whitmer to the KNSS morning show alongside Ted Woodward,” said Tommy Castor, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Wichita. “‘Woodward and Whit’ will build on the foundation of smart, local conversation that our listeners expect by delivering the essential news, candid analysis and enjoyable banter that starts the day right. This is a powerful pairing that promises to keep the Wichita community informed and engaged.”
"I’m honored to join Ted Woodward on 'Woodward & Whit,' stepping into the big shoes left by Steve McIntosh, who dedicated over 50 years to Wichita mornings,” said Whitmer. “I look forward to bringing news coverage, straight talk, common-sense discussion and a little fun to help our community start the day on the right note."
Whitmer is a veteran of Kansas politics, having served in key roles across local, state and national campaigns. He worked as the 4th District Field Director for Senator Jerry Moran’s 2016 re-election campaign and the 2019 Kobach/Hartman gubernatorial race. He chaired the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (2012-2018) and served as the State Representative (93rd District, 2015-2019). In 2018, he joined KNSS and began hosting “The John Whitmer Show,” championing conservative principles and featuring high-profile guests like Vice President Mike Pence and Tucker Carlson. Whitmer currently serves as the Chairman of the Sedgwick County Republican and has served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention three times (2012, 2016 and 2020).
📻Listeners can tune in to KNSS-AM/FM in Wichita on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.
.png)
.png)
