Good Morning! Let's Check The Pulse for Friday, Feb 13

Radio Broadcasting

The primary focus in U.S. radio broadcasting centers on World Radio Day, celebrated annually on this date under UNESCO's theme: “Radio and Artificial Intelligence: AI is a tool, not a voice.” This emphasizes AI's potential to enhance production, personalization, accessibility, and archiving while firmly asserting that human broadcasters remain essential for authenticity, empathy, trust, and community connection.

Key U.S.-specific developments and coverage include:

• WXXI News (a Rochester, NY-based NPR affiliate) published a feature highlighting industry experts' views on AI in broadcasting. They discussed practical applications like content tools and audience engagement aids but reinforced that AI cannot replicate the human element that defines radio's appeal.
• Broader industry reflections affirm radio's resilience and trust. Recent reports (including those echoed around this date) position radio as America's most trusted mass medium, with high credibility rankings compared to other outlets in a digital era.

Regulatory and operational notes: The FCC granted short-term EAS (Emergency Alert System) waivers to Florida stations during transmitter moves, underscoring operational flexibility for safety compliance.

Media Industry

Streaming and Viewing Shifts:  Streaming's momentum persists, with late-2025 data (e.g., Nielsen Gauge for December showing 47.5% of total TV viewing) fueling forecasts that it could exceed 50% of U.S. TV consumption by mid-2026. Additional trends include: 

• FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels projected to grow significantly, potentially overtaking some SVOD metrics in certain segments.
• YouTube expected to surpass combined U.S. broadcast networks in viewership.
• Ad-supported tiers becoming standard across platforms, signaling the decline of widespread ad-free viewing.
• Recent awards shows (e.g., lower ratings for Golden Globes and Grammys in early 2026) and NFL negotiations for TV deals reflect ongoing pressures on traditional linear TV.

U.S. News

Trump Administration Policy Moves:   EPA Revokes Key Climate Science Finding: The Trump administration, through the EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin, revoked a foundational scientific determination (the "endangerment finding") that enabled federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and other sources. Critics called it a major rollback favoring polluters and undermining climate action, while supporters viewed it as reducing regulatory burdens. President Trump and EPA officials announced the move at the White House, opening the door to relaxed pollution limits on cars and trucks.

Homeland Security Funding Standoff and Shutdown Risk: Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security amid partisan clashes over immigration enforcement restrictions. This left the agency on the brink of a partial shutdown over the weekend, marking potential third shutdown under Trump's presidency.Immigration and Enforcement Updates

End of Minnesota Immigration Surge: Border Czar Tom Homan announced the conclusion of a months-long ICE crackdown in Minnesota, which involved thousands of arrests, widespread protests, and two deaths. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed "cautious relief." The operation's wind-down followed intense backlash.

Savannah Guthrie Disappearance Case: The FBI doubled the reward to $100,000 in the ongoing search for "TODAY" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie (missing since early February), releasing new details about a suspect seen on porch video (5'9"-5'10", average build, wearing an Ozark Trail backpack).