Good Morning! Let's Check The Pulse for Friday, Feb 20

Radio Broadcasting

FCC  Pushes 'Fairness': The most prominent ongoing story is the FCC's push on equal time rule enforcement for political appearances on broadcast media. This has raised concerns for talk radio stations (especially conservative talk formats). FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has stated that the rule applies "across the board" to broadcasting, including radio, amid a split among commissioners. While initial focus was on TV (e.g., investigations into ABC's "The View" and controversies involving shows like Stephen Colbert's), radio operators are closely monitoring for potential spillover. This stems from recent FCC open meetings (including February 2026), where enforcement inconsistencies were debated. Related coverage highlights questions about syndicated hosts like Sean Hannity facing similar scrutiny, though Carr previously downplayed immediate radio enforcement priorities.

Another FCC-related update: The agency is advancing plans for a late 2026 filing window for noncommercial FM translators in the reserved band (88.1–91.9 MHz). This could expand opportunities for educational and community broadcasters, including noncommercial FM, LPFM, and AM stations to add translators.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R.979/S.315) remains a top priority: The NAB pushing for an early 2026 House floor vote. The bill would mandate AM radio as a standard feature in new passenger vehicles, amid automaker plans (e.g., Tesla phasing out AM/FM in some 2026 models) to remove it due to interference concerns in EVs. NAB has rolled out hyper-local PSAs thanking supportive lawmakers, and the legislation has bipartisan support plus White House backing.

Media Industry

Major consolidation battle in streaming/entertainment: Netflix vs. Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery assets. Netflix's $82.7 billion offer for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming business (including HBO Max) remains the preferred bid, but Paramount Skydance has submitted a competing hostile offer worth over $108 billion for the entire WBD entity. WBD reportedly gave Paramount a short window (until around February 23) to improve its bid, while sources indicate Netflix has financial flexibility to counter if needed. This high-profile tug-of-war highlights ongoing consolidation pressures in streaming amid profitability challenges for legacy media players.

Pew Research Center study underscores low public trust in U.S. media:  A recent Pew report released this month shows 57% of U.S. adults have low confidence in journalists to act in the public interest, amid an evolving news landscape with scrutiny on bias, social media influence, and traditional outlets' adaptations. This erodes audience engagement for news broadcasters, newspapers, and digital media, pushing outlets toward transparency efforts or niche strategies.

U-S News

Trump threatens military action against Iran amid escalating tensions:  President Trump has warned of "bad things" if Iran fails to reach a nuclear deal within 10-15 days, as a second U.S. aircraft carrier group moves toward the Middle East. Reports highlight a buildup of U.S. forces, including carrier groups, fighter jets, and bombers, with little public explanation for the potential strikes—described as rare in modern U.S. history for lacking debate or clear justification. Rationales cited include Iran's nuclear program, missile threats to Israel, support for proxies like Hamas/Hezbollah, and recent protester crackdowns. This follows a prior claimed strike on Iranian nuclear sites.

Trump orders release of Pentagon and government files on UFOs, aliens, and extraterrestrials:  In response to a viral interview clip involving former President Obama and amid public interest, Trump directed federal agencies, including the Pentagon, to declassify and release files related to UFOs (now often called UAPs) and potential alien evidence. Trump stated he doesn't know if aliens are real but emphasized transparency, tying it to broader national security and public curiosity themes.

Olympic Gold: The US women’s hockey team clinched gold yesterday with a 2-1 overtime victory over Canada. The two nations have met in all but one Olympic women’s hockey final since the first tournament in 1998. The US women’s hockey team now has three gold medals to Canada’s five.