Good Morning! Let's Check the Pulse For Monday, Feb 23:

Radio Broadcasting

FCC Launches "Pledge America" Campaign:  FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the "Pledge America" campaign on February 20, 2026, urging radio (and TV) broadcasters to air more "patriotic, pro-America" programming ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026 (marking the Declaration of Independence). Suggestions include starting broadcasts with the "Star Spangled Banner" or Pledge of Allegiance, featuring segments on local historical sites (e.g., National Park Service locations), and highlighting American composers like John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Aaron Copland. The initiative aligns with the White House's Salute to America 250 Task Force. Critics view it as potential pressure for pro-administration content, while supporters see it as promoting national pride. 

This has sparked discussions in trade groups like the NAB about voluntary compliance versus regulatory implications.

Industry Operational and Programming Updates:

• Major groups like iHeartMedia continue podcast and digital pushes, including announcements for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards (at SXSW March 16) and iHeartRadio Music Awards nominees. Partnerships (e.g., with TikTok for events like "Romantic Radio with Bruno Mars") highlight streaming growth.
• Audacy expanded its WGR sports brand into Rochester (95.7 FM) on February 20 and raised significant funds via radiothons (e.g., Alice 105.9 in Denver topped $1M for charity).
• Broader trends include digital revenue emphasis (radio projected to lead global traditional market at ~$12.2B in 2026 per Statista) and ongoing cost management, though no major February layoffs reported.

Media Industry

Trump Administration's Influence on Media and Regulations:  The second Trump term continues creating turbulence for media companies through direct interventions and regulatory pressures:

• President Trump publicly warned Netflix to remove Susan Rice (a former Democratic official) from its board or "face consequences," escalating tensions over perceived political bias in streaming and entertainment.
• Trump endorsed the proposed Nexstar-Tegna merger (a $3.54–6.2 billion deal to create the largest U.S. local TV station operator), arguing it would increase competition against big networks amid declining local media revenue from streaming shifts. This has strained some conservative media alliances and drawn scrutiny over ownership caps.
• The FCC has issued guidance on the "equal time" rule, pressuring networks like CBS to cancel or alter political interviews on late-night shows (e.g., Stephen Colbert had to drop a Senate candidate segment). Critics see this as targeting perceived liberal-leaning content, potentially reshaping how talk shows handle politics.

Other actions include DOJ scrutiny in deals and questions over handling of reporter-related matters.

Ongoing Major Mergers and Antitrust Battles:  The entertainment/media consolidation wave continues:

• Netflix is aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) assets, with reports of ample room to increase offers amid battles involving Paramount/Skydance. Directors like James Cameron have sent critical letters to lawmakers over antitrust concerns. The DOJ is probing Netflix's leverage over creators in related reviews.
• Paramount recently noted the U.S. antitrust waiting period on a WBD bid has expired, keeping deal talks alive.
• These mega-deals raise fears about impacts on streaming competition, theatrical releases, journalism (if assets overlap with news divisions), and consumer choices.

U-S News

Powerful Storm Hits Northeast:  A historic and powerful winter storm (described as a nor'easter or bomb cyclone) is slamming the Northeast U.S., bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snowfall, high winds, and widespread disruptions. Blizzard warnings cover tens of millions of people from Maryland to Maine, with up to 2 feet of snow possible in hardest-hit areas like parts of New York, New Jersey, Boston, and coastal regions. Wind gusts are reaching 50-70 mph, causing whiteout conditions, coastal flooding risks, and power outages affecting over 100,000 customers already.

• Travel is severely impacted: New York City has issued a travel ban, thousands of flights (especially at NYC airports) have been canceled, public transit has paused or gone to emergency schedules, and officials urge people to stay off roads.
• Schools are closed across the region (including NYC's public schools for a traditional snow day), offices are on limited operations, and even the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan is shut down.
• The storm intensified overnight, with snowfall rates of 1-4 inches per hour in some spots, and the worst conditions expected to continue into Monday.

Secret Service Kills Man:  U.S. Secret Service agents, along with a Palm Beach County Sheriff's deputy, fatally shot a 21-year-old man early Sunday after he made an unauthorized entry into the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

• The suspect was identified as Austin Tucker Martin from Carthage/Moore County, North Carolina. He was reportedly carrying a shotgun and a gas canister (fuel can).

Violence in Mexico: A major wave of violence has erupted across Mexico following the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the country's most wanted drug lords.

• Mexican military forces killed him during an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco state, on Sunday, where clashes left several cartel members and soldiers injured or dead.
• In retaliation, suspected CJNG affiliates have torched vehicles/buses/businesses (including reports of attacks on a Costco), set up over 250 road blockades across 20+ states, clashed with security forces, and caused widespread chaos, particularly in Jalisco (including Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta).
• This has stranded U.S. and other tourists (e.g., in Puerto Vallarta), led to flight cancellations, school closures in several states, and shelter-in-place advisories from the U.S. State Department and other governments.