Radio Broadcasting:Dan Bongino's High-Profile Return: Conservative talk host Dan Bongino relaunched The Dan Bongino Show on Monday, after stepping away in March 2025 to serve as Deputy Director of the FBI (a role he left in late 2025). The show is now a two-hour daily podcast (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. ET) distributed via Cumulus Media's podcast network, with Westwood One as the exclusive sales partner. Video livestreams are exclusive to Rumble, while audio is available on major podcast platforms. His first episode included a call-in from President Trump, score-settling commentary, and some technical glitches. This marks a shift from traditional syndicated radio to a podcast-first model, reflecting broader trends in conservative media moving toward on-demand and video platforms.
SiriusXM Stock Declines Amid Ongoing Pressures: SiriusXM Holdings (SIRI) shares have faced notable weakness, including reports of a roughly 14% drop over the past year (as highlighted in early February analyses). The stock underperformed the broader market significantly in 2025 (down ~12.3% for the year), driven by gradual subscriber and revenue declines despite meeting some financial targets. Investors remain cautious ahead of the company's Q4 earnings report (expected around February 5, 2026), with concerns over competition from streaming services and the need for strategies like ad-supported tiers to stabilize growth. This reflects broader satellite/digital audio sector headwinds in a fragmented market.
Beasley Media Group Appoints Kevin LeGrett as Chief Business Officer: Beasley Media Group (a major radio broadcaster with stations across formats and markets) named industry veteran Kevin LeGrett to the newly created Chief Business Officer role, effective immediately. LeGrett, who spent over 15 years at iHeartMedia (most recently as President of iHeartSports), will work closely with COO Brian Beasley to unify revenue strategies, cross-platform partnerships, digital growth, and multiplatform operations. The move aims to strengthen Beasley's competitive edge in broadcast, streaming, podcasting, and experiential media, signaling a push for integrated revenue amid industry consolidation and digital shifts.
John Fix's Insights on Radio as a "Fresh" Channel: Industry expert John Fix (former P&G media analyst) has emphasized in recent articles and discussions (including 2025 Westwood One/SiriusXM contributions and updates into 2026) that radio should now be viewed as a revitalized media channel for MMM due to improved "as-run" delivery data. Previously, MMM often used planned GRPs (estimates), creating a "smoothing effect" that undervalued radio's impact on sales. Advances like Media Monitors' expansion to top 250 markets (covering ~86% of U.S. radio reach) and granular weekly as-run GRPs/DMA-level data enable more accurate modeling, better attribution, and stronger ROI proof for AM/FM radio. This could reset radio's role in advertiser budgets, especially as "always-on" MMM becomes standard, countering perceptions that MMM disadvantages traditional audio.
Media Industry:
Abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother Shocks Media: Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC's Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated authorities believe she was "abducted" or taken against her will, treating her residence as a crime scene — she did not leave voluntarily, her phone was left behind, and she requires medication that could endanger her life if not accessed soon. Search efforts continue, with appeals for public tips; Savannah Guthrie publicly asked for prayers to "bring her home" safely. This high-profile personal tragedy has drawn widespread coverage across networks, highlighting vulnerabilities for media figures and their families.
CNN Staffer Confront Leadership Over Conservative Contributor Scott Jennings: During a recent staff meeting, CNN employees pressed CEO Mark Thompson on why the network tolerates Scott Jennings — a frequent MAGA-aligned pundit and Trump supporter — despite repeated violations of editorial standards and disruptive conduct. Concerns include Jennings' use of prohibited terms like "illegal aliens" for undocumented immigrants, rude/dismissive interactions (especially toward female guests), heated spats, and antagonistic rhetoric that some view as personal rather than substantive. Staff questioned his continued booking amid these issues, reflecting internal tensions at CNN over balance, guidelines enforcement, and handling conservative voices in a polarized environment. Jennings remains a regular on panels, but the pushback underscores broader challenges for cable news in managing ideological contributors.
U.S. News
Trump Pushes Back on Trevor Noah's Grammy Joke Linking Him to Epstein: Trump threatened legal action against comedian Trevor Noah over a Grammys hosting remark tying him to Jeffrey Epstein files (experts say slim chance of success). Separately, Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in a House Epstein probe (details pending finalization), and the DOJ removed thousands of documents with potential victim info.