Good Morning! Let's Check The Pulse for Monday, March 16

Radio Broadcasting

Radio Deal Market Shows Early 2026 Momentum:  Radio station sales surged in January 2026, with 36 stations traded (more than double January 2025's 15), totaling $15.7 million in value. Key deals included Arkansas River Valley Radio acquiring 12 full-power stations and translators for $6.7 million, and Audacy selling a Providence FM for $4.9 million. Analysts see 2026 poised for opportunistic buying amid potential regulatory easing, though large-scale consolidation remains tied to FCC ownership limit reviews.

Radio Listening Remains Strong; Podcasts Level Off:  The 2026 FMR/Eastlan Ratings National Radio Listening Survey shows 84% of adults 25-64 listening weekly to radio—stable from recent years—while podcast usage held at 40% (up slightly from 39% in 2025 but post-election stabilization). Satellite radio stays modest at 16%. This reinforces radio's resilience in audio consumption despite digital competition.

CMA To Highlight Music Listeners:  The Country Music Association (CMA) has conducted research on music listeners, including a specific 2025 Teen Music Listeners Study. This is a custom research report focused on understanding what drives the next generation of Country Music fans. It explores how teens spend their time, how they engage with music, and related behaviors to identify growth opportunities for the genre among younger audiences. Survey results will be presented Wednesday during CRS 2026 in Nashville

Media Industry

FCC Chair Threatens Broadcasters Over Iran War Coverage:  FCC Chair Brendan Carr (under the current administration) has issued threats to revoke local station licenses for ABC, NBC, CBS, and other broadcasters, claiming their coverage of the Iran conflict constitutes "fake news." Critics note this appears to be political pressure rather than enforceable action, as the FCC has limited direct authority over content, but it highlights ongoing tensions between the administration and traditional media outlets.

U-S News

US-Iran War Enters Third Week: Trump Faces Tough Choices on Continuing Strikes or Declaring Victory, the conflict intensifies with US and Israeli strikes, including on Iran's key oil hub Kharg Island. President Trump has urged allies to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz (a critical global oil route that's effectively disrupted), but responses have been cautious. Trump claims Iran is ready for a ceasefire but says he's not accepting their terms yet, while officials predict the fighting could end in weeks. Oil prices have surged past $100–$105 per barrel, driving up US gas prices (average now around $3.70/gallon, up sharply since late February). There's also a US military refueling plane crash in Iraq killing 6 service members amid operations tied to the war.

Michigan Synagogue Attack Linked to Hezbollah: A suspect rammed a truck (possibly with explosives) into a Michigan synagogue with over 100 children inside. US and Israeli officials say the attacker's brother was a Hezbollah commander recently killed in strikes (likely tied to the Iran conflict). This has heightened domestic terror concerns and synagogue security fears amid Middle East tensions.

The Oscars: “Sinners” star Michael B. Jordan took home the Best Actor Oscar while “One Battle After Another” snagged the Best Picture award. “Hamnet” star Jessie Buckley won Best Actress while “Weapons” star Amy Madigan won for Best Supporting Actress. Sean Penn won Best Performing Actor for his role in “One Battle After Another.”

Team USA Advances At World Baseball Classic: Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony each hit solo home runs in the fourth inning and Team USA’s pitching kept the mighty Dominican Republic lineup in check enough to secure a 2-1 victory in a World Baseball Classic semifinal on Sunday night.  The United States advanced to its third WBC final in a row and will try to win its second Classic championship and first since 2017 when it takes on the winner of the Venezuela-Italy semifinal on Tuesday night in Miami. Venezuela and Italy play their semifinal game on Monday night in Miami. DeRosa confirmed that right-hander Nolan McLean will start Tuesday’s final.