Good Morning: The Week Starts With The Pulse For Monday, April 20

Radio Broadcasting

YouTube dominates radio listener social media habits in 2026, with 83% of U.S. radio listeners 18+ using it weekly. This beats Instagram (77%), Facebook (73%), and TikTok (72%). Spanish-language radio listeners show distinct platform preferences, with 59% using WhatsApp weekly versus 39% of English-language listeners. Radio stations investing heavily in TikTok while ignoring YouTube are chasing the wrong platform. These findings come from surveying 2,798 radio listeners across the U.S. in March-April 2026.

98 Rock (KRXQ-FM, in Sacramento, unveils a new weekday lineup effective Monday, April 20th. Abe Kanan is moving to morning drive with the debut of “Abe Kanan Mornings,” airing from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. PT. Joining the station for afternoon drive is Michael “Marty” Whitney, who will be heard from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. PT.

RIP: Bob Kevoian, longtime co-host of the syndicated "Bob & Tom Show," died Friday at age 75.  Kevoian took a sudden turn for the worse Thursday night. By 5:30 p.m. Friday, his family knew the end was near. Kevoian had been battling cancer for three years but continued living with humor and optimism, even planning a possible trip to Disney World for the weekend. READ MORE

Media Industry

Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Halting Nexstar-Tegna Merger:  A federal judge in California has blocked Nexstar Media Group’s completed $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna Inc., preventing the two largest U.S. television station groups from integrating operations. The ruling, issued Friday, came in response to antitrust lawsuits from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and seven other states, plus a related challenge from DirecTV. The court cited risks of reduced competition, higher prices for advertisers and consumers, and potential widespread newsroom layoffs. Nexstar has vowed to appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The deal would have given Nexstar control of 265 stations nationwide. 

NAB Show 2026 Kicks Off in Las Vegas:  The broadcast industry’s flagship event, the 2026 NAB Show, opened this weekend (conferences April 18–22, exhibits April 19–22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The gathering focuses heavily on AI-driven workflows, streaming, sports media, the creator economy, and monetization strategies. Industry leaders are discussing next-gen technologies, consolidation pressures, and the future of local broadcasting amid ongoing challenges like dashboard visibility and competition from streaming services. 

Ongoing Industry Consolidation and Layoff Pressures: Media outlets continue to report on the ripple effects of mergers and cost-cutting. Discussions around the Nexstar-Tegna freeze highlight broader concerns about local TV newsroom reductions. Separate reports note persistent layoffs across legacy media as companies adapt to digital shifts, with examples including recent cuts at various stations and ongoing restructuring at major outlets. 

U-S News

U-S Fires On Ship: A U.S. Navy destroyer repeatedly warned an Iranian-flagged cargo ship to stop over a six-hour period on Sunday before firing on the ship’s engine room, disabling the Iran-bound vessel to allow helicopter-borne Marines to board and seize it, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. When the crew of the Touska, the Iranian ship, ignored the American warnings, a destroyer fired its MK 45 gun into the cargo ship’s engine room, Central Command said. On Sunday, Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit were conducting a search of the vessel, which is now in American custody. Trump said on Truth Social, “blowing a hole” in its engine room.

Pump Pain: Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said on Sunday that gasoline prices in the United States had probably peaked but acknowledged that they could remain elevated for months, undermining President Trump’s earlier claim that high fuel prices would be “short-term.”

8 Kids Die In Shooting: Eight children were killed in a domestic violence shooting spree that spanned at least three locations in Shreveport, La., on Sunday morning, the authorities said. The gunman, Shamar Elkins, 31, was fatally shot by officers during a chase, the police said. The victims ranged in age from 1 to 14, according to Cpl. Chris Bordelon of the Shreveport Police Department, who spoke at a news conference. He said the shooting appeared to be domestic in nature.