Read The Pulse For Your Tuesday Sep 1 AM Briefing

Radio Broadcasting

Sick Bay: Lionel Richie, the 77-year-old Grammy-winning singer and “American Idol” judge, was hospitalized in intensive care after a concert in St. Louis on Saturday.

Hot 100: Two iconic Dolly Parton recordings have reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 for the first time following the entertainer’s death, with “Jolene” reentering the Sept. 5-dated chart at No. 16 and “I Will Always Love You” debuting at No. 27.

Radio Going Programmatic: Programmatic buying still accounts for only about one-third of U.S. digital audio advertising—versus roughly 90% of digital ads overall—even as marketers pour more money into podcasts, streaming and, increasingly, over-the-air radio.

Apology Made: Boston Red Sox radio announcer Will Flemming apologized Monday for saying a Red Sox pitcher should “drill” a New York Yankees batter during Sunday’s 16-1 loss in the Bronx.

Media Industry

Welker Support: NBC News is defending “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker after President Donald Trump said he would report her to the FCC over her description of his 2026 primary endorsement record. 

NBC Crew Roughed-Up: An NBC News crew and the Palestinian woman they were interviewing were attacked by masked Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank over the weekend. The attack happened Saturday in Jalud, near Nablus, while Bradley was interviewing Aida Ahmed Abdullah, 51, who said settlers had driven her family from their home. 

Cutting the Cord: Nearly one in three Americans who cancel traditional pay TV sign up for a new streaming service within a month, and they do so at five times the normal rate, according to new data from Antenna.

U-S News

Trump Gets 'Stupid' Question: President Donald Trump said the United States will not use nuclear weapons against Iran, labeling the question as stupid, while indicating conventional strikes in response to recent Iranian attacks and emphasizing the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

Army Secretary Resigns: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned on Monday after months of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leaving the Army without a Senate‑confirmed leader and adding to a recent wave of high‑level military departures.

Nasty Weather: Tropical Storm Edouard, the fifth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to approach the Louisiana‑Texas border on Sept. 1 with possible hurricane‑strength winds, prompting hurricane and tropical storm watches, flood advisories, and warnings for heavy rain, storm surge, and flash flooding along the northwestern Gulf Coast.