Happy TGIF: Check The Pulse for May 15

Radio Broadcasting

News Service Launches: Red Apple Audio Networks Launches 24-Hour Nationwide News ServiceRed Apple Audio Networks will debut the Worldwide News Network on Saturday, May 23, at 12:00 a.m., introducing a new 24-hour national radio news service focused on hard news, breaking headlines, and fact-driven reporting to affiliates across the country.

WTOP FM Retires: Joel Oxley, president and general manager of WTOP and Federal News Network, said Wednesday he will retire later this year after nearly 35 years with the company, including 28 years as general manager. Oxley, who turns 65 this year, made the surprise announcement during the station’s annual employee service anniversary celebration.

Non-Coms Settle: Miami-Dade School Board, SFPMG Reach 7-Year Settlement for WLRN. The long-running dispute between the Miami-Dade County School Board and South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG) over NPR affiliate WLRN-FM Miami (91.3) has been resolved.

Media Industry

Israel to Sue NY Times for Defamation: The Israeli government plans to file a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and veteran columnist Nicholas Kristof over an article alleging systematic sexual violence by Israeli soldiers, prison guards, and settlers against Palestinian prisoners.

Super Prices: Disney has secured more than 10 30-second advertising spots for the upcoming Super Bowl, selling them for approximately $9 million apiece after initially seeking $10 million per slot.

OBITS: Claudine Longet, the actress and singer known for 1960s television roles and her high-profile 1976 trial after fatally shooting her Olympic skier boyfriend, has died at age 84. Also Clarence Carter, the Southern soul singer and guitarist famous for his candid songs about adultery and lust, died Thursday. He was 90.

U.S. News

Trump and Xi Meet: President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Friday at Zhongnanhai, the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership compound in Beijing. The leaders held talks over tea and a working lunch, with Trump stating they “feel very similar on Iran” and both want the conflict to end.

SCOTUS Preserves Access: The Supreme Court on Thursday maintained widespread access to the common abortion pill mifepristone, allowing doctors to continue mailing the drug to patients without an in-person visit. The brief order on the court’s emergency docket keeps on hold a lower-court ruling that would have restricted access to the medication, the most common method of ending a pregnancy.

Oil Surplus Dwindling Rapidly: A once-underappreciated surplus of crude oil is shrinking at a record pace after cushioning the global economy when the Persian Gulf closed 2½ months ago. Oil executives and analysts warn that acute shortages of key fuels and soaring prices could emerge within weeks if the Strait of Hormuz stays shut.

Israel Threatens To Sue NY Times For Defamation

The Israeli government plans to file a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and veteran columnist Nicholas Kristof following the publication of an article accusing Israeli soldiers, prison guards, and settlers of systematic sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the move on Thursday, saying he had directed his legal advisers to pursue “the harshest legal action” possible against both the newspaper and Kristof, who reported the story from the occupied West Bank.

The decision marks a significant escalation in Israel’s response to international media coverage of its treatment of Palestinian detainees. Netanyahu’s office framed the article as containing false and damaging claims that constitute libel, potentially harming Israel’s reputation and the safety of its personnel.

D-C Radio: WTOP GM Joel Oxley Announces Retirement

Joel Oxley, president and general manager of WTOP and Federal News Network, announced Wednesday that he will retire later this year after nearly 35 years with the company, including 28 years as general manager.

Oxley, who turns 65 this year, made the surprise announcement during the station’s annual employee service anniversary celebration, where he first praised 25 colleagues marking 10 to 30 years with the organization.

“Because we are doing well, and because the best time to make changes is when you are doing well, and because I’m flipping 65, I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my cleats and retire,” Oxley told the newsroom. 

Florida Radio: Parties Resolve Dispute For Non-Com WLRN

A long-running legal battle over the future of NPR affiliate WLRN-FM Miami (91.3) has been resolved through an out-of-court settlement.

In an agreement announced Thursday, the Miami-Dade County School Board — which owns the news/talk station — and South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), which manages it, have reached a new seven-year management contract for WLRN. 

The deal also ends their dispute over SFPMG’s planned purchase of urban AC station WFLM (104.7) in West Palm Beach.

NYC Radio WFAN Leads Off Subway Series With All-Day Broadcast

As New York’s most passionate sports rivalry takes center stage, WFAN (WFAN-FM/AM), the most listened-to sports radio station in America, is bringing fans directly into the action. On May 15, the station will broadcast live all day from the MLB Flagship Store (NYC), leading into the Yankees vs. Mets Subway Series matchup at Citi Field as part of MLB “Rivalry Weekend.”

The station’s entire weekday lineup will air at its regular schedule, including “The Warm Up Show” from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. ET, “Boomer & Gio” from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET, “Evan & Tiki” from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET and “The Craig Carton Show” with Chris McMonigle from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. All festivities at the flagship store lead fans to the New York Yankees pre-game show at 6:35 p.m. ET and the play-by-play broadcast with Dave Sims and Suzyn Waldman at 7:15 p.m. ET.

L-A TV: MLB Angeles Fire Team Announcer

Patrick O’Neal, who has served as a television announcer for the Los Angeles Angels for the past 13 seasons, will not return to the club, the team has announced.

Patrick O'Neal

O’Neal, 58, rotated play-by-play duties with lead voice Wayne Randazzo and also handled pre- and postgame hosting responsibilities on Angels telecasts. He has simultaneously contributed to Los Angeles Kings hockey broadcasts.

“The Angels organization would like to thank Patrick O’Neal for his 13 years of dedication to the Angels broadcast team,” the club said in a statement. “He brought a sense of pride to each telecast, something that was felt by Angels fans watching at home.”

In a statement posted to X, O’Neal wrote: “Thank you to the Angels for the amazing broadcast opportunities. I cherish every moment and every friend I made. It’s the great people I will miss the most. Chopping it up talking baseball with some of the best to ever do it. It will be hard to replace that. Go Halos!”

Disney Sells 10+ Super Bowl Ad Slots at $9M Each

Disney has secured more than 10 30-second advertising spots for the upcoming Super Bowl, selling them for approximately $9 million apiece after initially seeking $10 million per slot from advertisers.

The sales come as the entertainment giant pushes to capitalize on the NFL’s marquee event, one of the most expensive advertising platforms in television. While the final price landed slightly below Disney’s original asking rate, the deals still represent a significant haul potentially exceeding $90 million from just those 10+ slots.

ESPN Promotes Mike Foss to EVP Sports News and Entertainment

ESPN has named Mike Foss to succeed the retiring David Roberts as Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, with the promotion effective immediately. Roberts recently announced he would be retiring at the end of August. Roberts and Foss will work together on a transition of the role in the coming months.

Foss, who has been ESPN Senior Vice President, Sport Studio & Entertainment, since 2023, steering the creative and operational direction for ESPN’s daily programming, will report to Burke Magnus, ESPN President, Content.

“In his nine years with ESPN, Mike has continually demonstrated his collaborative leadership style and excellent organizational and management skills, as well as his boundless vision, innovation and creativity,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN President, Content. “I am confident that he will continue to do so in his new role and help make us better every day.”

Upon assuming his new role, Foss will gain oversight of ESPN’s vast news operation including sports news and coverage, investigative and enterprise journalism, research and digital editorial. He also will begin oversight of ESPN’s Creative Content Unit and Studio Enhancement Team.

R.I.P.: Claudine Longet, Actress, Singer, Married To Andy Williams

Claudine Longet (1942-2026)

Claudine Longet, the actress and singer best known for 1960s TV roles and a high-profile 1976 trial after fatally shooting her Olympic skier boyfriend, has died at age 84.

Longet’s nephew, Bryan Longet, announced the news on social media, writing in French: “You were a true source of inspiration in my life, and you always will be. One more star in the sky. Thank you for everything, Auntie.”

R.I.P.: Clarence Carter, Soul Singer Known For Bawdy Hits

Clarence Carter, the Southern soul singer and guitarist famous for his unabashed songs of adultery and lust such as the late-1960s hits “Slip Away” and “Back Door Santa,” died on Thursday. He was 90.

His death was confirmed by Rodney Hall, president of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where many of Carter’s hits were recorded. No further details were immediately available.

Blind from a young age, Carter stood out with his deep, declamatory baritone and a signature lecherous, full-throated laugh. He blended the fiery delivery of a backwoods preacher with the raw humor of a juke joint, most memorably on the extended spoken-word track “Making Love (At the Dark End of the Street).” 

Radio History: May 15

 ➦In 1923...WJZ moved to New York City.

The WJZ call sign was first used on what is now WABC in New York City. The original Westinghouse Electric Corporation, whose broadcasting division is a predecessor to the current broadcasting unit of CBS Corporation, launched WJZ in 1921, located originally in Newark, New Jersey.

WJZ was sold in 1923 to the Radio Corporation of America, who moved its operations to New York, and in 1926 WJZ became the flagship station for the NBC Blue Network.  NBC Blue would become the American Broadcasting Company in 1942. ABC later established WJZ-FM and WJZ-TV at the same time in 1948.

In 1953 ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres, and changed the call letters of their New York area stations to WABC, WABC-FM (now WPLJ) and WABC-TV. Four years later, Westinghouse Broadcasting acquired Baltimore television station WAAM (channel 13) and changed its call letters to WJZ-TV, which remained an ABC affiliate until 1995 when the station switched to CBS.

➦In 1933...the radio serial “Today’s Children” was heard for the first time.  The woman who would soon become a soap opera icon, Irma Phillips, who was an NBC Blue network program-features writer, starred in the role of Mother Moran.  Today’s Children became the #1 radio soap by 1938.

➦In 1961...Peter Tripp of WMGM 1050 AM in NYC found guilty of 35 counts of "commercial bribery".  Tripp was a Top-40 countdown radio personality from the mid-1950s, whose career peaked with his 1959 record breaking 201 hour wake-athon (working on the radio non-stop without sleep to benefit the March of Dimes). For much of the stunt, he sat in a glass booth in Times Square. After a few days he began to hallucinate, and for the last 66 hours the observing scientists and doctors gave him drugs to help him stay awake. Tripp suffered psychologically, after the stunt, he began to think he was an imposter of himself, and kept that thought for some time.

Red Apple to Launch New News Service

Red Apple Audio Networks is making a bold move into the national news arena with the May 23rd debut of the Worldwide News Network, the new 24-hour national radio news service built to deliver hard news, breaking headlines, and fact-driven reporting to affiliates across the country.

The service goes live at 12:00 AM on Saturday, May 23, immediately feeding stations professionally produced top and bottom of the hour newscasts every hour, seven days a week, while simultaneously igniting one of the most aggressive newsroom staffing initiatives in radio syndication.

Former CBS Radio broadcast journalists Michael Wallace, Cooper Lawrence, Bill Rehkopf, and Matt Pieper are the first major hires in what will be a rapid buildout of the network’s team of elite news anchors, correspondents, writers, and producers.

TV Ratings: ABC WNT Tops With Total Viewers

“World News Tonight with David Muir” stood as the No. 1 program in Total Viewers (8.183 million) on all of broadcast and cable for the third time in the last four weeks during the week of May 4, 2026, based on Live+Same Day Big Data Plus Panel Program Ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

TV Ratings: TODAY Is The No. 1 Morning Show

NBC News’ TODAY is the #1 morning show across the board for the week, leading in total viewers, A25-54, and A18-49, while extending its dominant streaks versus both ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS Mornings.

TODAY ranked #1 in total viewers for the 16th consecutive week and secured its 27th weekly win of the season. The broadcast also delivered its 15th straight week of year-over-year total viewer growth, its longest such streak since August 2011, while posting the largest gains versus both the prior week and prior year among morning shows.

Graphic Courtesy of RoadMN

TV Ratings: Fox Dominates Cable

• FOX News Channel Outpaces ESPN as NBA and NHL Playoffs Continue 
• ‘CBS Evening News’ Continues its Ratings Slide

FOX News Channel (FNC) ended the week of May 4th with over 2.9 million weekday primetime viewers and 267,000 in the 25-54 demo. Securing 97 out of the Top 100 cable news telecasts among total viewers, FNC beat ESPN (2.4 million viewers and 1.1 million in the 25-54 demo) with primetime viewers during the NBA and NHL playoffs for the third consecutive week, according to Nielsen Media Research Big Data + Panel. 

In Monday – Sunday primetime, FNC saw nearly 2.5 million viewers and in Monday – Sunday total day, FNC drew nearly 1.6 million viewers. Notably, CBS Evening News continued its ratings slide (3.7 million viewers, 473,000 in the 25-54 demo), with the program posting its fifth consecutive week under 4 million viewers and falling below 600,000 in the 25-54 demo for 14 weeks in a row. On Friday, May 8th, CBS Evening News also saw its lowest-rated telecast (3.4 million viewers) since Tony Dokoupil took helm of the program.

Voice Actors File Big Tech Lawsuits

Voice actors, narrators, and other audio professionals have filed lawsuits accusing Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Nvidia of improperly using their voices to train AI systems and develop voice-related technologies.

The complaints, filed this week in federal court, claim the tech giants wrongfully harvested or replicated the plaintiffs’ distinctive voices without consent, compensation, or proper licensing. The plaintiffs include book narrators, broadcasters, podcasters, and other professional voice talent whose livelihoods depend on the commercial value of their unique vocal performances.

According to the lawsuits, the companies used these voices in large-scale datasets to build or improve text-to-speech, voice synthesis, virtual assistants, and generative AI audio tools. The suits allege violations of publicity rights, copyright, unfair competition, and other state and federal laws.

S-D Radio: Connoisseur Selling Cluster To Locals

Connoisseur Media Agrees to Sell Watertown, SD Six-Station Cluster to Riverfront Broadcasting
Connoisseur Media has reached an agreement to sell its entire six-station cluster in Watertown, South Dakota, to Yankton-based Riverfront Broadcasting.

The stations included in the deal are:

• Country “New Country KS93” KSDR-FM Watertown
• Hot AC 96.1 KIXX Watertown
• Classic Country 96.9 KDLO-FM Milbank
• Classic Hits 104.3 KKSD Watertown
• Full Service 950 KWAT Watertown
• News/Talk 1480 KSDR Watertown

Urban One Reports $3.1M First-Quarter Loss

Urban One Inc. reported a net loss of $3.1 million for its first quarter on Thursday. On a per-share basis, the company posted a loss of 69 cents.

The broadcast media company, which primarily serves African-American and urban audiences through its radio stations, digital platforms, and cable television networks, generated revenue of $77.7 million during the quarter.

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This marks a return to red ink for Urban One in the opening quarter of the year. The results reflect ongoing challenges in the traditional broadcasting sector, including shifts in advertising spending and listener habits, even as the company continues to expand its digital and multi-platform presence targeting urban and multicultural demographics.

Urban One is one of the largest Black-owned media companies in the United States, operating a portfolio that includes iconic radio brands and content focused on Black culture, news, and entertainment. Further details on year-over-year comparisons, segment performance, or management commentary were not immediately available in the initial release.

Versant Reports Sharp Profit Drop in Q1 as Revenue Slips

Versant’s profit fell 22.1% to $286 million, or $1.99 per share, in the first quarter, while revenue declined 1.1% to $1.7 billion, the company reported.

The weaker results were driven by declines in advertising and linear distribution revenue, which more than offset growth in the company’s platforms business.

The profit decline marked a significant slowdown for Versant compared with the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share of $1.99 still reflect solid per-share profitability, but the 22.1% drop highlights pressure on the company’s bottom line amid shifting industry dynamics. Revenue of $1.7 billion similarly missed the pace of prior growth as traditional revenue streams softened.

Versant’s platforms segment delivered positive growth, underscoring the company’s strategic shift toward newer digital and platform-based offerings. However, this expansion was not enough to counteract headwinds in advertising sales and legacy linear (traditional TV/cable) distribution channels, which continue to face industry-wide challenges such as cord-cutting and changing viewer habits.

The first-quarter results illustrate the ongoing transition many media and technology companies are navigating as they balance legacy revenue sources with investments in modern platforms. Full details on Versant’s Q1 performance, including comparisons to analyst expectations and forward guidance, were not specified in the initial release.

25 New Recordings Added to National Registry

The Library of Congress announced Thursday that 25 culturally significant audio recordings — ranging from pop blockbusters to jazz masterpieces and Broadway classics — are being inducted into the National Recording Registry to be preserved for future generations.

Topping this year’s list is Taylor Swift’s 2014 album 1989, the pop superstar’s fifth studio album that swept the Grammys with wins for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. Also joining from the 21st century is Beyoncé’s 2008 smash hit “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”

The selections span a wide array of American music and sound heritage, including jazz, rock, pop, country, R&B, Broadway, radio, and even video game soundtracks. They bring the total number of titles in the Registry to 700 — a small but vital fraction of the Library’s nearly 4 million recorded sound items.

Other Notable Inductees:

• 
  Country and Americana: Works by The Charlie Daniels Band, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, and Rosanne Cash.
• R&B and Soul: Chaka Khan and earlier classics by Ray Charles and Gladys Knight & the Pips.
• Rock and Pop: The Go-Go’s groundbreaking ‘80s output, Weezer’s debut album, and The Byrds’ iconic “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season).”
• Holiday and Latin crossover: José Feliciano’s enduring “Feliz Navidad.”
• Jazz: Recordings by Oliver Nelson and Paul Anka.
• Broadway: The original cast album of the long-running musical Chicago.
• Gaming: The soundtrack to the influential demonic role-playing game Doom.

The National Recording Registry, established by Congress in 2000, selects recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Each year’s inductees reflect the rich diversity of the nation’s artistic output, ensuring that landmark works — from groundbreaking pop phenomena to foundational jazz and theatrical recordings — are preserved against the threats of time and technological obsolescence.

For a Good Start, Check The Pulse for Thursday, May 14

Radio Broadcasting

New Highs: Online audio and podcast listening in the United States reached new peaks in 2026, according to Edison Research’s annual “The Infinite Dial” study, conducted with SSRS and supported by SiriusXM Media. The report found that 81% of Americans age 12 and older (roughly 233 million people) listened to online audio in the past month, while 76% did so in the past week. 

Revenue Drop: Beasley Media posted first-quarter revenue of $41.3 million, down 13% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA turning to a loss of roughly $375,000. Same-station revenue fell 6.7%. 

Loss Narrows: Salem Media Group reported a significantly narrower net loss for the first quarter of 2026 as operating expenses declined sharply, even as total revenue fell year-over-year. For the quarter ended March 31, Salem posted net revenue of $45.9 million, down from $51.7 million in Q1 2025. The company narrowed its net loss to $2.6 million.

Online Audio, Podcast Consumption Hit Record High

Online audio and podcast listening in the United States reached new peaks in 2026, according to Edison Research’s annual “The Infinite Dial” study, conducted with SSRS and supported by SiriusXM Media.

The report found that 81% of Americans age 12 and older (roughly 233 million people) listened to online audio in the past month, while 76% did so in the past week. Weekly engagement among monthly listeners surged from 57% in 2006 to 94% this year. Adults 55 and older drove much of the growth, with monthly listening jumping from 52% in 2024 to 70% in 2026.

Podcast consumption also set records: 80% of Americans 12+ have now listened to or watched a podcast, 58% in the past month, and 45% in the past week. 

Monthly listening hit 68% among adults 35-54.

“Video isn’t replacing podcast audio. It’s expanding the tent,” said Megan Lazovick, Vice President of Edison Research at SSRS. “This is a dual-format medium now.”

The study also tracked generative AI for the first time: 93% of Americans recognize at least one AI brand and 57% have used one. AI users are significantly heavier audio consumers, with 87% listening to online audio weekly versus 61% of non-users.

YouTube led platforms with 84% monthly usage, while social media preferences split by age — TikTok among younger users and Facebook among those 55+.

Beasley Media Reports 18 Percent Digital Spike

Beasley Media Group is pursuing a “controlled, data-driven transformation” to stabilize its business after reporting another quarter of declining revenue, CEO Caroline Beasley told investors on the company’s first-quarter earnings call.

The radio broadcaster posted first-quarter revenue of $41.3 million, down 13% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA turning to a loss of roughly $375,000. Same-station revenue fell 6.7%.“Our strategy is centered on three clear objectives.” 

Beasley said: “Stabilizing and rebuilding our core revenue base, particularly in local direct; scaling a higher-margin, more controllable digital business; and strengthening our balance sheet through disciplined deleveraging.”

Balance sheet moves made after quarter-end are central to the plan. The company sold its Fort Myers stations for approximately $18 million, completed a May 1 debt restructuring that exchanged $184 million in existing notes for $98 million in new PIK notes, repurchased $16 million of first-lien notes, and secured a new $35 million asset-based lending facility.

Salem Media Narrows Q1 2026 Net Loss

Salem Media Group reported a significantly narrower net loss for the first quarter of 2026 as operating expenses declined sharply, even as total revenue fell year-over-year.

For the quarter ended March 31, Salem posted net revenue of $45.9 million, down from $51.7 million in Q1 2025. 

The company narrowed its net loss to $2.6 million, or $0.08 per share, compared with a loss of $7.1 million, or $0.24 per share, a year earlier.

Operating expenses decreased to $48.4 million from $61 million, helped by the absence of restructuring costs recorded in the prior-year quarter. Selling, general and administrative expenses also declined.

All major revenue categories posted declines:

• Broadcast programming revenue fell to $17.2 million from $18.4 million.
• Broadcast advertising revenue dropped to $9.3 million from $10.2 million.
• Digital revenue slipped to $18.1 million from $19.7 million.

PSKY Defends WBD Merger

Paramount Skydance is pushing back against antitrust concerns, arguing that its $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery will increase competition in the entertainment industry rather than reduce it.

In a May 7 letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Paramount chief legal officer Makan Delrahim reiterated the company’s commitment to California movie theaters and audiences, calling the merger a source of “new competitive energy.” 

The letter responds to what Paramount describes as misinformation about the deal’s impact on the marketplace.

ESPN, ABC Super Bowl Win? Most Watched

ESPN has set an ambitious target to produce the most-watched Super Bowl in history when it airs Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027.

NFL Live host Laura Rutledge announced the goal during Disney’s upfront presentation Tuesday. The current record stands at 127.71 million average viewers, set by Fox’s broadcast of the Eagles’ victory over the Chiefs in February 2025.

Delivering a record audience in its debut Super Bowl would deliver sweet revenge for ESPN and Disney. For years the network watched rivals Fox, CBS, and NBC collect hundreds of millions in ad revenue from the biggest TV event of the year. ESPN earned its place in the rotation with a new 10-year NFL rights deal signed in 2021.

Report: FAST Channels Now Essential in OTT Media Strategies

New Audacy Insights report by Jenny Sutton, Head of Digital Marketing Solutions, recommends that advertisers integrate Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) services into their media mixes as marketers shift budgets away from traditional linear TV.

FAST delivers cost-efficient reach, combats subscription fatigue, and aligns with how audiences actually consume content today. Sutton argues that relying only on premium subscription platforms limits scale and efficiency.

Radio History: May 14

➦In 1910...Actor Paul Sutton born (Died from muscular dystrophy at age 59 – January 31, 1970), He was a film actor, appearing mostly in uncredited roles, and most often in low budget B-movies during the 1930s and 1940s. He is perhaps best known as one of the actors who portrayed Sergeant William Preston on the radio serial Challenge of the Yukon. He departed his acting career in 1947, and later entered politics. In 1954 and 1956 he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Michigan.

➦In 1916...Musician and bandleader Skip Martin was born in Robinson Ill. He began on staff at radio station WLW in Cincinnati, before playing alto and baritone sax for a series of big bands, including Charlie Barnett, Jan Savitt, Glenn Miller, and Benny Goodman. He had stints with NBC & CBS radio in New York before arranging the theme and incidental music for the 1958-59 TV series, “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.”  He died in Feb 1976 at age 59.

Billie Burke and Judy Garland

➦In 1970..Actress Billie Burke, best remembered as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz, who had her own Saturday morning CBS radio sitcom (1943-46), died of heart failure at age 85.

➦In 1976...Lowell Thomas ended a 46-year career as a network radio reporter.

Salem Media to Be Acquired by WaterStone in Major Deal

Salem Media, Inc. has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by The Christian Community Foundation, Inc., d/b/a WaterStone in a transaction that will take the company private and strengthen Salem’s long-term mission across radio, digital media, streaming, podcasting, television, and publishing.

Under the terms of the agreement, WaterStone will acquire all outstanding shares of Salem Media common stock for $1.00 per share, representing approximately a 250% premium over Salem’s recent trading price.

Edward Atsinger III, Salem co-founder and board member, said finding the right long-term steward for the company was a priority. “For the last ten years the Atsinger and Epperson families have been looking for a successor that would continue to carry the torch of delivering quality Christian and conservative media into the next generation and beyond. When we met with WaterStone, some 24 months ago, we believed it was a divine appointment. WaterStone is deeply aligned with the vision we had when our families founded this company.”

Broadcasting Jobs Hit Hardest By AI

Broadcasting has been one of the industries hit hardest by artificial intelligence, according to a new report from Wiingy, with U.S. radio and TV jobs falling 36.2% and real wages dropping 19.5% between May 2022 and May 2024.

The research firm, a global provider of professional tutoring services, analyzed three years of post-ChatGPT data—including Google search trends, keyword volumes, government wage figures, and employment records—and compared the results to earlier predictions from the Oxford Future of Employment study (2017) and the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report (2025).

Wiingy introduced a Temporal Resilience Score (TRS)—the average search interest for a skill after ChatGPT’s launch divided by the average before—to measure how demand for different skills has changed since late 2022. The study examined 29 skills across occupations.

Broadcasting recorded the largest real wage decline of any occupation in the analysis. Wiingy said AI content tools are visibly restructuring media employment at both the wage and headcount levels simultaneously.

Twin Cities Radio: KDWB Morning Host Dave Ryan To Retire

Dave Ryan

Dave Ryan, longtime morning host at KDWB-FM 101.3 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, announced his retirement Wednesday, with his final broadcast set for Friday, May 22.

Ryan has anchored the KDWB morning show since June 1993 — a 33-year run that followed earlier stops in Las Vegas and Phoenix — making him a rare local mainstay in an era dominated by syndicated programming.

The announcement comes just two days after parent company iHeartMedia unveiled a $50 million cost-savings plan for the second half of 2026.In a statement, iHeartMedia described Ryan as more than a radio voice: “For generations of listeners, Dave Ryan wasn’t just a voice on the radio — he was a daily ritual. With his unmistakable blend of humor, honesty, and heart, Dave created a show that felt like a personal conversation with a friend.”

Local Radio Ad Revenue Projected to Reach $12.5B

Local radio is positioned for modest growth in a recovering but competitive advertising market in 2026, as digital platforms drive expansion while traditional over-the-air (OTA) broadcast remains the core strength, according to BIA Advisory Services’ latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast.

The forecast was detailed during a Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) webinar titled “Radio Ad Forecast 2026: BIA’s Latest Projections” and summarized by Celine Matthiessen, VP of Insights and Analytics at BIA, in the RAB blog.

Total local advertising spending is expected to hit $184.5 billion in 2026, with digital accounting for $104.1 billion — 56.4% of the total — and growing at an 8.3% compound annual growth rate. 

Traditional media is forecast to stay essentially flat at 0.1% growth.

Local radio revenue is projected at $12.5 billion, a 2.4% increase from 2025. OTA radio is expected to generate more than $10 billion, while digital radio contributes more than $2.3 billion. OTA revenue is forecast to decline at a -2.8% CAGR, offset by roughly 2% growth in digital radio.“Radio’s strength is its combination of reach and trust,” Matthiessen wrote. 

Where Things Stand: Nexstar, Tegna Merger In Limbo

The $6.2 billion Nexstar Media Group acquisition of Tegna Inc. — which would create the largest local television station owner in the United States, controlling stations reaching roughly 80% of U.S. households — remains in legal limbo as of May 13, 2026.

The deal closed on March 19, 2026, after receiving approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (which granted a waiver of the 39% national TV audience ownership cap) and the U.S. Department of Justice. However, post-closing antitrust lawsuits have blocked operational integration, forcing Nexstar and Tegna to operate as entirely separate entities under a court-ordered “hold-separate” arrangement.

Background and Timeline

Nexstar announced the transaction on August 18, 2025. It combines Nexstar’s existing portfolio (which already included major properties like the former Tribune Media stations, including WGN-Ch. 9 in Chicago) with Tegna’s 64 stations. The goal, according to Nexstar, was to create a financially stronger local broadcasting platform capable of competing with Big Tech platforms and investing in local journalism amid declining revenues from traditional sources.Almost immediately after closing, the deal faced challenges:

• DirecTV filed suit, arguing the merger would substantially lessen competition.
• A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general joined, initially eight states (led by California) and expanding with five more — Massachusetts, Vermont, Indiana, Kansas, and Pennsylvania — announced on May 1, 2026.

On March 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley (Eastern District of California) issued a temporary restraining order. This was converted into a full preliminary injunction on April 17, 2026, after the court found that plaintiffs were likely to succeed on claims that the deal violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The injunction does not unwind the already-completed transaction but prohibits any integration of operations, management influence, or headcount reductions at Tegna stations. Tegna must remain a separately managed subsidiary, with its own board (including Nexstar representatives but no operational control by Nexstar).

R.I.P.: Joni Lamb, Daystar TV Network Co-Founder, President

Joni, Marcus Lamb

Joni Lamb, president and co-founder of Daystar Television Network, a major Christian televangelism broadcaster, died lasrt Thursday. She was 65.

Daystar announced her death on its website, attributing it to “serious health matters” that were worsened by a recent back injury. The announcement did not specify where she died.

Lamb and her husband, Marcus Lamb, built Daystar into a prominent Christian media empire, turning their family into stars of Christian entertainment. The couple launched the network in Texas in 1997 after starting their first Christian TV station in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1985.Their journey began during a 1983 trip to Jerusalem shortly after they married, when Marcus Lamb felt called by God to start a Christian television station. 

The couple invested their modest savings and energy into the venture, eventually expanding to own 24 stations nationwide. By 2010, Daystar had become the second-largest Christian broadcaster in the U.S. after Trinity Broadcasting Network, reaching audiences in more than 200 countries, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Compared with other televangelists, the Lambs “are younger and come across as more ordinary folks,” rival Christian broadcaster president David Clark told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2001. “They come across as being sincere.”

Good Morning: Here's The Pulse Briefing for Today May 13

Radio Broadcasting

Salem Going Private:  Salem Media, Inc. has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by The Christian Community Foundation, Inc. in a transaction that will take the company private and strengthen Salem’s long-term mission across radio, digital media, streaming, podcasting, television, and publishing.

Radio Revenue: Local radio is positioned for modest growth in a recovering but competitive advertising market in 2026, as digital platforms drive expansion while traditional over-the-air (OTA) broadcast remains the core strength, according to BIA Advisory Services’ latest U.S. Local Advertising Forecast.

AI Costing Jobs: Broadcasting has been one of the industries hit hardest by artificial intelligence, according to a new report from Wiingy, with U.S. radio and TV jobs falling 36.2% and real wages dropping 19.5% between May 2022 and May 2024.

Lawmakers Demand Disclosure On Possible CNN Changes

Two U.S. House Democrats asked Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison on Tuesday to reveal whether he or the company offered to alter CNN’s coverage of President Donald Trump in exchange for regulatory approval of its tie-up with Warner Bros. Discovery.

In a letter first reported by Reuters, Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) warned that the deal would dangerously concentrate media power and expose more outlets to presidential influence.

“It is clear that President Trump expects your potential ownership of Warner to produce favorable press coverage for him and his allies,” the lawmakers wrote. They also accused Ellison of already tailoring CBS News coverage to the president’s liking following the Paramount Skydance merger.

The Democrats are seeking records of any donations to Trump causes or interests and any communications related to influencing news coverage at CBS or CNN. In November, the same lawmakers accused Paramount of “stonewalling congressional oversight” after requesting documents tied to the FCC’s review of the merger.

Trump Pushes DOJ To Investigate News Leaks

President Donald Trump personally pressed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to aggressively investigate national security leaks related to the recent U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran, including pushing for subpoenas targeting journalists’ records, according to multiple administration officials.

Trump delivered his demand during a White House meeting, handing Blanche a stack of printed news articles he viewed as damaging, topped with a sticky note marked “Treason” in Sharpie. The move has sparked internal Justice Department discussions and led to grand jury subpoenas, including to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the probes.

The president’s frustration stems from coverage of sensitive military planning and operations in the Iran conflict last month. Officials said Trump flagged stories he believed endangered national security, risked soldiers’ lives, and compromised U.S. strategy. Some reporting highlighted Pentagon warnings about risks of a major operation against Iran, published shortly before the offensive began.

Fox News Books Two Trump Interviews

FOX News Channel (FNC) will present two interviews with President Donald Trump from Beijing on Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th following the US-China summit. FNC’s Sean Hannity will conduct the first interview with the president following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which will air during Hannity on Thursday, May 14th from 9-10PM/ET. Chief political anchor Bret Baier will also get the president’s reaction to the summit in an interview to air on Friday, May 15th during Special Report (6 -7PM/ET).