Radio History: Aug 23

Art Van Harvey, Clarence Hartzell, Bernadine Flynn, Billy Idelson

➦In 1883...Radio actor Art Van Harvey was born in Chicago.  He is best known for playing the role of  Vic in the memorable daytime radio series Vic & Sade.

Vic and Sade was an American radio program created and written by Paul Rhymer. It was regularly broadcast on radio from 1932 to 1944, then intermittently until 1946, and was briefly adapted to television in 1949 and again in 1957.

During its 14-year run on radio, Vic and Sade became one of the most popular series of its kind, earning critical and popular success: according to Time, Vic and Sade had 7,000,000 devoted listeners in 1943. For the majority of its span on the air, Vic and Sade was heard in 15-minute episodes without a continuing storyline. The central characters, known as "radio's home folks", were accountant Victor Rodney Gook (Art Van Harvey), his wife Sade (Bernardine Flynn) and their adopted son Rush (Bill Idelson). The three lived on Virginia Avenue in "the small house halfway up in the next block

Van Harvey died Sept. 7 1957 at age 74.

➦In 1923....Billy Jones and Ernie Hare, “The Happiness Boys”, first aired on New York’s WEAF radio.  The two were billed as radio’s first comedians and were also credited with creating and performing the first singing commercial.

They began on radio October 18, 1921 on WJZ (Newark, New Jersey), where they were sponsored by the chain of Happiness Candy stores. Listeners mailed in their comments about the singers on cards supplied to retailers by Happiness Candy.

The Happiness Boys aired on WEAF, moving to NBC from 1926 to 1929. The duo sang popular tunes, mostly light fare and comic songs, and they engaged in humorous repartee between numbers. Their theme song was "How Do You Do" (1924). However, only the words to this song were new at that time. The melody had been used for a variety of other songs in the past and is still used in the camp favorite "If You're Happy and You Know It (Clap Your Hands)".

By 1928, Jones and Hare were the highest paid singers in radio, earning $1,250 a week. The partnership ended with Ernie Hare's death on March 9, 1939.

➦In 1989...The music faded away on the Big 89 WLS in Chicago.

In June , WLS 890 AM had announced they were going all talk by the end of the summer. Many expected that to happen on September 1.

By 1988, WLS was airing adult contemporary music, liberally laced with oldies and standards, with talk programming at night.  Air personalities were becoming more talk intensive anyway and midday talk was added as well.

Then with no warning, on August 23, 1989 at 7 pm, WLS stopped playing music altogether. Phil Duncan was the last DJ to play music on WLS, and as Phil finished up his show.  The last song was "Just You 'n' Me" by Chicago.

Judge Denies Disney Request To Stop License Reviews

A D.C. Circuit Court judge has denied The Walt Disney Co.’s American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. request for a hearing no later than Tuesday on its motion for a temporary restraining order that would block the FCC from advancing its early license renewal review of all eight ABC Owned Stations.

Judge Loren L. AliKhan rejected the request from Wilkinson Stekloff attorneys representing ABC, which was included in a status report filed Thursday (August 20). Hours later, she issued an order directing the FCC to file its opposition to the TRO motion—and any motion to dismiss—by September 3. 

ABC/Disney then has until September 17 to reply in support of its motion and oppose any dismissal request. A September 24 deadline accounts for further filings from ABC/Disney supporting its motion.

Judge AliKhan

Disney and ABC argued in the status report that the FCC’s claim of “no exigency” is contradicted by its refusal to pause further actions while the matter is briefed and heard. They said they have already documented “the irreparable harm they are suffering” and that the agency’s proposed approach “would further exacerbate those harms.” 

The companies contended the FCC effectively seeks “permission to impose draconian sanctions with only 48 hours’ notice, while continuing to hang the threat of those sanctions over plaintiffs’ heads and remaining free to engage in other forms of retaliation.”

While the FCC welcomed the ruling, Washington insiders note it may give Disney/ABC attorneys the upper hand and put FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on notice that the Commission should avoid any precipitous moves.

PSKY Reps To Meet Monday With CA AG's Office

Paramount Skydance representatives are expected to meet Monday with the California Attorney General’s office to discuss a potential settlement of the multistate antitrust case blocking its $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, according to Variety citing two sources familiar with the situation.

The company has been pressing hard for an agreement that would allow the deal to close. 

The transaction remains on hold pending a March trial in federal court in Oakland. Attorney General Rob Bonta has said he is open to negotiations but has indicated that Paramount has so far declined to offer the structural remedies needed to address the states’ concerns. 

Bonta led a 12-state coalition that sued in July, arguing the merger would illegally shrink the markets for theatrical distribution and basic cable by combining two of Hollywood’s five legacy studios and two of the top three cable programmers. Under federal rules, the parties must at least attempt settlement before a magistrate judge. 

At a hearing this week, Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin directed them to name two potential magistrates who could oversee mediation by next Wednesday. A growing list of stakeholders has recently urged a settlement, including the Directors Guild of America, IATSE, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Cinema United, the theater-owners trade group. 

“Earlier this week, you heard the attorney general himself say he’d prefer this settle in the boardroom, not the courtroom,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.

The Pentagon: 'You Can't Quit, You're Fired!'

Pentagon moves to fire Stars and Stripes publisher, editor-in-chief and Middle East reporter for insubordinationThe Pentagon on Friday moved to fire the publisher and editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military news outlet partly funded by American taxpayers, along with a reporter who covers the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter. 

The cause cited was insubordination tied to interviews they gave CBS News for a July “CBS Sunday Morning” segment.

Separation notices delivered Friday gave Publisher Max Lederer and Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin five days to appeal their dismissals. Reporter Lara Korte said she also received a firing notice.

Slavin said the alleged insubordination stemmed from his comments in the CBS interview. 

In a statement to CBS News, he said: “According to the notice, I am being fired for stating in a CBS interview that censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line. The Pentagon’s public affairs office has charged me with insubordination. I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies.” He added that he will respond through the required process.

In the “Sunday Morning” piece, Slavin was asked about red lines he would not cross. He replied: “‘Don’t run a perfectly accurate story, run this instead. Here it is, written by the Pentagon.’ That would be a red line.”

Korte called the firings “a shame for the institution and service members, who swore to defend the Constitution and deserve the right to a free and independent press.”

Chicago Radio: Mulligan, Harris OUT At The Score

Audacy has parted ways with longtime WSCR-AM/FM Chicago (670/104.3 “The Score”) host Mike Mulligan and full-time host Marshall Harris, ending Mulligan’s more than 20-year run at the station and Harris’s two-year tenure.

The moves were announced Friday in a memo from Mitch Rosen, Audacy Chicago’s vice president of sports programming. Mulligan had co-hosted the morning “Mully and Haugh Show” with David Haugh. Harris most recently hosted middays with Leila Rahimi.

“After more than 20 years with The Score, we have parted ways with Mike Mulligan of the ‘Mully and Haugh Show,’” Rosen said. “Mully has been a vital part of The Score family and a major part of our history and success. We are incredibly grateful for his many contributions over the past two decades.”

Mulligan and Harris

Mulligan joined WSCR in 2003 and moved to morning drive in 2008, first partnering with Brian Hanley before Haugh joined in 2018. The station will announce a new morning co-host on Monday.

Harris, a former fill-in who became full-time in 2024 after serving as sports director at CBS2 WBBM-TV, initially co-hosted “Bernstein & Harris” before shifting to middays with Rahimi. “We also parted ways with Marshall Harris. We thank Marshall for his time with The Score,” Rosen said. 

“He has been a great teammate and an important part of our team, and we wish him the very best in the future.”Beginning Monday, the “Rahimi & Grote Show” featuring Rahimi and Mark Grote will air in the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. slot.

NFL Believes Nielsen Is Making a Measurement Misstep

The NFL is criticizing Nielsen’s upcoming changes to its television audience measurement methodology as “rushed,” warning that the adjustments will have a negative impact on sports ratings.

Nielsen plans to implement the changes beginning Aug. 31, including alterations to how it measures whether multiple people are watching an event at the same time. Paul Ballew, the league’s head of data and analytics, said Thursday that the NFL is still assessing the full effects but that early indications point to a net negative for sports, even as some co-viewing updates appear positive.

“We don’t have enough impact data to fully assess. We’re still trying to make sense of it,” Ballew said on a conference call. “We’re still trying to make sense of some of the logic behind some of the methodological changes. From our initial impact, it looks like a negative for sports. On the other side, co-viewing or partial co-viewing implementation is a positive. So we’re going to have to continue to spend some time pulling this apart and making sense of it.”

Ballew emphasized that the league’s priority is obtaining the most accurate audience figures along with deeper demographic insights. 

“Media measurement matters a lot to us,” he said. “It’s adding into the amount of homework we have to take on going into the season to make sense. We do think it’s a misstep on Nielsen’s part to go do this the way they’re doing it. It continues to accelerate our pressure point to continue to pursue ongoing measurement improvement because it’s so critically important to us and everybody else in this space.”

The Associated Press reports the league is coming off one of its strongest television seasons. After Nielsen began using its Big Data + Panel methodology for all events last September, the NFL averaged 18.7 million viewers per game in the 2025 regular season—a 10% increase from 2024 and the highest since 1989. 

The Super Bowl drew 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+, according to the same system, just short of the previous year’s record.

With the NFL’s growing frustration with the Nielsen ratings system after the dip in this past year's Super Bowl, Don Roger Goodell must make them an offer they can’t refuse. pic.twitter.com/955sTFkrMI

— Jason Whitlock (@jasonwhitlock) August 20, 2026

Nielsen said it had been collaborating with partners on the updates for some time and nearly rolled them out last October before deciding to wait until this season. In a statement, the company defended the revisions: “Nielsen is delivering the most accurate TV measurement ever, especially when it comes to live sports. We have worked closely with clients, sports leagues and industry regulators to constantly enhance our methodologies. That includes the introduction of Big Data + Panel, the expansion of our Out of Home measurement and a pilot test of co-viewing updates, which are all successful examples of collaboration that lead into the enhancements.”

NFL Ripped For Suggesting Super Bowl Could Be Played Outside US

NY Post Graphic

Megyn Kelly and Dave Portnoy blasted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday over the league’s international expansion plans, specifically condemning any future Super Bowl outside the United States.

Kelly, host of SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show,” told The NY Post: “Playing the Super Bowl outside of America would be like celebrating July 4th in England. What could Goodell be thinking? Football is a quintessentially American sport — created in America by an American, in and with the support of American cities. Why would we ever celebrate its biggest, most exciting, most-watched moment (and give all of the revenues that come annually to an American host city) outside of our own country?”

Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, echoed the criticism during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Co.” “It’s a good idea for the owners, I suppose. It’s a bad idea for fans,” he told anchor Stuart Varney. “No NFL fans want to be traveling to London or places to watch play with weird times. I don’t think the players do it.”

🏈🌎WILL THE NFL GO
Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will eventually add NFL teams based outside of the United States. But Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) says that's a bad deal for American fans!
TELL US: Would international teams be good for the league? pic.twitter.com/lhxh3hGVAo

— Varney & Co. (@Varneyco) August 21, 2026

While Portnoy acknowledged the business case—“like any business in the world, once you think you have saturated a market, you got to continue to look to ways to grow”—he made clear he wants no part of the league’s global push.

TikTok To Pay $400M Settlement Over Online Privacy Laws

TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance agreed Friday to a $400 million settlement resolving U.S. Justice Department claims that the short-video app violated children’s online privacy laws.

Under the deal, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and another $100 million once a court vacates a prior 2019 Federal Trade Commission consent decree against its predecessor, Musical.ly. 

Reuters reports the Justice Department sued the companies in 2024, accusing them of failing to protect children’s privacy and illegally collecting personal information from users under 13 without parental consent, in violation of a law requiring such consent for online services directed at children.

NYTimes Loses Defamation Case

A federal jury in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has ordered The New York Times to pay $9.25 million in damages after finding the newspaper liable for defamation against former University of Alabama men’s basketball player Kai Spears.

The Washington Post reports the nine-day trial ended with the jury siding with Spears, who sued the Times in 2023 for libel and false light invasion of privacy. He alleged the newspaper’s erroneous reporting caused him “severe emotional distress, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.”

Spears’ lawsuit stemmed from a March 15, 2023, article by college sports reporter Billy Witz about a deadly shooting involving members of the Alabama basketball team, including star player Brandon Miller. Citing anonymous sources, the story incorrectly stated that Spears was in a car with Miller at the scene. Spears denied being present. He filed suit on May 30, 2023. 

DC Radio: Hubbard Media Names New Pres/MM

Declan Moore has been named president and market manager of Hubbard | Media That Connects’ Washington, D.C., operations, overseeing WTOP, Federal News Network and the local office of 2060 Digital.

Moore succeeds longtime Hubbard Washington executive Joel Oxley. 

He most recently served as head of international for Wondery, an Amazon company, where he led strategy and expansion across content, advertising, subscriptions and platform distribution. Before Wondery, Moore spent 23 years with National Geographic in Washington. His roles included chief media officer and president of publishing and digital media for the National Geographic Society, as well as CEO of National Geographic Partners. “I’m honored to have the opportunity to build on the extraordinary legacy Joel Oxley has created here in Washington,” Moore said. 

Declan Moore

“WTOP, Federal News Network and 2060 Digital are exceptional brands with deep connections to the communities they serve throughout the National Capital Region.” Moore said he looks forward to working with Hubbard teams to build on the brands’ strengths while helping the businesses evolve and grow. He cited Hubbard’s commitment to impartial journalism, strong local brands and long-term thinking as key attractions. 

Hubbard CEO Ginny Hubbard said Moore brings a strong record of preserving established media brands while positioning them for the future. “While he has very big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Joel Oxley, Declan has a strong track record of retaining the essence and legacy of media brands while leading them into the future,” 

Hubbard said. She added that Moore has expressed strong appreciation for WTOP and Federal News Network and their service to the Washington community.

Prince Harry, Others Ordered to Pay Newspaper $13M

Prince Harry and six other high-profile figures must pay an initial £9.54 million (about $13 million) to the publisher of The Daily Mail after losing a privacy lawsuit, a High Court judge in London ordered on Friday.

The group, which includes singer Elton John and actress Liz Hurley, must make the “on account” payment by Aug. 28 to cover legal costs incurred by Associated Newspapers. Judge Sir Matthew Nicklin set the sum at £9,544,355 and declined to cap the total, meaning the claimants could ultimately face costs of up to £34.5 million—the amount the publisher said it had spent by July.

In a written statement summarizing the ruling, Nicklin said the reasonable interim sum was £9,544,355. In his full judgment he noted that Associated’s claimed costs “appear exceptionally high” and “largely unexplained,” so a detailed court assessment will determine the final amount. He rejected the claimants’ request to limit total costs to £18–20 million, saying such a cap would be arbitrary and unfair to the publisher.

Radio History: Aug 22

➦In 1906…The Victor Talking Machine Company began to manufacture a record player called the Victrola. The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, sold for $200. Records had to be purchased separately, usually in the appliance stores that sold the machines, at a price of $1 to $7. Music conductor John Philip Sousa predicted "a marked deterioration in American music" and said that generations of amateur musicians would give way to "canned music."

Nipper

The advent of radio as a home entertainment medium in the early 1920s presented Victor and the entire record industry with new challenges. Not only was music becoming available over the air free of charge, but a live broadcast made using a high-quality microphone and heard over a high-quality receiver provided clearer, more "natural" sound than a contemporary record.

In 1925, Victor switched from the acoustical or mechanical method of recording to the new microphone-based electrical system developed by Western Electric. Victor called its version of the improved fidelity recording process "Orthophonic", and sold a new line of record players, called "Orthophonic Victrolas", scientifically designed to play these improved records. Victor's first electrical recordings were made and issued in the spring of 1925

➦In 1947...“Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy“, expanded to length of their ABC Radio Networks shows to 30-minutes and aired three-times weekly.  The program had been a 15-minute program for 14-years.

➦In 1964...The Beatles were in concert at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, playing to 20,261 fans.

R.I.P.: Sandy Beach, Iconic Buffalo Radio Personality

Sandy Beach (1940-2026)

Sandy Beach, one of Buffalo’s most iconic radio personalities, has died. His family announced the death today following a period of failing health. 

Beach, whose real name was Donald Pesola, retired from WBEN as a talk-show host in 2020 after 23 years of entertaining and informing Western New Yorkers. He retired in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and revealed on the air that his departure was because he couldn’t come to a new contract agreement with the station’s owner, Audacy.

Stars & Stripes Publisher: You Can't Fire Me, I Quit

Pentagon officials have discussed firing Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer before his planned Sept. 30 retirement, U.S. officials told CBS News, amid a Trump administration push to overhaul the partly taxpayer-funded military newspaper.

Lederer, publisher for 19 years, told colleagues this week he is retiring because of “fundamental differences” with Defense Department leadership over the outlet’s mission and value. Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin has also publicly noted disagreements with Pentagon leaders. 

No decision on leadership has been announced, and Defense Department spokespeople did not immediately comment.

FCC Chair Calls Disney/ABC Position 'Meritless'

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has denounced ABC’s lawsuit against the agency’s early license renewal proceedings for its stations as “a meritless case based on their own campaign of disinformation,” vowing that “the FCC will follow the facts and the law wherever they go.”

In an X post, Carr—who frequently uses the platform for policy statements—reaffirmed that FCC rules on broadcasters’ public-interest obligations authorize the agency to oversee programming. 

“All broadcasters have an obligation to operate in the public interest—even Disney,” he wrote. “Indeed, broadcasters made a deal with the American public—in exchange for free access to a valuable public resource (the airwaves) they agreed to meet their public interest obligations. This sets them apart from cable channels or podcasts or newspapers.”

In an accompanying video, Carr emphasized that the FCC has reached no official decision in its DEI investigation but suggested the probe has unsettled Disney. “We have made no decision, but now Disney has rushed to court to try to stop the FCC from moving forward,” he said. “And apparently, I guess Disney must be very concerned and worried about that production.”

On August 18, ABC filed a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking to halt the FCC’s early broadcast license renewal proceedings.

Utica NY Radio: Morning Talker Bill Keeler Exits WIBX

Longtime Mohawk Valley radio host Bill Keeler has been removed from mornings at 950 WIBX after more than 13 years.

Townsquare Media cancelled the local morning show, Keeler confirmed to CNYRadio.com. He was informed after Wednesday's program that it was his last day, though he was told he could apply for other company positions outside the market. 

“I was informed today, following my program, that the morning show on WIBX has been cancelled by corporate,” Keeler said. “Based on what I’ve seen happening throughout the radio industry nationwide, I knew a day like this could eventually come, although I certainly didn’t expect it to happen today.”

The station’s online schedule, updated between 10 a.m. and noon on National Radio Day, now lists Westwood One’s syndicated “The Guy Benson Show” in the 5-9 a.m. slot (it already airs 7-10 p.m.). Because Benson’s live window is 3-6 p.m. Eastern, the morning placement may be temporary.

Sources also report that longtime executive producer Davey Smith was among those cut. Smith received the Boilermaker Road Race’s Les Diven Media Award in 2025 for three decades of involvement with WIBX’s race coverage.

The move leaves Townsquare’s Utica-Rome cluster with three remaining local on-air personalities: Lite 98.7 (WLZW) morning host Rachel Davis and Big Frog 104 (WFRG) morning co-hosts Stacey “Polly Wogg” McAdams and Brett Hall.

Keeler joined WIBX in January 2013. He previously hosted mornings on 92.7 The Drive (WXUR) until Arjuna Broadcasting replaced him with the syndicated Bob & Tom show about three years earlier, and he held the morning slot at the former Rock 107 (WRCK) in the 1980s.

DC Radio: WTOPs Joel Oxley To Be Honored By The NAB

On National Radio Day, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced that Joel Oxley, President and General Manager of Hubbard Radio Washington, D.C., will receive the 2026 NAB National Radio Award. Oxley will be honored during the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner brought to You by Xperi on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. 

“NAB is honored to recognize Joel Oxley for his extraordinary leadership and lasting contributions to the radio industry,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “For more than three decades at WTOP and Federal News Network, and over 15 years at Hubbard Radio, Joel has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to local journalism, innovation and public service. Under his leadership, WTOP has become one of the nation’s premier news operations, setting the standard for excellence in local broadcasting while serving the Washington, D.C., community with trusted journalism. His integrity, vision and dedication have left an enduring mark on our industry, making him a most deserving recipient of this year’s National Radio Award.” 

Apple News, Google Promote Outlets That Endorse Dem candidates

Media Research Center analysis: Top outlets promoted by Apple News and Google News have exclusively endorsed Democrats in every presidential election since 1988.

A Media Research Center review found that the five most-promoted newspapers and magazines on Apple News and Google News that issue presidential endorsements backed only Democratic candidates across the past 10 elections (1988–2024), accounting for all 31 such endorsements with none for Republicans. Microsoft’s MSN similarly elevates outlets that have overwhelmingly favored Democrats.

For Apple News, the top endorsing outlets are The Washington Post, The New York Times (via The Athletic), The Guardian, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Times. These issued 28 endorsements for Democrats and zero for Republicans; USA Today additionally opposed Trump without endorsing a Democrat. 

Seattle Times Writer Quits Over Spiked Column

Writer Matt Calkins (upper right)

Matt Calkins, a longtime sports columnist at The Seattle Times, resigned after editors refused to publish a column arguing that supporting restrictions on transgender (biological male) athletes in women’s sports does not automatically make someone transphobic.

He announced the resignation on Substack on Thursday, after 11 years at the paper. 

The piece, filed in late July, drew from conversations at a rally supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (who has spoken in favor of keeping women’s categories sex-based) ahead of a Seattle Storm game. Calkins interviewed female student-athletes who described competing against or being required to share facilities with biological males; they emphasized they were not opposed to people identifying as transgender. His thesis was that defending sex-based categories is a fairness and safety issue for female athletes, not inherent bigotry, and that the “transphobic” label is overused to shut down debate.

Editors originally delayed the column, escalated it to senior staff, and ultimately killed it, citing that he had not cleared the topic in advance. Calkins rejected that explanation (noting the multi-day review process) and resigned. He said this was part of a pattern: other columns he viewed as “against the grain” or “to the right of how most of the newsroom feels” were also spiked, including one questioning aspects of the U.S. women’s soccer equal-pay lawsuit and another on cancel culture in sports. 

Triton Digital: Comedy Podcasts Remain Strong, News Growing

Triton Digital’s Q2 2026 study shows comedy remaining the dominant podcast genre by a wide margin while news and political programming posted the sharpest growth, fueled by midterm election interest and personality-driven shows.

According to an analysis from Forbes, Comedy captured 44.5% of podcast reach in the quarter, far ahead of news (25.7%) and society & culture (21.2%). 

It accounts for 57 of the top 200 podcasts—a 29% share, the largest of any genre—and regularly draws the biggest weekly audience among major categories, according to Edison Research data cited in the study. 

Roughly 40% of U.S. podcast listeners tune into comedy, per Statista, making it the top genre nationally and a leader in markets such as Germany and the UK. It is the single most-consumed category among adults 18–34 and maintains balanced appeal across male and female listeners. Comedy also widened its lead with a 2.1% quarter-over-quarter gain in reach. Personality-driven and late-night content fueled much of comedy’s strength. 

Social-native creators who built audiences on platforms like YouTube continued converting that reach into chart-topping podcasts. New entrants included the Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast and The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, while The Daily Show: Ears Edition returned to the charts. 

Stand-up formats also grew, with debuts from Whiskey Ginger with Andrew Santino and The Adam Friedland Show.

News recorded the largest reach increase of any genre, rising 8.4% from Q1. The gains were driven primarily by personality-led political programs rather than traditional news brands alone. Shows that returned to or climbed the charts included the Mark Levin Podcast, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, The David Pakman Show, Pivot, and Piers Morgan Uncensored, spanning progressive and conservative audiences. 

Legacy outlets also expanded their audio presence: Meet the Press debuted, while NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and Serial posted strong gains. The Tucker Carlson Show surged into the overall Top 10, rising from No. 19 to No. 9—one of the quarter’s biggest single moves.

“With the midterm elections heating up, we expect to see a continued uptick in political and news podcasts through Q3,” said Daryl Battaglia of Triton Digital. “Campaigns are increasing spend to reach voters across every medium this year, and podcasting is emerging as one of the most effective ways, as these audiences are actively seeking out long-form political conversation.”

Overall, the study portrays podcasting as a still-growing medium whose marketplace is shifting rapidly, with comedy extending its undisputed lead and political content accelerating ahead of the midterms.

Good Morning! Here's The Pulse For Friday, Aug 21

Radio Broadcasting

Oxley to Be Honored: The NAB has announced that Joel Oxley, of Hubbard Radio Washington, D.C., will receive the 2026 NAB National Radio Award. Oxley will be honored during the 2026 NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner brought to You by Xperi on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. 

Salem Now Private: Salem Media is now a private company after completing its acquisition by The Christian Community Foundation, which operates as WaterStone.

Keeler Exits: Longtime Mohawk Valley NY radio host Bill Keeler has been removed from mornings at 950 WIBX after more than 13 years.

NYC Radio: 77WABC Airs Trump, Cohen Interview

President Donald Trump and his former fixer Michael Cohen appear to be moving past their bitter feud.

On Thursday, Trump called into Cohen’s radio show on 77 WABC for an interview—the first such appearance after years of public conflict. Cohen had previously served as a key witness against Trump in two trials and told Congress that his one-time boss was “a racist, a con man and a cheat.”

During the broadcast, Cohen struck a conciliatory note. He quoted a Bible verse on forgiveness, played the song “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” and largely steered clear of their earlier clashes.

Trump acknowledged the history, saying Cohen had been “weaponized … like nobody’s ever been weaponized.” He added: “They weaponized a lot of people, and I respect the fact that you recanted everything you said.” Cohen had been sentenced to three years in prison for actions he described in 2018 as stemming from “blind loyalty” to Trump. 

In 2024 Cohen also testified that Trump directed him to pay $130,000 to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. A Manhattan jury convicted Trump of 34 felonies related to covering up that payment. Leaving court after one appearance, Cohen told reporters it had been “a heck of a reunion.”

Cohen spent more than a year in prison after pleading guilty in 2018 to tax and campaign-finance crimes and lying to Congress about Trump’s pursuit of a Moscow tower project. For more than a decade before their rupture, the self-described “fix-it guy” had defended Trump on television, delivered legal threats, and once boasted he would “take a bullet” for his boss. The relationship fractured after federal agents raided Cohen’s home and offices amid the Mueller investigation; as legal costs mounted and the White House distanced itself, Cohen felt isolated, entered a plea deal, and began cooperating against Trump.

After prison, Cohen built a public profile as a Trump critic, publishing the bestselling memoir Disloyal and regularly labeling his former employer “a cheat” and “a mobster.” Earlier this year Cohen wrote he had felt pressured by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to tailor testimony against Trump.

Last month Cohen landed an on-air slot at Trump-friendly 770 WABC after station owner John Catsimatidis publicly sought White House approval for the hire. He quickly floated the idea of interviewing the president—an invitation that has now been accepted.

Salem Media Now Private, As WaterStone Closes

Salem Media is now a private company after completing its acquisition by The Christian Community Foundation, which operates as WaterStone.

Under the deal, first announced in May, WaterStone acquired all outstanding shares of Salem common stock for $1.00 per share—a roughly 250% premium over the company’s trading price before the announcement. The transaction received unanimous approval from Salem’s board and shareholders.

“This is an exciting day for Salem and the beginning of an important new chapter for our company,” Salem CEO David Santrella said. “Salem enters this partnership with strong momentum, an extraordinary portfolio of talent and brands, and more ways than ever to reach audiences across the country. With WaterStone alongside us, we are positioned to invest for the future while remaining firmly committed to the mission that has guided this company from the very beginning.”

WaterStone already held substantial influence before the full acquisition, controlling a 49.5% voting interest through earlier preferred stock investments. The two organizations had collaborated over the past 18 months on strategic initiatives related to growth and long-term planning.

Consumers Waste $320+ Yearly On Unused Subscriptions

The average person maintains 3.4 active paid subscriptions and spends $35.03 a month on them, according to the Self Financial Study. 

Nearly 60% of respondents report at least one paid subscription goes unused each month; on average, 2.6 subscriptions sit idle, representing $26.79 in monthly waste.

Among streaming services, STARZ tops the list of least-watched: 49.6% of its subscribers said they had not used their account in 30 days or more in 2026. Disney+ ranked second at 44.4%, followed by Netflix at 38.1%.

TV Ratings: Reese, Clark Showdown Scores

Reese and Clark Sunday

Sunday's high-profile rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark propelled the Atlanta Dream-Indiana Fever matchup to become the most-watched WNBA game ever on cable—across regular season and postseason—with 2.6 million viewers on ESPN.

The clash between Reese, the rebounding force, and Clark, the elite shooter, peaked at 4 million viewers from 7:15 to 7:29 p.m. ET and delivered a 178% jump over last year’s ESPN regular-season average, underscoring the star power of their head-to-head battles in driving national interest.

The second game of the doubleheader, Portland Fire versus Phoenix Mercury, averaged 1.4 million viewers and ranked as the most-watched non-Indiana regular-season WNBA contest in ESPN history.

Through 25 games this season, the WNBA is averaging 1.4 million viewers on ESPN, a 16% increase from the same point last year, reflecting broader momentum partly fueled by marquee rivalries like Reese versus Clark.

Right Wing Podcast Power Shifts

Election season is just around the corner, and now is the time for political candidates and commentators to start making their media rounds. Previous versions of this newsletter have used Edison Podcast Metrics data to chart the top podcasts with conservative or liberal content as well as the role podcasts played in connecting voters with potential candidates for the 2024 presidential election and the 2025 election in New York and New Jersey. 

As the 2026 election cycle begins, we now look at how podcast audience size has changed for the Conservative podcasts who had the largest weekly audiences in Q4 of 2024.

While some shows have expanded their U.S. weekly audience, other titles have experienced podcast audience shrinkage. The Dan Bongino Show had the largest audience decline, dropping by 62%, which can partly be attributed to the break he took while serving as the Deputy Director of the FBI. The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast (-44%), The Ben Shapiro Show (-19%), and The Mark Levin Podcast (-16%) have also experienced audience loss since 2024.  The Matt Walsh Show is the only title on this list that has kept its audience consistent from 2024 to 2026, showing no percent change.

Audacy Partners with Bunnie Xo

Audacy announced a partnership with creator and #1 New York Times bestselling author Alisa “Bunnie Xo” DeFord to exclusively handle sales and distribution for her hit podcast Dumb Blonde, expanding Audacy’s slate of entertainment and women’s lifestyle content.

“Dumb Blonde” from Bunnie Xo is available on YouTube and everywhere podcasts are available. New episodes are released Mondays, along with regular “Ask, Tell, Confess” episodes. Follow and listen to the show here.

On “Dumb Blonde,” Bunnie Xo and guests dive into hilarious discussions about relationships, trauma, embarrassing moments, and all the realness life throws at us, inviting listeners to laugh, relate, and embrace their inner healing. The show brings all walks of life to light, and Bunnie leads conversations with heart and personality at the forefront. Guests have included Dolly Parton, Jon Bon Jovi, Denise Richards, Sharon Osbourne, Bam Margera, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Joel Madden, Wiz Khalifa, and Machine Gun Kelly.

Radio History: Aug 21

➦In 1900... Announcer Ken Carpenter born (Died – October 16, 1984). He was best known for being the announcer for singer and actor Bing Crosby for 27 years.

Ken Carpenter

Carpenter moved to Hollywood in 1929, one year after resolving to move there after listening to radio legend Graham McNamee call the Rose Bowl. In 1930, he was a newspaper copywriter. Not long afterward, he became a staff announcer for KFI radio. As part of that job, Carpenter announced USC and UCLA football games for the Pacific Coast and the NBC radio networks from 1932 until 1935.  In 1935, Carpenter announced the Rose Bowl for NBC radio. Carpenter became the color man for Bill Stern for all NBC-originated radio programming from Los Angeles from 1938 until 1942, which included the Rose Bowl.

In 1936, Carpenter became Crosby's announcer after Crosby began hosting the Kraft Music Hall radio variety program. Carpenter continued to announce for Crosby on various programs for the next 27 years. Crosby famously once called Carpenter "the man with the golden voice." Carpenter also announced for Al Jolson and Edgar Bergen as well.  By virtue of his extensive announcing career, he wound up with uncredited roles in well-known movies, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Susan Slept Here. He was also the narrator for producer Jerry Fairbanks' theatrical short-subject series Unusual Occupations, released by Paramount Pictures from 1938 through 1948.

From 1949 until 1952, Carpenter was the announcer for the NBC Radio sitcom The Halls of Ivy. He was also the announcer for Lux Radio Theater from 1952 through the end of the series in 1955; from 1955 until 1957, Carpenter hosted NBC's Lux Video Theatre program during its summer seasons. Other programs for which Carpenter was an announcer on radio included The Great Gildersleeve, The Chase and Sanborn Program (featuring Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy) and a stint on The Life of Riley from 1947 through 1949.

He died following a brief illness Oct. 16 1984 at age 84.

➦In 1923...Sportscaster Chris Schenkel born (Died at age 82 – September 11, 2005).  Over the course of five decades he called play-by-play for numerous sports on television and radio, becoming known for his smooth delivery and baritone voice.

Chris Schenkel 1964

He began his broadcasting career at radio station WBAA while studying for a premedical degree at Purdue University where he was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He worked in radio for a time at WLBC in Muncie, IN and then moved to television, in Providence, RI, and in 1947 began announcing Harvard football games. For six years he did local radio and called the Thoroughbred horse races at Narragansett Park.

In 1952, Schenkel was hired by the DuMont Television Network, for which he broadcast New York Giants football and hosted DuMont's Boxing From Eastern Parkway (1953-1954) and Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena (1954-56), replacing Dennis James as the network's primary boxing announcer.

Schenkel was at the microphone for DuMont's last broadcast and its only color telecast, a high school football championship game held on Thanksgiving in 1957.

He then moved to CBS Sports, where he continued to call Giants games, along with boxing, Triple Crown horse racing and The Masters golf tournament, among other events. Along with Chuck Thompson, Schenkel called the 1958 NFL Championship Game for NBC. He was the voiceover talent for the first NFL Films production ever made, the 1962 NFL Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants.

ABC Sports hired Schenkel in 1965, and there he broadcast college football, Major League Baseball, NBA basketball, golf and tennis tournaments, boxing, auto racing, and the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. He became widely known for covering professional bowling, mainly for the Professional Bowlers Association (with the program becoming known as the Professional Bowlers Tour). He covered bowling from the early 1960s until 1997

➦In 1924...Sportscaster Jack Buck was born (Died from lung cancer at age 77 – June 18, 2002).  He was best known for his work announcing Major League Baseball games of the St. Louis Cardinals. His play-by-play work earned him recognition from numerous Halls of Fame, such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the National Radio Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum.

Cumulus CEO Promises Operational Stability

Cumulus Media has cleared its final major obstacle to exiting bankruptcy after the FCC approved the transfer of control of its broadcast licenses to new shareholders. The approval follows a pledge by President and CEO Mary Berner to maintain current newsroom staffing levels for at least two years. FCC records show the lead application was granted days after Cumulus sent a letter to Chairman Brendan Carr on August 14 reaffirming its public-interest commitments.

The decision allows Cumulus’s new ownership structure to take effect. Alden Global Capital President Heath Freeman will hold a 31.86% voting interest in the reorganized company through Next Gen Radio Enterprises LLC. 

Freeman has faced criticism in the newspaper industry for aggressive staff cuts at Alden-owned publications.

In the letter, Berner addressed concerns that Alden might pursue similar reductions at Cumulus stations, writing: “I take this opportunity to reaffirm Cumulus Media’s longstanding commitment to operating its broadcast radio stations in a manner that serves the public interest, advances localism, supports public safety and responds to the needs and interests of the communities it is privileged to serve.”

CMM: Gen Zers Are Listening to Radio

iHeartMedia has unveiled new consumer research, fielded through Critical Mass Media, examining Gen Z's relationship with audio and the surprising resilience of broadcast radio among younger audiences. The study reveals that Gen Z's desire for community and belonging is driving a surprising resurgence in radio engagement, with the medium continuing to serve as a key source of music discovery, social connection and shared cultural experiences for young listeners.

According to Nielsen, broadcast radio reaches 90 percent of teenagers (13–19) monthly, ahead of YouTube (75 percent), TikTok (58 percent) and ad-supported Spotify (26 percent). Crucially, radio dominates Gen Z's ad-supported audio time with 47 percent, according to Edison Share of Ear, outpacing 31 percent for streaming music and 21 percent for podcasts.

"While Gen Z is conventionally thought to want everything on-demand and tailored to their needs, the data shows that teenagers are gravitating to the safety and anonymity of radio to create community," said Lainie Fertick, President of Insights for iHeartMedia. "In a world where young people often feel pressure to curate how they present themselves online, radio offers a shared experience where identity isn't being evaluated and personal taste isn't on trial."

The new study explains why Gen Z connects with radio: