Radio News Weekly: Aug. 30–Sept. 5, 2026

🗼The Supreme Court on Friday restored FCC guidance letting party committees buy TV and radio ads at candidate “lowest unit charge” rates during the 60-day midterm window that opened Sept. 4. Broadcasters had begun pulling the discount after a Fourth Circuit ruling limited it to candidates. Republicans are expected to benefit more because they hold more cash in party committees.

🗼House Majority Leader Steve Scalise scheduled a standalone floor vote the week of Sept. 14 on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, after the measure stalled inside a larger transportation bill. The bipartisan bill would require AM receivers in new cars, including EVs. The Senate is still the next test.

🗼The FCC opened FY 2026 regulatory-fee payments, due Sept. 24 at 11:59 p.m. ET. AM/FM fees are up about 2–3%. Late payers face a 25% penalty and “red light” status. The commission also revoked Montana FM KBOQ over unpaid fees of more than $6,700. NAB separately opposed an FCC plan to cut the EAS software-repair window from 60 days to 72 hours.

🗼iHeartMedia’s latest results showed digital and podcast growth, but broadcast-station revenue fell 1.6% (2.8% excluding political). The company extended a credit facility to 2029...Cumulus is still fighting Nielsen over national ratings access as a September contract deadline looms...Political radio spending is building into the post–Labor Day rush.

Deals and Local Moves:  MARC Radio Group bought three Florida FMs from Cumulus. Dan Patrick sold his last Texas station. Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting expanded. On the air: Dallas Mavericks radio moved to KRLD-FM; Memphis CHR Q107.5 is flipping to a sports simulcast; Tulsa news/talk KRMG completed its move to 96.5 FM; Audacy signed off 840 AM KXNT in Las Vegas after losing its transmitter site.

Programming and People: Westwood One will end America in the Morning on Sept. 18 after 42 years and replace it Sept. 21 with The Bongino Report AM. iHeart/Premiere renewed and expanded Clay Travis. Beasley’s Jack Daniel retires in Charlotte on Sept. 18 after 54 years. K-LOVE promoted Natalie Carlisle to chief revenue officer. Audacy will shut Creator Lab, its indie podcast platform, on Nov. 1.

What to Watch Next Week:  Sept. 14 AM-in-cars House vote, Sept. 24 FCC fee deadline, Sept. 29 EAS cybersecurity compliance, and the last two weeks of America in the Morning.

Radio History: Sept 6

Morgan Beatty

➦In 1902...radio newsman Morgan Beatty was born in Little Rock Arkansas.  He achieved fame as a correspondent for the National Broadcasting Company radio network for 25 years. He began his career as a newspaper reporter and worked for The Associated Press before and after his years with N.B.C.

For many years in the 1940′s & 50′s in particular, he was a senior news broadcaster for NBC Radio based in New York. “This is Morgan Beatty speaking for Alka Seltzer bringing you news of the world! and the news tonight is…”

When TV arrived he became news anchor for the short-lived Dumont Network.  A great radio presence with natural gravitas in his voice, he died July 4 1975 at age 72.

➦In 1920...WWJ Detroit is believed to be the first to broadcast news reports regularly dating back to August 31, 1920, the Detroit News announced on its front page that, starting that evening, nightly (except Sunday) broadcasts would be transmitted by the "Detroit News Radiophone" service. WWJ was the first to present regularly scheduled religious broadcasts and sports reports, including early fight results from the heavyweight championship bout between Jack Dempsey and Billy Miske on September 6, 1920.

➦In 1942...The radio comedy the Mayor of the Town made its debut. It starred Lionel Barrymore and aired until July 3, 1949 on ABC, CBS, Mutual and NBC at various times.

➦In 1954...1010 WINS NYC begins playing rock n roll with Alan Freed Show

Radio History: Sep 7

➦In 1929...the forerunner to 'Let’s Pretend', a Saturday morning radio show for kids was heard for the first time on CBS Radio Network. The Adventures of Helen & Mary became Let’s Pretend 5 years later. Let's Pretend, created and directed by Nila Mack, was a CBS radio series for children. In its most famous form, Let's Pretend, the Peabody Award-winning series ran from 1934 to 1954.

➦In 1934...Daniel Trombley "Dan" Ingram was born.  Ingram is an American radio icon with a fifty-year career on radio stations such as WABC 770 AM and WCBS 101.1 FM in New York. "Big Dan" started broadcasting at WHCH Hofstra College, Hempstead, New York, WNRC, New Rochelle, New York, and WALK-FM, Patchogue, New York.

Dan Ingram

Ingram mastered the talk-up, talking over the intro to a song, ending right before the vocals. Ingram could get the song title, the current temperature and a one-liner in his talk-ups. He wholeheartedly embraced one of radio's golden rules: When you're talking to the audience, do it like you're talking to one person.

Ingram was noted for his quick wit and ability to convey a humorous or satiric idea with quick pacing and an economy of words—a skill which has made him uniquely suited to, and successful within, modern personality-driven music radio.

He is among the most frequently emulated radio personalities, cited as an influence or inspiration by numerous current broadcasters.

He was well known for playing doctored versions of popular songs. The Paul McCartney & Wings song My Love Does it Good became My Glove Does it Good. The stuttering title refrain of Bennie and the Jets went from three or four repetitions to countless. In the same vein, the distinctive refrain added to Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede, Ooga-ooga-ooga-chucka would start repeating and listeners would never know when it would end. (Other examples include Paul Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, and "rearranging" the spelling of "S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y" on the Bay City Rollers' Saturday Night.)

Dan's longtime closing theme song was "Tri-Fi Drums" by Billy May. An edited version of the song was used for broadcast.

Dan commented occasionally about the pronunciation of his name: jingles often are heard pronouncing his last name as "Ing-ram," but Dan has said it is correctly pronounced "In-gram."

Ingram died June 24, 2018.

➦In 1936...Early rock & roll icon Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock Texas. His name was misspelled on his first record contract and he decided to leave it that way.   At age 22, he died in a plane crash Feb 3, 1959 along with Ritchie Valens and J.P.Richardson (The Big Bopper.)

➦In 1949...Windsor (Ont.) radio station CKLW, later to become Canada’s all-time most listened-to station (due to its huge US audience), increased power from 5000 to 50,000 watts. The station had moved from 1030 to 800 KHz, a Canada/Mexico clear channel, in the great frequency shuffle of 1941.

SCOTUS Sides With Republicans In Political Ad Ruling

Key Detail:

• The Supreme Court ruled Friday that political parties can receive the same discounted broadcast ad rates as candidates, a decision that benefits Republican committees ahead of the November midterm elections.

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that political parties are entitled to the same discounted radio/ television advertising rates as candidates, handing Republicans a late-stage victory ahead of the midterm elections.

The unsigned emergency order said Republican Party committees were likely to suffer “irreparable harm” if they had to pay higher rates, which would hamper “their efforts to reach the electorate in the critical weeks leading up to the midterms.” 

The majority said that injury “implicates their First Amendment rights to speak and coordinate their political activities freely.”

The court did not release a vote count, as is common in emergency applications. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

The case turns on the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which requires broadcasters to sell ad time to candidates at low rates in the weeks before an election. The statute does not expressly extend that lowest-unit-rate benefit to party committees. That distinction has generally favored Democrats, whose candidates typically raise more money than their party committees; Republicans have often seen the reverse.

Fox Firing of Maria Bartiromo Getting Messier

• Attorney Claims She's Still FOX Employee

Fox News Media announced Thursday that it has parted ways with Maria Bartiromo, one of its highest-profile anchors, calling the move “a business decision.” A person familiar with the matter said Bartiromo passed a Fox Business Network directive for executive producers to the White House — instructions that may have cautioned staff against amplifying outlandish claims made by President Donald Trump.

However, her attorney, Bryan Freedman, on Friday rejected reports that she had been fired or was no longer a Fox employee. “The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false,” Freedman said. “Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise.” 

He said those accounts showed “a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”

Sharing confidential internal guidance with an outside party would typically violate employment terms. Some details of Bartiromo’s actions were first reported by the media newsletter Status. Fox News declined to make executives available for comment.

Suspended 'Wheel' Announcer Now Terminated

Jim Thornton

Sony Pictures Television has fired “Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton, effective immediately, after an investigation into a mid-flight incident in May.

“Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with ‘Wheel of Fortune’ has been terminated, effective immediately,” the studio said in a statement.

The firing came three days after Sony suspended Thornton and said it would recast the role while it investigated. A spokesperson said at the time that the company had “recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton.”

TMZ first reported the suspension and later published screenshots of chat-room activity a fellow passenger said was captured during the flight. That passenger’s complaint was relayed to a flight attendant and ultimately to the cockpit. 

US Diesel Prices Pushing Up Transportation Costs

Diesel jumped to a record U.S. average of $5.85 a gallon on Friday, the first time the fuel has reached that level, as a six-month war with Iran disrupts global fuel supplies.

Because diesel powers much of the nation’s freight and delivery system, the spike is already raising transportation costs for everyday goods. 

Some businesses have begun passing those costs to customers through extra fees on online orders and mailed packages, and more of the increase is expected to show up on store shelves.

Influential Analyst Bullish On SiriusXM

Deutsche Bank analyst Bryan Kraft this week issued a bullish report on SiriusXM, saying the satellite radio company’s stock is mispriced and that upcoming earnings are poised to beat expectations because Wall Street has overlooked growth in digital audio advertising.

Kraft said SiriusXM’s exclusive U.S. audio advertising deal with YouTube has been “completely disregarded” and could generate $2 billion in annual incremental revenue by 2029 at a high-teen margin, lifting EBITDA by $350 million to $400 million. Additional ad growth is expected from an expanded relationship with Amazon’s ad platform announced in July.

“We believe SiriusXM is mispriced based on a large disconnect between consensus estimates and what we believe the company can achieve in 2027 and 2028,” Kraft wrote. “The opportunity is further enhanced by SiriusXM’s return to allocating capital toward share repurchases in the second half of 2026, as well as what we view as conservative 2026 guidance.”

He raised his 2026 forecasts to $8.6 billion in revenue and $2.7 billion in EBITDA, above both his prior estimates and the company’s recently increased guidance of $8.5 billion in revenue and $2.6 billion in EBITDA.

Kraft also expects subscription revenue to remain steady as SiriusXM adds companion subscriptions, more sports programming and a price increase next year. 

Dolly's Tribute Specials Score Sizeable Numbers

Four broadcast networks have aired Dolly Parton tribute specials since her death on Aug. 25, drawing sizable audiences despite last-minute scheduling during a traditionally slow viewing period.

ABC’s Sunday, Aug. 30, airing of the 1980 film 9 to 5 averaged 4.275 million viewers in live-plus-same-day ratings, making it the most-watched movie on a broadcast network in nearly four years and ABC’s most-watched film since The Sound of Music on Dec. 20, 2020.

On the day Parton died, ABC’s Dolly Parton: An American Original — Special Edition of 20/20, hosted by David Muir, averaged 4.051 million viewers. It won its time slot, beating CBS’s competing Parton special, and was the highest-rated non-sports 10 p.m. telecast in three months, since NBC’s Chicago P.D. season finale in May.

Counting viewing on ABC, Disney+, Hulu and other digital platforms, that 20/20 special reached 6.556 million viewers and was the most-watched title on Disney+ and Hulu on Aug. 26.NBC’s Dolly: An NBC News Special, hosted by Lester Holt and aired the same day, started just under 4 million viewers and has grown to 4.5 million with Peacock included. CBS and The CW also aired tributes.

Joplin Radio: One Media to Acquire AM/FM Combo

A Pittsburg-based media company led by William Wachter has agreed to buy a Joplin, Mo.-area AM/FM combination and an FM translator for $225,000, expanding its footprint across the four-state region. 

One Media, headed by Wachter, is acquiring sports-formatted 1560 WMBH and its 101.3 K268CP translator in Joplin, along with 101.7 KHST in nearby Lamar, Mo., from Michael Landis’ Land Go Radio Group LLC. The stations are marketed as “SoMo Sports Radio.” 

The deal, reported in industry filings this week, would give Wachter’s company a stronger presence in the Joplin-Pittsburg market. WMBH is a historic Joplin AM signal; the FM translator provides a modern on-FM presence that industry observers often describe as a “revitalization” tool for AM stations facing reception challenges in cars and buildings. 

Rapid City Radio: Riverfront Broadcasting To Add KIMM To Holdings

Yankton-based Riverfront Broadcasting, led by Doyle and Carolyn Becker, has agreed to buy Fox Sports Rapid City from Nate Brown’s Black Hills Broadcasting, adding the sports station and its FM translator to the company’s growing South Dakota cluster. 

The $200,000 deal covers 1150 KIMM and 106.7 K294BT. Riverfront has already begun operating the station under a local marketing agreement that took effect Aug. 1, pending FCC approval and closing. 

Once the sale is complete, the Beckers will fold Fox Sports Rapid City into a new Riverfront Sports Network with news/talk 1380 KOTA and oldies 980 KDSJ. 

Fox News Media To Commemorate 9/11

FOX News Media will honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks with extensive multiplatform special programming. On Friday, September 11th and in the days leading up to it, network personalities and correspondents will present commemorative packages and interviews while reporting live from locations across New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

During the week of September 7th, FOX News Channel’s (FNC) signature morning show FOX & Friends (6-9 AM/ET) will broadcast live from several locations and feature interviews with guests about their experiences 25 years ago. Starting on Monday, co-host Steve Doocy, who was broadcasting live alongside co-host Brian Kilmeade on the morning of the attacks, will host the program’s flagship “Breakfast with Friends” series live from the historic O’Hara’s Pub in downtown Manhattan just two blocks from Ground Zero. Doocy will travel to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and speak with Tunnels to Towers Foundation chairman and CEO Frank Siller, as the Steel Across America tour, a historic coast-to-coast campaign honoring those who sacrificed their lives on 9/11, arrives at the White House. Throughout the show on Thursday, Doocy will broadcast live from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93.

On Friday, September 11th, special coverage will commence with FOX & Friends co-hosts Kilmeade, Ainsley Earhardt and Lawrence Jones broadcasting live from the Hyatt House in Jersey City, overlooking the New York City (NYC) skyline, while Doocy will contribute live from Ground Zero. America’s Newsroom (9-11 AM/ET) co-anchors Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino will broadcast live from Brookfield Place overlooking the World Trade Center campus in downtown Manhattan. The program will carry the live reading of the victims’ names from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. From 11 AM – 3 PM/ET, The Faulkner Focus (11-12 PM/ET), Outnumbered (12-1 PM/ET), and America Reports (1-3 PM/ET) will all feature special segments and interviews with a wide range of guests including families of 9/11 victims, military officials, 9/11 survivors, and founders/CEOs of 9/11-related foundations. Martha MacCallum, host of The Story (3-4 PM/ET), will report live from the Hyatt House and feature interviews with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the New York Police Department (NYPD) co-chief chaplain, and Jessica Tisch, the NYPD Commissioner. Additionally, The Will Cain Show (4-5 PM/ET) will honor the anniversary with guests who will recount their experiences on 9/11.

Radio History: Sep 5

➦In 1910...Kenneth Howard Delmar born in Boston (Died at age 73 - July 14, 1984, Stamford, Connecticut). He was an actor active in radio, films, and animation. An announcer on the pioneering radio news series The March of Time, he became a national radio sensation in 1945 as Senator Beauregard Claghorn on the running "Allen's Alley" sketch on The Fred Allen Show.

Kenny Delmar

The character Delmar created was a primary inspiration for the Warner Bros. cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn.

By the late 1930s, Delmar was an announcer on such major radio series as The March of Time and Your Hit Parade. He played multiple roles in The Mercury Theatre on the Air's October 1938 radio drama The War of the Worlds.

Delmar is notable for creating the character Senator Beauregard Claghorn on Fred Allen's radio program Allen's Alley, which he did while also serving as the show's regular announcer. Senator Claghorn made his radio debut October 7, 1945, and six months later was called "unquestionably the most quoted man in the nation" by Life magazine. The role inspired the Warner Bros. animated character Foghorn Leghorn, first seen in the Oscar-nominated cartoon Walky Talky Hawky (1946).

"During the late 1940s, Mr. Delmar captivated 20 million radio listeners every Sunday night with his burlesque of a bombastic, super-chauvinistic legislator who drank only from Dixie cups and refused to drive through the Lincoln Tunnel," wrote The New York Times. "His stock expression, 'That's a joke, son,' was for many years one of the nation's pet phrases, mimicked by children and businessmen alike.

Delmar was also announcer and voice performer on The Alan Young Show in 1944. In 1953 he returned to radio replacing Hans Conried's character on My Friend Irma, as the Professor's cousin, Maestro Wanderkin and as Conried's Schultz on Life with Luigi.

➦In 1938…'Life Can Be Beautiful' began airing.  It was a daytime drama broadcast on NBC and CBS during its 16-year run. The program was billed as "an inspiring message of faith drawn from life" and remained one of the leading soap operas through the 1940s. Sponsored by Procter & Gamble and Spic and Span, it premiered September 5, 1938 on NBC and moved two months later to CBS, where it was heard from November 7, 1938 to June 21, 1946. Concurrently, it was also airing on NBC from 1939 to 1941. The final run was on NBC from 1946 to 1954.

➦In 1957...WPOW 1330 AM became one of the first NYC stations to air Rock & Roll regularly. Today the station airs a Spanish Christian music and teaching format and is owned by Radio Vision Cristiana Management.

Reports: Here's What Triggered The FOX Exit of Maria Bartiromo

Maria Bartiromo

Fox News Media parted ways with longtime anchor Maria Bartiromo on Thursday after she shared internal network guidance with the White House telling staff to avoid amplifying President Donald Trump’s latest 2020 election claims, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The company announced that Bartiromo was “no longer with Fox News Media,” effective immediately, and thanked her for 12½ years of work. It gave no public explanation beyond later describing the move as a “business decision.”  On Thursday Fox News Media issued a statement: 'Effective today, Maria Bartiromo is no longer with FOX News Media. We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.”

The trigger, according to reporting first published by Status and corroborated by the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal, was a July incident. After Trump’s prime-time speech on election integrity — in which he revived allegations involving China and the 2020 vote — Fox issued written guidance instructing senior staff not to give those claims airtime. Bartiromo, who wanted to pursue related coverage, shared a text or screenshot of that instruction with senior White House officials. Fox executives learned of the disclosure after the White House contacted the network. Leadership viewed it as a violation of her employment agreement and decided in August to remove her.

D/FW Radio: The Fan Is New Home The NBA Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks announced today a multi-year partnership with Audacy, designating 105.3 The Fan the official flagship radio station of the franchise. The new partnership with Audacy will make Mavericks games available to more than nine million listeners across North Texas, with additional distribution in outer markets via the Texas State Network.

“105.3 The Fan has built tremendous equity in the market with sports fans across North Texas, and we’re excited to bring the Dallas Mavericks to the Audacy family,” said Dallas Mavericks Chief Communications Officer Gina Miller. “This partnership is about giving Mavs fans more ways to connect with the team, from game broadcasts to weekly programming, while significantly expanding our reach across Texas. Plainly put, we want to give our fans more Mavs content, wherever they are.”

Legendary sportscaster Chuck Cooperstein, in his 22nd year as the radio voice of the Mavericks, will call the play-by-play action alongside analyst Brian Dameris for all regular season games live.

Boston Radio: Sports Hub Host Discloses Cancer

The Sports Hub co-host Marc Bertrand announced Wednesday that he is being treated for papillary thyroid cancer, a common and highly treatable form of the disease, and expects to return to the air next Wednesday when the Patriots open the regular season in Seattle. 

Bertrand, 41, said he was diagnosed a couple of months ago and is undergoing an ablation procedure this week at Mass Eye and Ear to “kill my tumor.” 

He has co-hosted the midday “Zolak and Bertrand” show with Scott Zolak since February 2015 and has been with the station since its August 2009 launch.

Sportswriter Violated Standards At The Athletic

The Athletic’s internal review found that former NFL reporter Dianna Russini’s relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel “was in clear violation” of the outlet’s ethics standards, though it identified no reporting inaccuracies involving Vrabel or his teams.

The nearly five-month review, published Thursday by editorial director for standards and quality Mike Semel, concluded Russini was “noncompliant” with rules requiring disclosure of “sources or affiliations that may put into question our ability to be credible.”

 “Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,” Semel wrote.

CNN reports Page Six photos published April 7 showed Russini and Vrabel holding hands, embracing and spending time in a pool at a Sedona, Arizona, resort on March 28. Those images “indicate a relationship that puts The Athletic’s credibility in jeopardy and gives the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Semel said.

Primetime Interview On Fox A Ratings Win and Sales Ploy

Fox News Jesse Watters, Abdul El-Sayed

A Fox News interview with Michigan’s progressive Democratic Senate nominee drew 3.35 million viewers last week and beat every primetime show on ABC, NBC, and CBS, according to Nielsen. The Aug. 24 edition of Jesse Watters Primetime was also up about 15 percent from the program’s quarterly average and posted a similar lift among adults 25 to 54. Fox said clips of the interview drew more than 8 million views on social media. 

The guest was Abdul El-Sayed, a physician and former public-health official who had just won a razor-thin Democratic primary and immediately became a favorite target of conservative media. Watters pressed him on Iran, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Medicare for All, transgender athletes, and gender-affirming care for minors. The exchange turned personal when Watters asked whether El-Sayed thought it was acceptable for a parent to “slash his kid’s ding-a-ling off.” El-Sayed replied, “Are you circumcised?” Watters said yes, then objected that it was “a personal question.” 

El-Sayed argued that circumcision is also surgery on a child and that medical decisions should stay with parents, doctors, and patients. Watters called the analogy “wacky” and “sick stuff.” 

The first half-hour of the hour drew nearly 3.7 million viewers and 332,000 in the 25-to-54 demo. One report put the full-show audience near 3.4 million and said it was the top cable-news primetime telecast of August. Watters later invited El-Sayed back, while telling him on air that some of his positions would not “fly in Michigan.” 

El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary on Aug. 4 by fewer than 15,000 votes over Rep. Haley Stevens, a race of more than 1.5 million ballots. Backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, he ran on Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, and cutting U.S. military aid to Israel. He now faces Republican Mike Rogers in November. If elected, he would be the first Muslim U.S. senator. Conservative hosts have used the Fox appearance to frame him as out of step with a swing-state electorate. 

Good Morning! TGIF And Here's The Pulse for Sep 4

Radio Broadcasting

AM Radio Act Has Date: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has scheduled a standalone vote on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act for the week of September 14, giving the bill its first firm House floor date after years of committee wins and missed windows.

Hang-Up Headphones: Jack Daniel, program director and midday host at Beasley Media Group’s WKQC-FM (K 104.7) in Charlotte, will retire Sept. 18, ending a 54-year broadcasting career that began on the same date in 1972.

Cancer Disclosure: The Sports Hub co-host Marc Bertrand announced Wednesday that he is being treated for papillary thyroid cancer, a common and highly treatable form of the disease, and expects to return to the air next Wednesday when the Patriots open the regular season in Seattle. 

The House Expected to Vote On The AM Radio Act

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has scheduled a standalone vote on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act for the week of September 14, giving the bill its first firm House floor date after years of committee wins and missed windows.

The National Association of Broadcasters said Thursday that Scalise set H.R. 979 for a vote on its own, rather than leaving it to a post-election lame-duck session or to language attached to a surface transportation package. The bill would require the secretary of transportation to finish a rulemaking within one year mandating AM receivers as a no-cost standard feature in all vehicles sold in the United States, including electric models.

Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) lead the House measure. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) lead the Senate companion, S. 315. The legislation has 317 House cosponsors and 61 in the Senate.

NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt praised Scalise, House leadership, and the four lead sponsors. “Our listeners have made their voices heard loud and clear: AM radio is an indispensable lifeline during emergencies, a trusted source of news and information, and a vital connection for communities nationwide,” he said. “Now is the time to finish the job.”

FCC Asks Judge To Toss Disney Lawsuit On License Reviews

The FCC asked a federal judge Thursday to dismiss Disney’s lawsuit seeking to block early review of licenses for the company’s eight ABC-owned stations.

The FCC said a Disney win would stop it from weighing evidence in an ongoing investigation and hobble its “efforts to investigate and resolve serious allegations that Disney has engaged in unlawful discrimination.” The agency also argued the case belongs in a Washington federal appeals court, not district court.

U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington has set an Oct. 6 hearing. 

The FCC agreed to give at least 48 hours’ notice before any order referring the ABC licenses for a public hearing.

The case is a test of broadcasters’ free-speech rights. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to lose its licenses over programming he dislikes. FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered the early reviews in April—more than four years before the stations’ renewals were due in October 2028, and the first such early reviews in more than 50 years. 

Carr has said he has not decided whether to send the licenses to a hearing. The reviews were ordered a day after Trump urged ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Charlotte Radio: Jack Daniel Retiring From K104.7 FM

Jack Daniel, program director and midday host at Beasley Media Group’s WKQC-FM (K 104.7) in Charlotte, will retire Sept. 18, ending a 54-year broadcasting career that began on the same date in 1972.

Daniel joined Beasley in 2018 as afternoon host on WKQC. He later programmed sister country station WSOC-FM (Country 103.7) before taking over programming at WKQC in 2021.

Jack Daniel

His first job was at East Carolina University’s campus station, WECU. He went on to hold programming and leadership roles at Carolina stations including WROQ, WBCY, WRFX and WEND. In 1979 at WPEG-FM, he launched the urban format that became POWER 98, now a Beasley sister station.

“Retirements like this give us the opportunity to reflect on careers that truly make a difference, and Jack Daniel has certainly done that,” said Justin Chase, Beasley’s chief content officer. “Since joining Beasley Media Group in 2018, he has demonstrated unwavering professionalism, outstanding leadership, and a genuine passion for local radio. Beyond his professional achievements, he has represented our company with integrity throughout the Charlotte community and has generously invested his time in mentoring the next generation of broadcasters.”

Daniel said, “What is it they say, if you love what you do, it’s not work? I’ve had a great ride and can’t think of a better place to wrap it all up than Beasley Media Group in Charlotte, a company that was born in North Carolina. I’ve met so many great friends in this business.”

FL Radio: MARC Media Expanding In Sunshine State

MARC Media Group has grown its Florida radio holdings to 22 stations after a $2.073 million deal to buy three Cumulus Media FMs, capping a year of aggressive expansion that now covers much of the central Florida peninsula. 

The privately held Gainesville company, led by Roger Holler, is acquiring CHR “A-1-A 107.1” WAOA and country “102.7 The HitKicker” WHKR in the Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa market plus classic rock “95.9 The Rocket” WROK in Fort Pierce-Stuart-Vero Beach. MARC began operating the stations under a local marketing agreement on Sept. 1, 2026, with closing pending FCC approval. Cumulus will exit both markets. 

Scott Miller

The purchase fills out existing clusters. MARC already owned classic hits “98.5 The Beach” WSBH and country WIXC (1060) in Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa, plus five stations in the Treasure Coast market: AC WGYL (93.7), adult hits “99.7 Jack FM” WJKD, soft AC “97.1 The Ocean” WOSN, country “B-94.7” WPHR and news/talk WTTB (1490). \

Chief Operating Officer Scott Miller said the added signals mean the company now covers “a majority of the central Florida peninsula.” MARC named Zayne Rose market manager for the combined Space Coast and Treasure Coast clusters. That September 2026 transaction followed a pair of February 2026 deals that added nine stations. MARC closed a $6 million purchase of five Treasure Coast stations from Vero Beach Broadcasters—WGYL, WJKD, WOSN, WPHR and WTTB plus a translator—stretching its I-95 corridor presence more than 100 miles from Melbourne toward Stuart and bringing its station count to 16 at the time. 

More Streams, More Sports, More Frustrations

Most sports fans already pay for access, and many would pay more but a large share still cannot quickly find the games they bought. 

Gracenote, Nielsen’s content-intelligence unit, reported in its 2026 “Home Screen Advantage” study that 68% of self-identified sports fans subscribe to at least one service because it carries sports, half would consider adding another subscription for better access, and 26% say they frequently cannot identify which channel or app is showing the event they want. Nearly 24% of fans in the survey pay for three or more sports-related subscriptions. 

Even so, discovery remains a bottleneck: 19% said it takes them more than 10 minutes to locate a game, and 85% said they want a centralized sports hub with frictionless discovery of live games, highlights, and related content. On television specifically, 85% want the home screen to show upcoming games for their favorite teams and leagues along with where-to-watch information. 

The problem is worse among younger viewers. About 36% of respondents ages 18–34 said they frequently cannot determine where to watch the sports they want. More than two-thirds of fans use internet search as a workaround, yet 32% of U.S. respondents said search results always or often lack accurate information about locally televised games.

Buffalo Radio: NHL Sabres To Remain On GR 55

Buffalo Sabres stay on WGR in new multiyear radio dealThe Buffalo Sabres will remain on Audacy’s WGR-AM/FM (550/107.7) as the team’s official flagship radio station under a new multiyear partnership.

Game broadcasts with play-by-play announcer Dan Dunleavy and analyst Rob Ray will continue on WGR in Buffalo and on the Sabres and Audacy apps. The team and Audacy will also launch the Sabres Radio Network to expand coverage; affiliate stations will be announced later.

WGR is now available nationally on SiriusXM, giving out-of-market fans another way to hear the station. Beyond games, WGR will carry exclusive Sabres interviews with coaches, players and executives.

“We’re excited to continue our longstanding relationship as the official voice of the Buffalo Sabres,” WGR Brand Manager Allan Davis said. “No radio station in the U.S. talks more hockey than Western New York’s Voice of the Fans — WGR. And no fan base anywhere loves their team more than Sabres fans do. We look forward to bringing them every play, every game, and every story every day.”

The deal follows a split in Buffalo’s sports radio lineup. The Bills ended their longtime WGR/Audacy partnership in February and moved radio distribution to Good Karma Brands for 2026; they have since announced a broadcast partnership with Cumulus Media’s 97 Rock (WGRF). The Sabres are continuing with WGR on their own.

Charlotte Radio: NBA Hornets Extend with WFNZ

The Charlotte Hornets and Radio One’s Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ have agreed to a new multiyear deal that will keep Hornets basketball on WFNZ for an 18th consecutive season in 2026-27.

WFNZ will serve as the flagship station and air every preseason, regular-season and postseason game, with Sam Farber on play-by-play. Games will also stream on the Hornets app and WFNZ.com.

Each broadcast will include a 60-minute pregame show hosted by Kyle Bailey and Travis Hancock, with some originating live from Spectrum Center and Hornets watch parties. A 30-minute postgame show will follow with Will Palaszczuk, other WFNZ talent, Farber and radio producer Rob Longo.

WFNZ will add weekly appearances by Head Coach Charles Lee, regular interviews with players, executives and broadcasters, and daily analysis. The partners will also produce special programming around the season opener, schedule release and other NBA calendar events. Fans can win tickets and merchandise through on-air promotions.

Hornets interviews will also air on Radio One sister stations WOSF 105.3 R&B and WBT 107.9 FM.

Attorney For Suspended 'Wheel' Announcer Denies Wrongdoing

Jim Thornton

New details have surfaced about the May incident that led authorities to question longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton at LAX and later prompted Sony Pictures Television to suspend him from the show.

According to TMZ, the episode occurred on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles. A passenger who could see Thornton’s laptop screen told the outlet she observed messages and images in an online chatroom that she found disturbing and that appeared to involve discussions of children. She reported her concerns to a flight attendant; the captain then arranged for law enforcement to meet the plane upon arrival.

KTLA in Los Angeles reports American Airlines confirmed that Flight 1276 was met by officers at LAX on May 14 after a customer onboard reported concerns. Thornton was questioned briefly and released. 

His attorney said he “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested and has not been charged with any crime,” adding that officers determined no wrongdoing had occurred after speaking with him for five minutes or less. The lawyer later said Thornton had intended to visit a suicide-prevention site and was misdirected to a similarly named forum, which he left once he realized its nature.

Sony has not detailed the allegations publicly. A studio spokesperson said the company “recently [was] made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,” suspended him, and is recasting the announcer role while it conducts a thorough investigation.

Deals With iHM, Spotify And Netflix Keep Bobby Bones Busy

A Netflix deal arrangement sits on top of Bobb Bones’ $100 million overall talent deal with iHeartMedia. In exchange for Netflix money and global distribution, full video episodes can no longer run on YouTube, the trade-off Netflix struck with partners including iHeart and Spotify.

Bones said yes to the deal...quickly.  “Well, they offered us a lot of money,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. 

After signing, he renovated an unmarked Nashville building he owns into a multicam studio so the show would look as good as the new audience. Episodes began streaming in January; he has delivered more than 80. "The BobbyCast started as an opportunity to have real, candid conversations with people I was curious to learn more about," said Bones. "Ten years later, I'm still curious, and I'm incredibly grateful that people continue to want to confide in me."

Radio History: Sep 4

➦In 1918...Paul Harvey Aurandt born (Died at age 90– February 28, 2009). Best known as Paul Harvey he was a radio broadcaster for ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. From 1952 through 2008, his programs reached as many as 24 million people a week. Paul Harvey News was carried on 1,200 radio stations, 400 American Forces Network stations, and 300 newspapers.

Paul Harvey

Harvey was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of a policeman who was killed by robbers in 1921. He made radio receivers as a young boy, and he attended Tulsa Central High School where teacher Isabelle Ronan was "impressed by his voice". On her recommendation, he started working at KVOO in Tulsa in 1933 helping to clean up when he was 14. He eventually was allowed to fill in on the air, reading commercials and the news.

He continued working at KVOO while attending the University of Tulsa, first as an announcer and later as a program director. He spent three years as a station manager for KFBI AM, now known as KFDI, a radio station that once had studios in Salina, Kansas. From there, he moved to a newscasting job at KOMA in Oklahoma City, and then to KXOK in St. Louis in 1938.

Harvey then moved to Hawaii to cover the United States Navy as it concentrated its fleet in the Pacific. He was returning to the mainland from assignment when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He eventually enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces but served only from December 1943 to March 1944.

Harvey then moved to Chicago, where in June 1944, he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR (now WLS-AM). In 1945, he began hosting the postwar employment program Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR. Harvey added The Rest of the Story as a tagline to in-depth feature stories in 1946.

Shocker: Maria Bartiromo Out At Fox Media

A Surprise: Maria Batiriomo Exits

Maria Bartiromo is no longer with Fox News Media, effective Thursday, after 12½ years at the company. Her weekday Fox Business Network program, Mornings with Maria, aired its final episode Thursday morning and will be rebranded Mornings with FOX Business beginning Friday, with rotating anchors filling the 6–9 a.m. ET slot. 

Fox News Media announced the split in a brief statement: “We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter.” 

The network did not give a reason for her departure, and it is not clear whether she resigned or was let go. She has been a fierce backer of President Trump.

Her other Fox Business program, Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street, which airs Fridays from 7–7:30 p.m. ET, is being retitled FBN’s Wall Street. Cheryl Casone will host this week; rotating anchors will take over after that. Fox Business also said it will roll out a new weekday programming schedule in the coming weeks. 

On Fox News Channel, Sunday Morning Futures (10–11 a.m. ET) will be hosted this Sunday by Jason Chaffetz. A permanent replacement has not been named.  Bartiromo’s last appearance on that program was Aug. 9. 

Bartiromo joined Fox Business and Fox News in early 2014 after two decades at CNBC, where she became the first journalist to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on a daily basis and hosted programs including Closing Bell and On the Money. 

At Fox she served as global markets editor and built a morning franchise that the network billed as a leading pre-market business show, while also interviewing presidents, Cabinet officials, and CEOs. Permanent hosts for the rebranded programs have not been announced.

Other high-profile, on-air personalities that have left Fox News Media in recent years include Tucker Carlson and Bill O’Reilly. Former Fox personality Pete Hegseth left the network in 2024 after being nominated as President Donald Trump's secretary of defense.

Norah O'Donnell Is Returning to CBS This Morning

Norah O’Donnell returns to “CBS Mornings” Sept. 8, rejoining Gayle King and Nate Burleson more than seven years after leaving for “CBS Evening News.” The former “CBS This Morning” co‑host (2012–2019) comes back as CBS tries to strengthen its morning lineup and boost political coverage ahead of the midterms.

The show has averaged 1.7 million viewers this season, down 9% year over year; adults 25–54 have dropped 20% to 278,000. CBS says O’Donnell’s experience will help sharpen the broadcast’s hard‑news focus.

Reports suggested King had concerns about O’Donnell’s return, but a network source said King was fully involved in the search and remains close with O’Donnell after 15 years working together.

O’Donnell stepped down from “CBS Evening News” in January 2025 and has since expanded her role at CBS, joining “60 Minutes” and launching the women’s‑health podcast “Healthful.”

Norah O'Donnell

“CBS Mornings” EP Jon Tower called her return a “homecoming,” saying her chemistry with King and Burleson makes the trio “something very special.” CBS plans to add more contributors this fall.

O’Donnell’s move reunites her with King, her longtime colleague, following reports that King had reservations about the decision. A network source disputed that characterization, saying King was a “full‑time partner” in the search for a third co‑host and actively involved throughout. The source added that King and O’Donnell — who have worked together for 15 years — are friends who respect each other’s work and bring complementary perspectives to the broadcast.

In a note to staff Thursday, “CBS Mornings” executive producer Jon Tower called O’Donnell’s return a “homecoming,” highlighting her history and chemistry with King. “They know each other, respect each other, and — maybe most importantly — genuinely enjoy each other,” he wrote. O’Donnell’s experience, he added, makes her “a perfect match” for King and Burleson. “Put the three of them together, and we have something very special.

FLA Radio: Cumulus Sells Two Stations As MARC Media Grows

Cumulus Media is selling its Melbourne, Florida, cluster — Top 40 “107.1 A1A” WAOA, Classic Rock “95.9 The Rocket” WROK-FM and Country “102.7 The Hitkicker” WHKR — to Roger Holler’s MARC Media for $2.073 million, exiting that Space Coast market as the company works through a Chapter 11 reorganization. 

An LMA took effect Tuesday, Sept. 1, so MARC is already operating the three FMs. 

They will sit alongside MARC’s existing Space Coast pair, Classic Hits “98.5 The Beach” WSBH and Classic Country “I Am Country” WIXC/W288DZ. Holler, a Florida automotive-group principal who has been buying radio assets across the peninsula, is using the deal to stitch together a larger Central Florida footprint. 

MARC Chief Operating Officer Scott Miller said the company’s signals now cover most of the central Florida peninsula and that MARC will keep adding stations only when they fit a formula built around local programming and profit.