FIFA Would Like To Cash-In On Media Rights

A record 62.8 million viewers in the United States tuned in to watch Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, making it the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history—nearly 17 million more than the previous record.

The audience more than doubled the viewership of the 2022 World Cup final. Fox led the way with 38.9 million viewers on its English-language broadcast, peaking at 51.7 million. That figure surpassed all but two of the network’s NFL games during the 2025-26 season. Telemundo and Peacock added another 23.9 million Spanish-language viewers, breaking the previous record of 23.2 million for a World Cup broadcast in Spanish.

Fox Sports averaged 7.74 million viewers per match across the entire tournament—more than double its audiences for both the 2022 and 2018 World Cups.

Junk Food Ad Ban for Kids Raises Major 1A Concerns

A bill that would ban junk food advertising directed at children under 13 faces significant First Amendment concerns, major advertising trade groups said in a letter sent to lawmakers Tuesday.

The Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2026, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), would prohibit companies from marketing or advertising junk food “in a manner that reasonably appears to be directed at children.” 

The measure also includes requirements for warning labels on junk food products.

In a letter addressed to Sanders and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), the Association of National Advertisers, American Association of Advertising Agencies, and American Advertising Federation argued that the legislation would unconstitutionally restrict protected commercial speech.

“The bill would regulate truthful, non-misleading advertising concerning products that may lawfully be sold in commerce,” the groups wrote. They warned that it “may have the practical effect of discouraging lawful advertising for ordinary food and beverage products,” including restaurant ads, even when children are not the primary audience.

MN Newspaper Defends Walz Pardon Of Child Rapist

The Minnesota Star Tribune published a column praising or strongly defending Gov. Tim Walz for supporting the pardon of Tou Lue Vang, a man convicted in 2006 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for repeatedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl over a period of about three years. 

Key Details

The Crime: Vang, then in his late teens or early 20s, admitted to the assaults, which began in 2002. He reportedly minimized the abuse as a "minor thing" and referenced cultural norms from his background in a Thai refugee camp. 

The Pardon: On June 10, 2026, the Minnesota Board of Pardons — composed of Gov. Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Chief Justice Natalie Hudson — unanimously granted clemency, effectively clearing the felony conviction from Vang's record. The decision came as Vang, a Laotian national, faced imminent deportation by federal immigration authorities. 

Opposition: Ramsey County prosecutors strongly objected to the pardon. Victim advocates spoke against it during hearings. Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security, criticized the move as shielding a convicted child sex offender from removal. 

Smartphones Dominate Digital Listening Across All Generations

Smartphones are the overwhelming top device for digital audio consumption, with 80% of Gen Z and 79% of millennial listeners tuning in primarily on their phones, according to a March 2026 survey from The Harris Poll and EMARKETER. 

This preference holds as the leading platform for every generation.

The smartphone habit shows no signs of slowing and is extending deeper into older demographics. Podcasts now reach 68% of adults ages 35 to 54 (millennials and Gen X), a notable increase from 61% just one year earlier, per Edison Research. This growth indicates that mobile audio is becoming a mainstream behavior well beyond younger listeners.

At the same time, podcast listening is evolving from a mostly commute-driven activity into a consistent, year-round habit. 52% of U.S. adults now report listening to podcasts at least several times a year, up significantly from 35% in 2022, according to CivicScience. 

Seasonal patterns further support this shift: 43% of listeners say they tune in more during the summer, while only 17% listen less.

Overall, these trends point to a maturing digital audio landscape where smartphones serve as the universal gateway, reach is broadening across age groups, and consumption is becoming more habitual and less tied to specific routines.

Good Morning to Thursday: Here's The Pulse For July 23

Radio Broadcasting

Houston Sports On FM: Beginning August 13, Audacy's “95.7 The Spot” will discontinue its Adult Hits music format and begin simulcasting KILT-AM by rebranding as “95.7 The Fan,” building on the brand first used by WFAN in New York and later used in Minneapolis-St. Paul and other markets, the most recent addition being Los Angeles.

Trail Blazers Make Cuts: The Portland Trail Blazers are undergoing major cuts to their broadcasting operations as new owner Tom Dundon seeks greater efficiency, resulting in the departure of several longtime on-air talents and reductions in production.

Relax Radio Caps: Connoisseur Media and Beasley Media Group are urging the FCC to eliminate or significantly relax local radio ownership limits, arguing that rules adopted nearly 30 years ago no longer reflect today's competitive media landscape and are putting the radio industry at a growing disadvantage.

Peacock Posts First-Ever Quarterly Profit

Comcast’s Peacock streaming service posted its first-ever quarterly profit, driving stronger-than-expected overall results for the media giant.

Peacock revenue jumped 54% year-over-year to $1.9 billion in the most recent quarter, while the service generated $189 million in adjusted EBITDA — turning profitable for the first time. The performance helped lift Comcast’s film revenue 25% year-over-year to $3.04 billion and contributed to the company beating Wall Street analysts’ estimates on key financial metrics.

The streaming milestone marks a significant turning point for Peacock, which has aggressively expanded its content library and subscriber base since launch. Executives highlighted the combination of higher subscription revenue, advertising growth, and cost discipline as the main drivers behind the $189 million EBITDA swing from losses in the prior-year period.

It also added 2 million paid subscribers for a total of 48 million, driven by the NBA playoffs, FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA. Revenue for the service grew to $1.9 billion, compared to $1.2 billion in the year-ago period.

Comcast’s broader film segment also posted robust gains, fueled by strong box-office performances and content licensing deals. The 25% revenue increase to $3.04 billion underscores continued demand for theatrical and ancillary film content even amid industry-wide shifts toward streaming.

As for the theme parks business, revenue increased 2.7% to $2.4 billion, driven by growth at its Orlando theme parks and the successful opening of Epic Universe, though the segment’s profits fell 5.1% to $609 million due to higher operating expenses.

Analysts had anticipated solid but more modest growth; the actual results exceeded forecasts across major line items, providing positive momentum for Comcast as it navigates a competitive media landscape. The company has increasingly emphasized Peacock’s path to sustained profitability as a core part of its long-term strategy.

Alphabet Reports Strong Q2 Revenue Growth

Alphabet Inc. posted 24% year-over-year revenue growth in the second quarter, driven by its surging cloud business, yet investor concerns over escalating artificial intelligence infrastructure costs tempered the reaction.

The Google parent reported $119.8 billion in total revenue for the April-June period, beating analyst expectations. Its cloud segment generated $24.8 billion, while search delivered $63.3 billion. 

Net income reached $112.1 billion, also ahead of forecasts, boosted largely by gains in Alphabet’s equity investments.

However, the company raised its full-year capital expenditure guidance by $15 billion to a new range of $195 billion to $205 billion as it accelerates AI build-out. Free cash flow turned negative in the quarter and will stay under pressure, Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi said, citing heavy investments in technological infrastructure.

“Google comes out with a solid quarter, beating consensus expectations, but not by enough,” said Brian Mulberry of Zacks Investment Management. “This time the cloud revenue was good but just not as good.”

Alphabet has been racing to catch up in generative AI. It launched the competitive Gemini 3 model in November but has since lagged behind rivals OpenAI and Anthropic on the frontier.

Dean Littleton Promoted to President of Media at Scripps

Dean Littleton, the company’s Executive Vice President of Media Broadcast Operations and a nine-year Scripps veteran, has been promoted to President of Media.

The newly created role gives Littleton oversight of the company’s full local media portfolio, including approximately 60 television stations, the national Scripps Networks division (which includes ION and a suite of multicast and digital networks), and Scripps News, the 24/7 national streaming news service. He will be based in Cincinnati.

Dean Littleton

“Dean has been instrumental in driving operational excellence across our local media platform while creating a more durable and sustainable business model for local journalism,” said Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson. “As Scripps executes its transformation plan, Dean is the right mission-focused leader to ensure our media businesses operate with the speed, creativity and growth mindset that will create lasting value for the audiences, advertisers, employees and shareholders we serve.”

Littleton joined Scripps in 2017 and most recently led the company’s Denver television stations, KMGH-7 and KCDO-TV “The Spot.” He previously served as general manager of WATE-TV in Knoxville and held leadership and general sales manager roles at stations including WVLT-TV, KUSA-TV and WBIR-TV. He began his career as a news photographer and editor.

Radio History: July 23

➦In 1912...Jackson Beck born (Died at age 92 – July 28, 2004). He was an announcer and actor best known as the announcer on radio's The Adventures of Superman and the voice of Bluto in the Famous era Popeye theatrical shorts.

Jackson Beck

Beck's early radio experience included work at WINS and WHN, both in New York City. Beginning in 1931, he worked with Myrt and Marge, among other roles. In 1934, he was the announcer for The Adventures of Babe Ruth on the radio. In 1943, he took over as narrator of radio's The Adventures of Superman; it was Beck who intoned the familiar prologue "strange visitor from another planet..." He also had recurring roles, voicing an occasional tough guy and also portraying Beany Martin, the Daily Planet's teenage copy boy. On Superman episodes featuring Batman, he played Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth.

He also impersonated Joseph Stalin and other world leaders for The March of Time radio series, starred as The Cisco Kid on radio from 1942 to 1945 and sleuth Philo Vance in a syndicated series from 1948 to 1950, starred in the dramatic anthology Brownstone Theater on Mutual, and served as narrator for the radio adventures of Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.

Beck also co-starred in several episodes of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater.

➦In 1937...Robert Wilbur Morgan born (Died  – May 22, 1998). He was a Top40 radio personality best known for his work at several stations in Los Angeles, California, in particular KHJ-AM.

Morgan also did morning drive at KMPC-AM, KIQQ-FM and KMGG-FM, and finished his career at KRTH-FM, where he retired for health reasons in 1997. He died from lung cancer on May 22, 1998.

As a youth growing up in Galion, Ohio, Morgan's interest was piqued while listening to his favorite DJs on Cleveland's top forty giant KYW which would eventually lead to his first on-air job was at Wooster College in 1955 on WWST & WWST-FM, for an initial salary of $1 per hour.

Disney Villains: SAS, Pat McAfee Blamed for ESPN Layoffs

Pat McAfee and Stepehen A Smith

Hundreds of employees across Walt Disney Co. divisions, including on-air talent at ESPN and ABC, have been laid off in the latest round of cost-cutting, with prominent commentators Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee facing sharp internal and public blame for their massive contracts at a time of widespread austerity.

Smith, who recently signed a five-year, $100 million deal, and McAfee, who is reportedly nearing a contract worth more than $60 million annually, are accused of consuming a disproportionate share of resources at ESPN and ABC. Insiders say the deals have left little room for other talent as the company tightens its belt.

“It’s crazy what’s going on at ESPN,” a knowledgeable ABC source told reporters. “[ESPN chair] Jimmy [Pitaro] put all of his eggs in two baskets, and now every cut seems to be related to these salaries.”

ABC, CBS, NBC Chastised For Ignoring Immigrant Truck Fatals

Fox News host Trace Gallagher sharply criticized ABC, CBS, and NBC on Tuesday for devoting zero minutes of coverage to crimes committed by illegal immigrant truck drivers, despite a string of high-profile deadly incidents. 

Gallagher highlighted what he called a glaring double standard in legacy media reporting. “They cover everything on ICE but won’t cover this for even 30 seconds,” he said during a segment on Fox News @ Night.

The criticism comes amid growing concerns over public safety failures linked to illegal immigration and trucking, including multiple fatal crashes allegedly involving undocumented drivers who reportedly evaded proper vetting, language requirements, or ICE detainers. Former Trump White House deputy communications director Roma Darvi joined the discussion, labeling the lack of coverage a deliberate “media cover-up.”

World Cup Final Sets U.S. Viewership Record with 61.5M

Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final shattered records, drawing 61.5 million viewers across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock as Spain defeated Argentina to win the 2026 title — becoming the most-watched soccer match in U.S. television history. Fox’s English-language broadcast delivered 38.9 million viewers, peaking at 51.7 million between 5:45-6 p.m. ET. 

Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo and Peacock added 22.6 million viewers (preliminary), positioning it as the highest-rated World Cup final ever in Spanish-language media.

The Fox telecast surged 132% compared to the 2022 final’s 16.8 million viewers and ranked as the most-watched non-NFL program on any network since the 2016 World Series Game 7. 

Spanish-language viewership on Telemundo and Peacock jumped 150% from the 9 million who tuned in for the 2022 Argentina-France final.

Telemundo’s linear channel averaged 8.7 million viewers — up 56% from 5.5 million in 2022 — peaking at 11.2 million at 5:45 p.m. ET. Linear viewership accounted for less than one-third of the total Spanish-language audience.

The 2026 tournament has delivered historic audiences since its June kickoff, with nearly every round breaking records on both Fox and Telemundo/Peacock platforms. English-language coverage across Fox, FS1, and Tubi averaged 7.7 million viewers over 104 matches, marking the most-watched FIFA World Cup in U.S. history.

Final official numbers for Telemundo and Peacock are expected later.

Hosting this year’s World Cup across North America fueled huge enthusiasm for watch parties that spilled far beyond the stadiums, while the convenient afternoon and evening kickoff times made it easy for fans to tune in.Nielsen’s newly revamped audience measurement system — updated last year to better capture viewing outside the living room — now more accurately reflects “out-of-home” consumption at bars, packed public screenings, and outdoor festivals, giving a clearer picture of real attention levels.

Domestic excitement for the “home” teams of Mexico, the United States, and Canada naturally drove stronger U.S. interest. Yet viewership data across all participating nations showed the tournament’s appeal had broadened significantly compared with previous World Cups.

"The Five" Hits 15 Years as Cable News’ Top Program

Fox News Channel’s weekday roundtable “The Five” continues to grow its audience even as overall cable viewership shrinks, averaging more than 3.6 million viewers so far this year and solidifying its position as the No. 1 program in all of cable news.

Axios reports the show, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last week, has expanded its audience by 148% since its 2011 launch, according to Nielsen data. It has held the top spot in cable news for 22 consecutive months and frequently draws more than 900,000 viewers for its midnight replay.

Originally intended as a temporary five-week replacement for Glenn Beck, “The Five” quickly became a permanent fixture after Fox News executives recognized its potential within minutes of the debut episode. Dana Perino, one of two original hosts still on the panel, recalled the moment Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott declared from the control room, “It’s going to be a hit.”

The program’s success stems from its emphasis on genuine chemistry among hosts, which turns often-tough political debates into engaging discussions. Hosts credit teasing, mutual respect, and cross-ideological dialogue — including regular Democratic co-hosts like Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr. — for broadening its appeal.

“We all like each other,” said Ford. Tarlov called it “the coolest job for a liberal in media today,” noting the show offers the kind of cross-party conversations many Americans want to see.

Since its debut, when personality-driven panels were rare in cable news, “The Five” has helped make that format the industry standard. Over 15 years, its debates on issues ranging from guns and immigration to abortion and marijuana have even shifted some hosts’ perspectives.

"The Five" Also Tops Cable News Among Democrats, Independents

Fox News’ “The Five” is now the most-watched daily news program among Democrats, according to new MRI Fusion data obtained by Mediaite.

The long-running roundtable draws an average of 765,000 Democratic viewers per episode — more than the combined total-day audiences of CNN (202,000) and MSNBC (320,000). It also leads among independents with more than 1 million average viewers.

NYC Radio: MediaCo Elevates Brian Fisher to President

MediaCo is restructuring its executive leadership, promoting Chief Revenue Officer Brian Fisher to President while its former Chief Financial Officer, Debra DeFelice, exits the company just seven months after signing a multi-year contract extension.

The Board of Directors appointed Fisher as President effective July 20. Albert Rodriguez, who became President and CEO in early 2025, will continue serving as CEO.