LA Radio: Matt Pinfield On the Rebound

Matt Pinfield

Well-known radio and television personality Matt Pinfield, has made a remarkable turnaround after a serious health scare. 

On January 6, 2025, the 63-year-old former MTV VJ and SiriusXM host suffered a massive stroke in Los Angeles, which led to a two-month coma and left him hospitalized in critical condition. As of March 13, 2025, reports confirm that Pinfield has awakened from the coma, been released from the ICU, and is now recovering in a rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, with optimism surrounding his prognosis.

Pinfield’s stroke was severe enough to render him “incapacitated,” according to court documents filed by his daughter Jessica Pinfield in late January. She described him as being in “poor” physical health, unable to make cognitive decisions or move independently, prompting her to seek a temporary conservatorship over his medical and financial affairs. The initial outlook was grim—doctors reportedly doubted he would speak or walk again, and friends visited him in the hospital fearing it might be their last time seeing him alive.

The stroke came as a shock, occurring just hours after Pinfield posted an upbeat message on Instagram. The suddenness of the event underscored his vulnerability despite a career marked by resilience through past challenges, including a 2018 accident where he was hit by a car and a long battle with drug addiction.

By mid-February, signs of hope emerged. Pinfield’s girlfriend, Kara Brown, and his brother, Glenn Pinfield, reported that he was communicative during hospital visits—singing along to music played on a portable turntable and speaking in full sentences at times. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Pinfield himself declared, “Guys, I’m alive!”—a testament to his fighting spirit.

Currently, he’s in a Los Angeles rehabilitation center, focusing on regaining his strength. He’s eyeing a hospital discharge by the end of March, with plans to continue recovery through outpatient care.

Pinfield’s career is a tapestry of rock and roll influence. From spinning records at New Jersey’s Melody Bar in the 1980s to hosting MTV’s 120 Minutes in the ‘90s—where he introduced countless alternative acts to mainstream audiences—he became a cultural tastemaker. His later roles at SiriusXM, SoCal Sound, and KLOS, plus stints like co-hosting AXS TV’s The Power Hour, cemented his status as a music authority. Past health setbacks, like the 2018 car accident that broke his leg and required him to relearn walking, only deepened his gratitude for life, a sentiment he echoed in a 2021 X post.

Edison Podcast Metrics Indicate More Republican Listeners

A key finding from Edison Research indicates that podcast listenership among Republicans has been growing, narrowing the gap with Democrats. 

Edison Podcast Metrics data showing that in 2019, Democrats outnumbered Republicans among podcast listeners by 17 percentage points. Now, this gap had shrunk to just 7 points. This suggests a significant increase in Republican engagement with podcasts over time.

Additional context from Edison’s research, such as the 2022 Infinite Dial survey, shows that while Democrats were historically more likely to listen to podcasts overall (41% of Democrats vs. 36% of Republicans among adults 18+), Republicans have shown a stronger preference for politically oriented content. 

Eight of the top 20 podcasts for Republicans leaned political, compared to only three for Democrats. This trend aligns with broader findings that Republicans are increasingly turning to podcasts, particularly those offering conservative perspectives from hosts like Ben Shapiro, Dan Bongino, and Sean Hannity.

The narrowing partisan gap could reflect podcasts’ growing appeal as an alternative media source, especially for Republicans who may distrust traditional outlets. 

Edison’s data also suggests that as podcasting reaches mainstream status—53% of U.S. adults 18+ listened monthly by 2024, per industry trends—its audience is diversifying, pulling in more Republican listeners who were previously less engaged with the medium.

Schumer Utters Expletive to Describe GOP Lawmakers

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, reportedly used the term during a live broadcast on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes.

Schumer made the remark while discussing a government funding bill and the broader political strategy against Republicans. He stated, “It’s much, much better not to be in the middle of a shutdown, which would divert people from the number one issue we have against these bastards,” before quickly apologizing, saying, “Sorry, these people.”

Chuck Schumer apologizes After calling Republicans “bastards” live on MSNBC pic.twitter.com/cpp4Bot15d

— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) March 14, 2025

This moment stemmed from a heated exchange about a contentious Republican-led Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the government, which Schumer and Democrats opposed, favoring a cleaner CR extending funding to April 11. The comment was part of his argument that avoiding a shutdown would keep the focus on Republican tax policies favoring billionaires, which he framed as detrimental to democracy and the middle class. 

Posts on X indicate polarized reactions: some conservatives mocked Schumer as “Cryin’ Chuck” losing composure, while others saw it as a sign of Democratic desperation amid Trump’s policy momentum. 

The 'Trump Bump' Still Helps FOX News

The Wrap has published several pieces analyzing the phenomenon known as the "Trump Media Bump," a term that generally refers to the surge in media attention, audience engagement, and sometimes revenue that news outlets experienced during Donald Trump’s political rise and presidency.

One notable article from The Wrap, published on February 18, 2025, titled "Memo to the Mainstream Media: There’s No Mollifying MAGA | Analysis," provides indirect insight into the Trump Media Bump by examining the relationship between Trump, his supporters, and the press. Written amidst the context of Trump’s administration, it argues that Trump and his base have consistently framed the media as an enemy, a dynamic that fueled coverage and engagement. The piece suggests that this antagonistic relationship drove significant attention to media outlets, as Trump’s actions and rhetoric—often amplified by his use of social media—kept him and his narrative at the center of news cycles.

This week, The Wrap’s coverage hints at the bump’s decline post-Trump presidency. The February 2025 analysis implies that attempts by some outlets to soften their stance toward Trump (e.g., to maintain access) didn’t fundamentally alter the MAGA base’s distrust, suggesting the bump relied on conflict rather than reconciliation. This aligns with industry data from elsewhere—like Axios reporting a 44% traffic drop for conservative outlets like Newsmax after Trump left office in 2021—indicating the bump was tied to his active presence.

Here are the key figures From The Wrap this week:

• Fox News in February averaged 3.1 million prime time viewers — a February record for the channel and 7% more viewers than Fox averaged during February 2017. Its January ratings — 2.8 million prime time viewers on average — were even with the same month back in 2017.
•  MSNBC, after seeing its average prime time viewership drop to 539,000 in December, saw its ratings jump 36% in January and 109% in February. The channel averaged 1.13 million prime time viewers last month. One factor: Having Rachel Maddow back in the anchor chair five nights a week through the start of the new administration. But that’s after the primetime audience fell a shocking 55% from Nov. 4 through Dec. 15.
• CNN has followed a similar path to MSNBC, although its rebound has not been quite as strong. The oldest cable news network averaged 337,000 prime time viewers in December, after viewers ditched the channel and MSNBC following Trump’s victory, with a massive 46.7% drop in viewers. CNN has since seen its ratings jump 64% from December, with the channel averaging 553,000 prime time viewers in February.

In essence, The Wrap’s analyses portray the Trump Media Bump as a period of heightened engagement driven by Trump’s ability to dominate news cycles through controversy, direct communication (e.g., via X-Twitter), and a fractured media landscape eager to respond.

Diddy Attorneys Claim CNN Altered Abusive Video

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers in his federal case are claiming that the bombshell CNN video that showed the rap mogul allegedly abusing his ex-girlfriend and singer, Cassie Ventura, on March 5, 2016, was altered and the original footage was destroyed.

According to PEOPLE, the surveillance video — released by CNN on May 17, 2024 — Ventura, now 38, exited a hotel room at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles and walked toward a bank of elevators as Combs, now 55, chased after her wearing a white towel around his waist and socks. When he reached her, Combs grabbed her by the neck and tossed her to the floor. Combs then turned to violently kick her as he grabbed her purse and suitcase.

As Ventura lay motionless, Combs kicked her again and briefly dragged her toward the direction of the room before letting go and walking away. Seconds later, he sat down at a chair, grabbed an object off a table and forcefully threw it toward her.

Combs is then seen walking away and turning toward Ventura again when an elevator door opens and someone appears to exit. The video shows Combs grabbing, shoving and kicking Ventura during an altercation that matched allegations she made in a now-settled lawsuit filed in November 2023.

According to new documents filed by Diddy’s lawyers claim CNN destroyed the only known copy of the 2016 video in which Diddy is seen beating Cassie in the hallway of an L.A. hotel.

"CNN purchased the only known copy of the Hotel's surveillance footage, uploaded that footage into… pic.twitter.com/lq7lRXLfGm

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) March 13, 2025

“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs. Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light," Ventura's attorney Douglas H. Wigdor said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE in 2024.

Last year, Combs released an apology video addressing the incident. "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video," he said on May 19, 2024. "Disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it, I'm disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help, going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I'm so sorry, but I'm committed to be a better man. Each and every day," Combs continued. He had previously denied Ventura’s allegations of assault.

Jay-Z Accuser: My Attorney Made Me Do It

Jay-Z and Diddy Combs

Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, has filed a defamation lawsuit against an anonymous woman, referred to as Jane Doe, and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, following the dismissal of a rape lawsuit she had brought against him and Sean "Diddy" Combs. 

The original lawsuit, filed in October 2024 and amended in December 2024, alleged that Jay-Z and Combs raped the woman when she was 13 years old at an afterparty following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. However, on February 14, 2025, Jane Doe voluntarily dismissed her case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.

In response, Jay-Z initiated a defamation lawsuit this month, in a federal court in Alabama, claiming that Jane Doe admitted to his representatives that her accusations were false. According to the suit, she allegedly told Jay-Z’s private investigators that Buzbee pressured her into pursuing the claims despite her admitting that Jay-Z did not assault her. 

Jay-Z’s legal action also names Buzbee and another attorney, David Fortney, as co-defendants, accusing them of orchestrating a scheme involving "malicious prosecution, abuse of process, civil conspiracy, and defamation" to extort money and damage his reputation.

Jay-Z alleges significant personal and professional harm from the initial accusations, including a reported $20 million annual loss in business contracts for his company, Roc Nation, and emotional distress to his family, particularly his children.

Veteran WaPo Columnist Walks

Marcus and Bezos

Ruth Marcus, a veteran journalist who spent over four decades at The Washington Post, has resigned from her position as a columnist and associate editor. Her departure was a direct response to the paper’s publisher and CEO, Will Lewis, refusing to publish a column she wrote that criticized owner Jeff Bezos’ new editorial direction for the Post’s opinion section. 

Marcus’ exit is the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the newspaper amid ongoing turmoil over its editorial policies and ownership decisions. She joined The Washington Post in 1984, shortly after graduating from Harvard Law School. Over her 40-year tenure, she held various roles, including reporter, deputy national editor, editorial writer, and deputy editorial page editor, before becoming a columnist in 2006. Known for her liberal-leaning commentary, she covered topics ranging from campaign finance and the Supreme Court to broader political issues. In 2007, she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, underscoring her prominence in the field.

The catalyst for Marcus’ resignation was Bezos’ announcement in late February 2025 that the Post’s opinion section would shift its focus to exclusively support “personal liberties and free markets,” effectively barring viewpoints that contradicted these principles. Marcus wrote a column—described by her as “respectfully dissenting”—expressing concern that this mandate undermined the independence of the paper’s opinion writers and eroded reader trust. She argued that columnists should be free to write what they believe, not what the owner deems acceptable.

Will Lewis, the Post’s CEO and publisher, rejected the column, a decision Marcus said was unprecedented in her nearly two decades of column-writing.  Two days after resigning Marcus published the spiked column in full, along with a reflective essay, in The New Yorker. In the essay, titled “Why I Left the Washington Post,” she described her blocked piece as “meek to the point of embarrassing” and emphasized that its rejection signaled a troubling shift at the paper. She expressed fear that readers could no longer trust that Post columnists were offering independent judgments, a cornerstone of journalistic credibility.

Radio Hall Nominations Deadline Approaching

The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces that the RADIO HALL OF FAME Nominating Committee will accept suggestions for 2025 nominees through Monday, March 31, 2025, at 11:59pm PST. 

To submit suggestions for possible honorees for consideration by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, please visit www.radiohalloffame.com.

24 names will be selected as nominees to be voted upon by industry personnel later this year, leading to the selection of the 2025 Radio Hall of Fame Induction Class. The 2025 Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in Chicago on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.

R.I.P.: John Feinstein, Sports Commentator, Best-Selling Author

John Feinstein (1956-2025)

John Feinstein, a renowned sports commentator and best-selling author, passed away on Thursday, at the age of 69. His death occurred at his brother Robert Feinstein’s home in McLean, Virginia. Robert confirmed the passing to The Washington Post, where John had a long and distinguished career, but noted that the cause of death was not immediately clear, with some speculation suggesting it may have been a heart attack.

Feinstein was an iconic figure in sports journalism, known for his deep sourcing and compelling storytelling. 

He began his career at The Washington Post in 1977 as a night police reporter before transitioning to the sports beat, where he made his mark covering a wide range of sports, though he was particularly celebrated for his work on college basketball. His most famous work, A Season on the Brink (1986), chronicled a year with Indiana University’s basketball team under the volatile coach Bob Knight. The book, which offered unprecedented access and unflinching insight, became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller for 17 weeks and is widely regarded as a seminal sports book. It was later adapted into a TV movie starring Brian Dennehy.

Feinstein’s career was prolific: he authored over 40 books, including other bestsellers like A Good Walk Spoiled (1995) about the PGA Tour, and wrote on topics ranging from baseball, football, and tennis to golf and the Olympics. He also penned sports-mystery novels for young readers. Beyond writing, he was a familiar voice on NPR, ESPN, the Golf Channel, and SiriusXM, where he hosted radio programs. His final column for The Washington Post, filed the day before his death on March 12, 2025, and published Thursday morning, focused on Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, reflecting his tireless work ethic even in his last days.

Tributes from colleagues and fans highlighted his passion, wit, and influence. Marquette coach Shaka Smart, upon learning of his death during a post-game interview, called him "one of the best sports writers ever," noting his care for the teams, players, and coaches he covered.

Radio History: March 14

➦In 1912...Lester Raymond Brown born (Died at age 88 – January 4, 2001).  He was a jazz musician who led the big band Les Brown and His Band of Renown for nearly seven decades from 1938 to 2000.  Brown is probably best known for his 50 year association with Bob Hope, on radio, TV & personal appearances.  Also was musical director for Dean Martin for 10 years on TV.

➦In 1922...KSD-AM (now KTRS-AM) signed-on in St. Louis.

KSD Transmitter 1922

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch launched KSD in 1922, the first St. Louis station to obtain a broadcast license from the Department of Commerce, though WIL claims earlier operation as an amateur station.

Transmitter Building 1922

According to  route56.com, first as KSD, and now as KTRS, the station has been on 550 kHz since 1923, which probably gives it the longest record of occupancy on any one frequency of any United States radio station. With its 5000-watt signal and low frequency, KTRS actually has better daytime and nighttime coverage than 50,000-watt clear-channel station KMOX in much of Missouri.

Despite that great coverage, the Post-Dispatch let KSD slip in the 1970s and, on March 19, 1984, it even lost its historic call letters under Gannett ownership. After a short-lived all-news format, on which Gannett pulled the plug just as KSD was beginning to build an audience, KSD went to country and adopted the call letters KUSA. The call letters were restored by EZ Communications when it bought KSD-AM/FM in 1993.

The call letters were switched back to KSD on October 4, 1993.

Newspaper Ad 1936

Unfortunately, the station lost the call letters again when it was sold to the Dorsey Media Group of St. Louis. EZ's successor, American Radio Systems, retained the KSD call letters for use on KSD-FM.

KTRS is  owned by CH Radio Holdings. Actor John Goodman is a part owner of the station.

➦In 1937...The radio "Battle of the Century" started when comedians Fred Allen & Jack Benny locked horns in the ballroom of the Hotel Pierre, exchanging torrid insults that were heard by the second largest audience in the history of radio. The “feud”, incidentally, lasted for the next 12 years.

➦In 1950...Rigdon Osmond Dees III (born March 14, 1950), best known as Rick Dees, is a radio personality, comedian, actor, and voice artist, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown and for the 1976 novelty song "Disco Duck".

FCC Chairman Launches ‘Massive’ Deregulation Initiative

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has taken significant steps toward deregulating the radio industry, aligning with broader efforts to reduce regulatory burdens across various sectors. 

Carr has announced the launch of a sweeping deregulatory initiative at the FCC, signaling a potential shift in how radio broadcasting is governed in the United States. This initiative, formally docketed as “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete” (GN Docket No. 25-133), invites public comment on every rule, regulation, or guidance document that the FCC could eliminate to alleviate what Carr and his supporters describe as unnecessary regulatory constraints.

Carr’s push for deregulation is framed as a response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders, specifically Executive Order 14192 (“Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation”) and Executive Order 14219 (“Ensuring Lawful Governance And Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative”). These orders, enacted during Trump’s second term, emphasize reducing federal oversight to foster economic growth and innovation. 

Carr has stated that this initiative will “assist the FCC in carrying out the policies that President Trump included in certain Executive Orders,” aiming to eliminate outdated or overly restrictive regulations that he believes hinder broadcasters, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

For the radio industry specifically, Carr’s deregulatory stance could mean revisiting longstanding rules, such as those governing media ownership limits, which restrict how many stations a single entity can own in a given market. Carr this week expressed concern about the underinvestment in local radio and television stations interview that deregulation could allow broadcasters to “get to scale” and reinvest in local journalism. 

He remarked, “We need to let some of these broadcasters get to scale so they can hire local reporters ... people love their local TV stations, and radio too, but there’s a lot of distrust in media overall.” This indicates his belief that loosening ownership restrictions might enable larger companies to consolidate resources, potentially strengthening local stations’ ability to compete with digital media platforms like streaming services and podcasts.

Carr’s approach builds on his established reputation as a proponent of deregulation. Since joining the FCC as a commissioner in 2017 and becoming chairman in January 2025, he has consistently advocated for reducing bureaucratic red tape, a stance he detailed in his contribution to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy blueprint. His chapter on the FCC emphasized creating a “market-friendly regulatory environment” to encourage innovation and competition, a philosophy now being applied to this new initiative. 

For radio, this could translate to fewer restrictions on market consolidation, potentially allowing companies to own more AM and FM stations in local markets, which Carr has argued could help struggling AM stations survive by sharing resources with stronger FM counterparts.

WMG, Bain Capital Talking Partnership To Buy Music Catalogs

Warner Music Group (WMG) and Bain Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm, are reportedly in advanced discussions to establish a $1 billion joint venture aimed at acquiring music catalogs. 

This partnership, driven by an equity investment from Bain, would allow WMG to pursue larger catalog purchases while minimizing its own capital outlay, leveraging Bain’s financial backing to compete in a highly competitive market. 

The talks reflect a broader trend in the music industry where rising interest rates and fierce competition for valuable music rights—such as those of iconic acts like the Red Hot Chili Peppers—have pushed major companies to team up with outside investors. This strategy helps bolster their bids and address shareholder concerns over the high costs of prized catalogs.

The joint venture comes in the wake of significant catalog sales, like Sony Music’s $1.27 billion acquisition of Queen’s catalog in 2024, highlighting the booming market for music rights. WMG, one of the "big three" global record labels alongside Universal and Sony, has prior experience with such investments, having been an early backer of catalog-focused entities like Tempo Music Group and Influence Media. Its recent $450 million acquisition of Tempo Music on February 6, 2025, which included songs by artists like Wiz Khalifa and Florida Georgia Line, underscores its aggressive pursuit of music assets. Bain Capital, a long-time player in the music space, was part of the investor group that bought WMG for $2.6 billion in 2004, marking a historical tie between the two.

The deal is being shaped by WMG’s head of corporate and business development, Michael Ryan-Southern, who joined from Goldman Sachs in 2024 and has a track record of structuring music industry transactions.

S-F Radio: Morning Host Brian Murphy Gets KNBR Extension

Brian Murphy, a veteran sports radio personality and co-host of the morning show on KNBR in San Francisco, has secured a four-year contract extension with the station, ensuring his presence on the airwaves through spring 2029.

This announcement was made Wednesday by KNBR program director Mike Hohler during the "Murph and Markus" broadcast, marks a significant moment for both Murphy and the station, particularly amidst a backdrop of recent challenges in the sports radio industry and at KNBR itself.

Murphy, a Bay Area native from Mill Valley, has been a fixture at KNBR since joining the station in 2004. Initially paired with Tim Liotta, he later co-hosted the highly popular "Murph and Mac" show with Paul "Paulie Mac" McCaffrey from 2005 until November 2023, forming an 18-year partnership that became a cornerstone of Bay Area sports talk radio. Following McCaffrey’s abrupt layoff in late 2023—a move attributed to budget cuts by KNBR’s parent company, Cumulus Media—Murphy transitioned to co-hosting with Markus Boucher, a former producer who had been part of the morning show team for nearly four years. 

This new pairing, now known as "Murph and Markus," airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on KNBR 680 AM and 104.5 FM, continuing to deliver sports commentary, humor, and local flavor to listeners.

NYC Radio: Veteran Programmer Jim Ryan Exits Audacy

Jim Ryan, the Senior Vice President of Programming at Audacy and the daily programmer of the popular Hot Adult Contemporary (Hot AC) station WNEW-FM (The New 102.7) in New York, has recently announced his impending departure from the company. 

Jim Ryan

Ryan, who has been a significant figure in the radio industry for many years, will be leaving his position effective April 2025, as he shifts his focus to his consultancy business, Jim Ryan Media LLC. This move comes as he celebrates an impressive milestone—his 15th anniversary with Audacy—a testament to his long and impactful tenure with the company.

Originally, Ryan had intended to step away from Audacy in December 2024. However, a pivotal change in the industry prompted him to reconsider his timeline. The introduction of Nielsen's new three-minute qualifier rule—a metric adjustment that affects how radio audience engagement is measured—convinced him to extend his stay through an additional quarter. 

This decision proved to be a wise one, as it allowed him to witness and contribute to a significant achievement for WNEW-FM. In January 2025, the station outperformed its rival, WLTW, in the coveted demographic of women aged 25-54 during prime time—a key target audience for both stations. This victory was particularly meaningful given WLTW's (Lite-FM) historical dominance in this category.

Reflecting on this success, Ryan shared his enthusiasm: "I'm so happy I stayed, as we've already seen WNEW beat WLTW with 25-54 women in prime in January, and when you can beat Lite-FM with their core target, it's a moment to savor. It’s a rare and rewarding accomplishment in this competitive market." His pride in this milestone underscores the strategic and creative leadership he brought to WNEW during his time at Audacy.

Charges Dismissed Against Fox News in Assault Case

A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, ruled in favor of Fox News’ motion for summary judgment, dismissing Jennifer Eckhart’s 2020 lawsuit against the network. 

Eckhart, a former associate producer at Fox News, had accused the cable news outlet of fostering an unsafe work environment and failing to prevent sexual misconduct by former anchor Ed Henry. Her claims included allegations of sexual assault, sex trafficking, harassment, retaliation, and violations of New York’s revenge-porn laws, stemming from incidents she alleged occurred during her tenure at the network.

The lawsuit, originally filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, centered on Eckhart’s assertion that Ed Henry had groomed, manipulated, and coerced her into a sexual relationship, culminating in two alleged assaults—one in 2017, which she described as a violent rape in a hotel room frequently used by Fox News for visiting employees, and another later incident. 

Eckhart claimed that Fox News was liable because its management should have been aware of Henry’s behavior and failed to protect her. She also alleged that the network retaliated by terminating her in June 2020 after she raised complaints, and that Henry shared explicit photos of her, constituting revenge porn.

Judge Abrams’ ruling hinged on the lack of direct evidence that Fox News knew about Henry’s alleged harassment of Eckhart prior to the incidents. The judge noted that Eckhart herself acknowledged she did not report her relationship with Henry or the alleged assaults to anyone at the company until after her termination in mid-2020. 

As a result, all claims against Fox News—including sexual assault, sex trafficking, harassment, retaliation, and revenge porn—were dismissed.

Edison Research: Radio Reaches Two-Thirds Of America

Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study is the authoritative examination of time spent with audio in America. Edison surveys 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily reach and time spent with all forms of audio. This analysis focuses on what advertisers care about – ad-supported audio.

From the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group® analysis report of Edison Research’s “Share of Ear,” here are five key findings from the Q4 2024 “Share of Ear” study:

• In a typical day, ad-supported digital audio reaches less than a third of America; AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America; Combined, ad-supported digital audio and AM/FM radio reach 74% of the U.S. daily
• Between ad-supported Spotify and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio
• Between ad-supported Pandora and AM/FM radio, most people only listen to AM/FM radio
• The U.S. ad-supported audio clock: Podcasts and AM/FM radio represent nearly 90% of tuning minutes
• With a towering in-car share of 86%, AM/FM radio is the primary way to reach consumers on the path to purchase; The proportion of AM/FM radio in-car listening has surged, returning to pre-pandemic norms

In a typical day, digital audio reaches a third of Americans; AM/FM radio reaches two-thirds of America

A media plan of music streaming and podcasts will miss two-thirds of Americans. As the visual reveals below, the net reach of ad-supported Spotify, Pandora, and podcasts combined reaches less than one-third of the U.S. (29%). Versus, digital audio, AM/FM radio reach is double (61%).

The addition of AM/FM radio to digital audio causes reach to soar to 74% of the U.S.

The graph below reveals the daily net reach accumulation of ad-supported audio platforms. Ad-supported Spotify reaches just 6% of the U.S. each day. Combined, ad-supported Spotify and ad-supported Pandora reach only 12% of the U.S.

The addition of podcast audiences grows daily reach to 29%. The addition of AM/FM radio grows daily reach to a stunning 74%. An audio media plan can achieve true scale with the inclusion of AM/FM radio.

Spotify's New Revenue Data Shows Streaming Success

In its 2024 Loud & Clear report, released Wednesday, Spotify highlighted significant growth in artist earnings and diversity, emphasizing that more artists made more money in a broader range of languages throughout the year. 

According to the report, the number of artists earning substantial royalties from the platform continued to rise, with notable increases across various income brackets. Specifically, the number of artists making at least $10,000 grew by nearly 8% to 71,200, while those earning at least $100,000 increased by a similar percentage to 12,500. Even more striking, the number of artists generating $1 million or more in royalties—around 1,500—remained robust, with 80% of them not having a single track in Spotify’s Global Daily Top 50. This suggests that success on the platform isn’t limited to chart-topping superstars but extends to a wider, more diverse group of musicians.

A key point from the report is the global reach of these earnings. Spotify noted that artists from a variety of linguistic backgrounds are thriving, with eight languages—English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Korean, and Italian—each generating songs that earned $100 million annually in royalties on the platform. 

This marks a shift from a decade ago when English and Spanish dominated the high-earning landscape, reflecting a growing appetite for music in diverse languages among Spotify’s hundreds of millions of listeners worldwide. 

Additionally, more than half of the $1 million earners started their careers after 2010, and the majority of artists generating significant revenue see most of their royalties coming from outside their home markets, underscoring the platform’s role in connecting artists to a global audience.

Spotify also tackled a common critique in the report: the focus on per-stream payout rates as a measure of artist compensation. Sam Duboff, Spotify’s global head of marketing and policy for the music business, called this a “misconception,” arguing that it oversimplifies how artists are paid. Unlike a fixed per-stream rate, Spotify uses a “streamshare” model, where its total revenue from subscriptions and ads (after taking its 30% cut) is pooled and distributed to rights holders based on their proportion of total streams. 

WaPo CCO Stepping Down

Kathy Baird, the Chief Communications Officer of The Washington Post, informed her colleagues via email, that she will resign from her position effective March 31, 2025. Her departure marks another high-profile exit amid a period of significant upheaval at the newspaper. Baird did not provide a specific reason for her resignation in the announcement.

Baird joined The Washington Post in November 2022, coming from Nike, where she served as Senior Director of Global Communications. With over 25 years of experience in marketing and communications across Fortune 500 companies, she was tasked with overseeing corporate communications, public relations, brand marketing, live events, and community impact initiatives, including the Washington Post Live journalism platform. 

She reported directly to Publisher and CEO Will Lewis following a restructuring in April 2024, after initially reporting to Fred Ryan. Her tenure included notable efforts such as leading internal and external communications strategies, spearheading talent management initiatives to elevate the profiles of The Post’s journalists, and advancing the paper’s Press Freedom Partnership.

Her resignation follows a turbulent period for The Washington Post, which has seen layoffs, leadership changes, and a strategic shift under Lewis.

While no explicit reason for her departure was given, the timing—19 days from her announcement—and the lack of a stated next step suggest it may be tied to the broader instability at The Washington Post. Her exit leaves the paper’s communications strategy in flux