R.I.P.: Herm Reavis, Legendary Roanoke Radio Personality

Herm Reavis (1933-2025)

Herm Reavis, a pioneering figure in Roanoke, Virginia’s broadcasting history, passed away on June 25, 2025, at the age of 92. 

A Galax, Virginia native, Reavis began his radio career in the early 1940s at WBOB, later joining WRIS-AM in Roanoke in 1953, where he hosted the popular show Squirm with Herm. His engaging style helped bring country and rock ‘n’ roll to local audiences as these genres surged in popularity.

By the late 1960s, Reavis transitioned to WSLS-FM (now WSLC), serving as sales manager and later general manager. He played a key role in promoting the first Salem Rodeo in 1969, notably collaborating with country music icon Loretta Lynn, whose performances he fondly recalled for their authenticity and community impact. Reavis also gave a young Wayne Newton his start in the early 1950s, hosting the Newton brothers on his WRIS morning show, a moment he later reflected on as the launch of a legendary career.

Known for his warmth and innovation, Reavis was celebrated as a “gentleman and scholar” and a “giant” in Roanoke’s radio culture, which dominated the region’s airwaves in its heyday. 

His career, spanning from 1946 across stations like WBOB, WRIS, WSLS, WSLC, and Mel Wheeler Inc., left an indelible mark on Virginia’s broadcasting landscape.

Reavis is survived by his wife, Sue, and their family.

R.I.P.: Bill Moyers, Legendary Public Affairs Broadcaster

Bill Moyers, former White House press secretary under President Lyndon B. Johnson and a pioneering broadcast journalist, died on June 26, 2025, at a Manhattan hospital. He was 91. His son, William Cope Moyers, cited complications from prostate cancer as the cause.

Raised in Texas, Moyers began his career in 1954 as a summer intern in Johnson’s U.S. Senate office, quickly rising to handle the senator’s personal correspondence. By 1960, he served as a key liaison between Johnson’s vice-presidential campaign and John F. Kennedy’s team. After Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Moyers, then under 30, became a trusted aide to President Johnson, shaping Great Society initiatives but growing disillusioned with the Vietnam War’s escalation. He left the White House in 1967, reportedly estranged from Johnson.

Moyers then became publisher of Newsday, steering the Long Island newspaper toward progressive causes and earning two Pulitzer Prizes, though conflicts with its conservative owner ended his tenure in 1970. 

Transitioning to television, he joined PBS in 1971, later working at CBS from 1976 to 1986, and earned over 30 Emmy Awards, including a lifetime achievement honor, for his thought-provoking journalism.

His 40-year broadcasting career brought both timely and timeless ideas to audiences, cementing his legacy as a public television icon.

Radio History: June 27

➦In 1907...John McIntire was born in Spokane.

John McIntire - 1941

He was best known for replacing Ward Bond, upon Bond’s sudden death, as the star of NBC-TV’s western Wagon Train from early 1961 to the series’ end in 1965. He also replaced Charles Bickford, upon Bickford’s death in 1967, as ranch owner Clay Grainger on NBC-TV’s The Virginian for four seasons.  A graduate of USC, McIntire began acting in radio in the early 30’s on the syndicated Tarzan and the Diamond of Asher, where he met his future wife, Jeanette Nolan. McIntire worked on countless Suspense CBS radio programs from the early 1940s, as well as scores of other shows. He was a key announce voice on the CBS program The March of Time.

He died on January 30, 1991 from emphysema and lung cancer, at age 83.

➦In 1949…Gene Autry recorded "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." His recording of the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart the week of Christmas 1949. It sold 2.5 million copies the first year, eventually selling a total of 25 million, and it remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s

Gene Autry

➦In 1984....The FCC effectively deregulated U.S. commercial TV by removing most programming requirements and ending any necessity for a station to adhere to a minimum amount of news and local programming.

➦In 1995...Former WMMS engineer William Alford wass sentenced to 10 days & $1,000 fine for cutting an audio feed of Howard Stern's broadcast on WNCX  from Cleveland.

Stern had arrived on the Cleveland airwaves less than two years earlier, and in that time took his syndicated program on rival WNCX from an Arbitron ranking of thirteen to number one.  As promised, Stern held a party for his fans on the streets of Cleveland – a "Funeral" for his local rivals, much like similar events held in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia – and broadcast it nationwide.

During the now infamous broadcast, WMMS engineer William Alford snipped a broadcast wire used for the Stern show's satellite feed.  Stern continued on with the program over a phone line as engineers worked to quickly patch together the severed broadcast wire.

Alford was subsequently caught, arrested and later sentenced to ten days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Station management initially claimed that Alford acted alone, however WMMS Promotions Director Heidi Klosterman – working under the name Heidi Kramer – later pled guilty to a felony charge of attempted disruption of a public service and a misdemeanor of receiving stolen property; Greg Smith, a former Klosterman colleague, pled guilty to a misdemeanor of breaking and entering.

➦In 2005...WRAL 101.5 FM became the first commercial station in North Carolina and only the second commercial station in the nation (after WUSN in Chicago) was the first to utilize the "multicasting" capabilities of HD Radio technology to broadcast multiple digital channels

➦In 2017...Pandora Media’s co-founder and chief executive, Tim Westergren, announced he was stepping down at CEO of the internet music service.

Mediator Suggests Settlement Between Trump, Paramount

A mediator has proposed a $20 million settlement for President Trump’s lawsuit against Paramount Global over a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, sources have told The Wall Street Journal. 

The deal includes a $17 million donation to Trump’s presidential foundation or museum, plus legal fees and public service announcements on Paramount networks to combat antisemitism.

Trump’s team has pushed for an apology, which Paramount refuses to offer. It’s unclear if an apology remains a demand. Settlement talks are ongoing, and no agreement is guaranteed.

Paramount, owner of CBS News, entered mediation this spring but hit a deadlock. The company offered $15 million, while Trump sought over $25 million, per prior Wall Street Journal reports. Trump’s October lawsuit claimed CBS edited Harris’ interview to make her appear more favorable, alleging election interference and seeking $20 billion in damages. CBS maintains it aired a concise version of her response, not a doctored one.

Paramount has grappled with settling without exposing executives to future shareholder lawsuits or criminal charges for bribing a public official. The company recently hired Gibson Dunn to evaluate offering more than $15 million while minimizing risks. A $20 million settlement aligns with payments from other companies, like Disney’s $16 million ($15 million donation, $1 million legal fees) for an ABC News defamation suit, Meta’s $25 million for a 2021 account suspension case, and X’s $10 million for a similar lawsuit.

The CBS suit has loomed over Paramount’s planned Skydance Media merger, frustrating some CBS News staff. CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, who opposed apologizing to Trump, announced her departure last month, the second major exit from the news division. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is investigating CBS’ handling of the interview edit, citing a third-party complaint about news distortion.

This could impact the merger, as CBS’ broadcast licenses are under FCC review. Carr has demanded and received the full transcript and raw footage.

TV Ratings: Fox News, CNN See Primetime Gains

Fox News and CNN saw primetime viewership gains during the week of June 16, driven by U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, marking a second week of major news. Fox News led with Saturday’s breaking coverage, averaging 4.938 million viewers from 8-11 p.m. ET, surpassing broadcast networks.

Network Rankings (Nielsen Live Plus Same-Day Data):

Fox News: 

• Primetime: 3.430M total viewers (+9% vs. prior week), 474K A25-54 (+17%). 
• Ranked #1 in total viewers, #1 in demo (up from #2).
• Total Day: 2.001M total viewers (+4%), 268K A25-54 (+4%). #1 in both metrics.
• Dominated with 14 of 15 top cable news shows; The Five led with 3.867M viewers at 5 p.m. ET and 450K demo viewers, reclaiming #1 in demo from Jesse Watters Primetime.

MSNBC: 

• Primetime: 1.078M total viewers (-3%), 117K A25-54 (+2%). #2 in total viewers, #7 in demo (up one spot).
• Total Day: 637K total viewers (-9%), 67K A25-54 (-3%). #2 in total viewers, #7 in demo.
• The Rachel Maddow Show (Monday, 9 p.m. ET) ranked #13 with 2.065M viewers, #14 in demo with 202K.

CNN:

• Primetime: 831K total viewers (+7%), 208K A25-54 (+25%). #4 in total viewers (up from #5), #3 in demo (up three spots).
• Total Day: 536K total viewers (-4%), 112K A25-54 (+1%). #3 in both metrics.

Fox News’ Saturday coverage and consistent gains solidified its lead. CNN’s demo growth was notable, while MSNBC saw slight declines in total viewers but held steady in rankings.

TV Ratings: Revamped CBS Evening News Ratings Challenged

CBS Evening News continues to struggle post-Norah O’Donnell, who departed in January 2025 after anchoring from 2019. 

Ratings for the week of June 16, per Nielsen data cited by AdWeek, show the revamped program, now hosted by John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois, drew 3.981 million total viewers and 526,000 in the Adults 25-54 demo. This reflects a -4% drop in total viewers and demo from the prior week, and a steeper -8% in total viewers and -15% in demo year-over-year.

Under CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon, the show adopted a 60 Minutes-style magazine format, focusing on in-depth segments rather than headline rundowns. The changes follow O’Donnell’s tenure, during which the program consistently ranked third behind NBC and ABC.

For the same week, NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas had 5.678 million total viewers and 820,000 in the demo, flat in total viewers but down -3% in demo week-over-week, and down -1% in total viewers but up +11% in demo year-over-year. ABC World News Tonight led with 7.448 million total viewers and 1.038 million in the demo, up +3% and +4% respectively from the prior week, and +4% in total viewers and +9% in demo compared to 2024.

San Antonio Radio: KTSA Bringing Back The Joe Pags Show

The Joe Pags Show, hosted by Joe Pagliarulo, returns to the San Antonio market on  Tuesday,  July 1, 2025, with Alpha Media’s 550 KTSA/107.1 K296GK as its new flagship station.

The move follows Pagliarulo’s exit from iHeartMedia’s 1200 WOAI in November 2024. 

The conservative talk show, syndicated by Compass Media Networks, airs weekdays from 5-8 p.m. Central, covering politics, pop culture, and everyday issues with a focus on logic and common sense.

Pagliarulo, a San Antonio radio staple for nearly two decades, expressed excitement about the move, stating, “I am thrilled to call KTSA the new flagship for the Joe Pags Show. I’ve been based in San Antonio for 20 years and have always been a fan of the amazing hosts on KTSA.” 

Lance Hawkins, SVP/Market President of Alpha Media, praised Pagliarulo’s authenticity and Texas roots, noting the show’s alignment with KTSA’s live and local mission.

The addition of The Joe Pags Show prompted KTSA to adjust its lineup: Trey Ware and Sean Rima now host 6-10 a.m., Jack Riccardi shifts to 10-11 a.m. and 3-5 p.m., Markley, van Camp, and Robbins remain 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Dave Ramsey airs 1-3 p.m., and Lars Larson runs 8-10 p.m. 

The show, heard on over 170 stations nationwide, continues to stream on joepags.com and maintains a strong social media presence, with Pagliarulo boasting over 675,000 TikTok followers and 400,000 on Instagram.

Pew: Few Americans Pay For News

A Pew Research Center study published on June 24, 2025, found that few Americans pay for news when encountering paywalls, despite their prevalence in online news.

Conducted in March 2025, the survey revealed that 83% of U.S. adults had not paid for news in the past year, primarily because they can access plenty of free news alternatives. 

Meanwhile, 74% of Americans encounter paywalls at least occasionally when seeking news online, with 38% facing them often or extremely often.

Among those who encounter paywalled articles, only 1% typically pay for access, while 53% seek the information elsewhere, and 32% abandon the search entirely. 

The study also noted demographic differences: 20% of White Americans have paid for news, compared to 11% of Black Americans and 10% of Hispanic Americans. 

This reluctance to pay contributes to challenges for news organizations, as newspaper revenue has declined sharply, from over $49 billion in 2005 to under $10 billion in 2020, pushing reliance on subscriptions that most Americans avoid.

BBC Puts Up Paywall For U-S

BBC Studios and BBC News have introduced a paywall for BBC.com in the U.S., marking the “first phase” of a subscription model. U.S. users can pay $8.99 monthly or $49.99 annually for unlimited access to news articles, feature stories, and a 24/7 BBC News channel livestream. 

Non-paying users retain access to select global breaking news, BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service radio livestreams, language sites, and free newsletters and podcasts. Future updates will include ad-free documentaries, films, early-release podcasts, and exclusive content, based on audience feedback.

U.K. users face no changes, with all BBC.com content available through existing channels. The BBC has no plans to extend the paywall beyond North America. This aligns with U.S. media trends, as outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and CNN (with a $3.99/month paywall) also charge for access.

Edison Research: Audio Helps Gen Z Feel Connected

Americans ages 13-24 spend four hours and 10 minutes with audio per day and reap a multitude of benefits from their listening, according to the new Gen Z Audio Report from Edison Research and SiriusXM Media.

The Gen Z Audio Report includes a new online survey of more than 2,000 listeners ages 13-24 and reveals not only how Gen Z discovers new content and what they consume, but how audio enhances their lives. Findings from the report were presented in a webinar today by Edison Research Manager of Research Salma Aly, and SiriusXM Media Sales Marketing Manager Brianna Oates.

Key Findings from The Gen Z Audio Report among those ages 13-24:

Audio Habits

• They spend 42% of their average audio day with streaming music, 20% with music and music videos on YouTube, 16% with AM/FM radio and radio streams, 8% with podcasts, and 14% with other audio sources
• 63% have listened to or watched a podcast in the last month, an estimated 35 million people
• The top three podcast genres listened to by Gen Z are comedy, music, and entertainment
• The top three music genres listened to by Gen Z are hip-hop/rap, pop, and R&B
• Audio facilitates better moods, joy, coping86% of Gen Z listen to music or consume podcasts ​to help boost their mood
• 69% agree that audio has brought joy to their lives; 57% agree that audio inspires them
• 63% agree that audio has helped them cope during difficult times; 61% agree that audio has helped them with their mental health

Social Media as a Primary News Source: Over half of 18–24-year-olds now rely on social media and video networks for news, surpassing traditional TV (50%) and news websites/apps, marking a significant shift in how Gen Z stays informed. Platforms like TikTok (used by 43% for news) and Instagram are central to their media ecosystem

Mobile-First Engagement: Gen Z is glued to their phones, with 75% spending over five hours daily on mobile devices. They prioritize mobile-optimized content for entertainment, shopping, and social networking. YouTube (93% penetration), Instagram (76%), and TikTok (59%) dominate, with TikTok leading for product discovery and Instagram for customer care.

Audio Discovery

• The top three ways Gen Z discovers music: 30% discover music most often through social media; 19% most often through friends and family, and 18% most often through recommendations or curated stations from online-only audio services
• The top three ways Gen Z discovers podcasts: 28% discover podcasts most often through searching on YouTube, 26% most often through social media posts, and 19% most often through friends or family

Brands and Ads

• 42% of Gen Z say that they are much more likely to pay attention to an advertisement if it is ​honest and transparent. Brands not taking this approach risk being ‘cringy’ among this group
• 49% are much more likely to pay attention to an ad if it contains music they like
• 49% are much more likely to pay attention to an ad if it makes them laugh

➤Dig Deeper: View The Webinar HERE

As Streaming Takes A Toll, C-SPAN Needs Help

C-SPAN, the nonprofit known for decades of live, unfiltered congressional coverage, is grappling with the same pressures hitting the broader TV industry. As viewers ditch cable and satellite subscriptions for streaming platforms, C-SPAN’s primary funding—fees from pay TV operators—has taken a hit. The network, which enjoys rare bipartisan support and even a fan in President Trump, faces an uncertain future.

“It’s not a sustainable situation,” said C-SPAN CEO Sam Feist told The LA Times.

C-SPAN, or Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, relies on cable and satellite providers, whose customer base is shrinking as streaming now accounts for half of TV viewing, per Nielsen data. 

From 100 million pay TV households in 2015, C-SPAN’s reach has dropped to 51 million. Revenue fell 37% from $73 million in 2015 to $46.3 million in 2024, leaving the network in a deficit.

Unlike flashy cable news, C-SPAN operates modestly, without high-paid anchors or sleek studios. Its funding supports over 30 camera crews covering Congress, think tanks, town halls, and other political events nationwide. C-SPAN’s independent cameras in the Capitol capture moments even when official feeds are cut off.

Feist sees a lifeline in virtual pay TV services like YouTube TV and Hulu Live TV, which serve 20 million households. But these platforms face pressure to keep costs low, and adding C-SPAN’s feeds could raise subscription prices—a tough sell. Talks with Hulu and YouTube are ongoing, with YouTube noting that much of C-SPAN’s content is already free on its main platform, generating ad revenue for the network.

Launched in 1979, C-SPAN helped cable providers gain favor with local governments by showcasing democracy in action. It became a trusted brand, funded entirely by pay TV operators. But newer streaming services, catering to cord-cutters, don’t share that legacy.