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.