On Thursday, Paula Kerger appeared at Axios Media Trends Live, an event focused on media industry developments. During the panel, she expressed optimism about restoring government funding for PBS, citing its inclusion in a proposed continuing resolution (CR).
A CR is temporary legislation Congress uses to maintain federal operations and funding levels when full appropriations bills aren't passed by the fiscal year's start (typically October 1).
With the 2025 cuts having created a significant funding gap, Kerger highlighted that the draft CR explicitly proposes reinstating or protecting the $1.1 billion for public broadcasting, signaling potential bipartisan momentum amid ongoing budget negotiations.
Paula Kerger
Kerger emphasized PBS's nonpartisan value, noting that polls (such as a March 2025 Pew Research Center survey) show 43% of Americans support continued funding, versus 24% who favor ending it. She described the inclusion as a "positive step" after months of advocacy, including direct outreach to lawmakers like Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who had previously wavered on cuts.
"I always have optimism," Kerger reiterated, echoing her comments from earlier interviews, but added that the CR proposal feels like a tangible breakthrough. She cautioned that final approval isn't guaranteed, as the CR must pass both chambers and be signed by the president, but viewed it as evidence that "the will of the American people" is influencing the process.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football Week 2 marked the return of the true MNF doubleheader, featuring Tampa Bay at Houston (7 p.m. ET), followed by Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas (10 p.m.).
An audience of 17.4 million (ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and NFL+) watched the Buccaneers and Texans, ESPN’s most-watched MNF Week 2 game since 2008, and up 16% from ESPN’s single MNF Week 2 game last season (Falcons at Eagles). Additionally, the Buccaneers-Texans is ESPN’s most-watched individual game on weeks with multiple MNF games, whether a true doubleheader or two games with staggered start times.
Please note: ESPN has aired multiple MNF games in 24 weeks since 2006, with 16 doubleheaders from 2006 through 2020 and 2025, and eight weeks of multiple games with staggered start times from 2022 to 2024.
Accounting for both games (7 p.m. to 1 a.m.), ESPN averaged 13.5 million viewers for the doubleheader, its best audience across two games in a single night since 2015, notably surpassing the eight weeks of ‘2 games, 1 night’ under the current NFL rights agreement (2022 – present) and previous Week 1 doubleheaders.
Individually, Chargers-Raiders averaged 9.7 million viewers (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and NFL+), also the best individual audience for the ESPN-primary telecast in the same ‘2 games, 1 night’ era (8 games).
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, along with seven states—Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia—filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, accusing them of enabling ticket brokers to bypass artist-set purchase limits, costing fans millions through inflated resale prices.
The FTC alleges Ticketmaster, which dominates 80% of primary ticketing for major venues, earned $3.7 billion in resale fees from 2019 to 2024 by ignoring these violations and failing to disclose full ticket prices, including fees, upfront, breaching consumer protection laws.
The lawsuit, filed in California, adds to Ticketmaster’s legal challenges following the mishandled 2022 Taylor Swift Eras tour ticket sales, which crashed due to overwhelming demand from fans, bots, and resellers.
The FTC cited a 2018 internal Ticketmaster email admitting the company “turns a blind eye” to reseller violations. This follows a 2024 Department of Justice lawsuit seeking to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster for alleged monopolistic practices, which the companies deny.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson emphasized the agency’s commitment to ensuring fair-priced tickets for fans. Ticketmaster and Live Nation did not immediately respond to comment requests.
➦In 1921..Boston's WBZ radio, which now broadcasts at 1030 kHz AM and is the oldest surviving commercial radio station in New England, signed-on broadcasting from Springfield, MA.
The station has long been one of the highest-rated stations in the Boston area, and covers much of the eastern United States and Canada at night with its 50,000-watt clear-channel signal from its transmitter location in Hull, Massachusetts, which has been used by the station since 1940. The transmitter is a two tower directional array where each tower is 160 meters (520 ft) tall. The signal is intentionally directionalized from their coastal location for maximum power transmitted into the continental United States, giving WBZ outstanding multi-state coverage after sunset.
WBZ's initial license, for operation in Springfield, was issued by the Department of Commerce to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company on September 15, 1921; it was the first license to specify broadcasts on 360 meters (833 kilohertz), and was subsequently deemed to be the first license for a commercial broadcast station. However, other stations, such as WWJ in Detroit, 1XE/WGI in Medford Hillside, and sister station KDKA in Pittsburgh, were already broadcasting under different license classifications.
Original Studio on Page Blvd.
The station's original transmitter and studios were located at the Westinghouse factory on Page Boulevard in East Springfield. However, WBZ's inaugural program, on September 19, 1921, was a remote broadcast from the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.
The original format was general entertainment and information, which included live music (often classical music and opera), sports, farm reports, special events, and public affairs programming. Despite WBZ being housed in Springfield, it somewhat difficult to attract top-flight artists to the station, leading Westinghouse to open a studio at the Hotel Brunswick in Boston on February 24, 1924. WBZ also expanded its news programming via a partnership with the newspaper Boston Herald and Traveler. It also carried a considerable amount of sports broadcasts, including Boston Bruins hockey, Boston Braves baseball, and Harvard Crimson football.
Because of its comparatively wide reach, the station often referred to itself as "WBZ, New England" as opposed to associating itself solely with Springfield or Boston.
However, even after several power boosts (the station broadcast at a power of 100 watts in 1921, but was using 2,000 watts in April 1925, the station still had some trouble reaching Boston, leading Westinghouse to sign on WBZA, a 250-watt station at 1240 kHz, on August 20, 1925. Efforts were soon made to operate WBZA as a synchronous repeater of WBZ, by then at 900 kHz; this process was difficult, as the two transmitters often interfered with each other even in Boston, and WBZA went back and forth between the two frequencies for nearly a year before finally going to full-time synchronous operation in June 1926.
WBZ also continued to boost the power of its primary East Springfield transmitter; it was granted permission to operate with 5,000 watts on March 31, 1926, and by 1927 it was operating with 15,000 watts. Meanwhile, a combination of WBZ's growth and continued difficulties with the WBZA signal led the station to move its Boston studio to the Statler Hotel (now the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers) on June 1, 1927 and activate a new WBZA transmitter on June 9. The Federal Radio Commission (FRC) moved WBZ and WBZA to 990 kHz on November 11, 1928.
Amidst the technical changes, WBZ also began engaging in network activities. By 1925, it often shared programs with WJZ in New York City (which Westinghouse had also started in 1921, but sold to the Radio Corporation of America two years later), and a WBZ special commemorating the 150th anniversary of Paul Revere's "Midnight Ride" was also fed to WRC in Washington, D.C. and WGY in Schenectady, New York. This paved the way for the station to become a charter affiliate of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) on November 15, 1926, carrying the WJZ-originated NBC Blue Network beginning on January 1, 1927.
Today, WBZ is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a News/Talk format.
➦In 1932...The radio soap Just Plain Bill started airing It aired for about 20-years. It was a 15-minute daytime radio drama program heard on CBS Radio and NBC Radio. Originally called Bill the Barber, it told the story of Bill Davidson (Arthur Hughes), a barber in the town of Hartville, and his daughter Nancy (Ruth Russell). Bill often became involved in helping his friends and neighbors when he wasn't cutting hair. Also in the cast: Dick Janaver (1911-1999).
➦In 1955...Radio-TV personality Bill Cullen started at WRCA 660 AM in NYC.
FOX News Channel (FNC) averaged 3.1 million viewers in primetime during the week of September 8 leading CBS (2.7 million viewers) according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. In Monday - Sunday total day (6 AM-6 AM/ET), FNC posted 1.8 million viewers and 239,000 in the 25-54 demo. The network commanded 67% of the primetime and 65% of the total day cable news audience. Week-over-week, FNC more than doubled its ratings across total day and primetime in the 25-54 demo.
The Five averaged 4.4 million viewers and 528,000 in the 25-54 demo, leading cable with viewers. The Ingraham Angle saw 3.4 million viewers and 454,000 in the 25-54 demo at 7 PM/ET. Jesse Watters Primetime commanded 4.2 million viewers and 559,000 in the 25-54 demo at 8 PM/ET. At 9 PM/ET, Hannity posted 3.7 million viewers and 601,000 with A25-54, leading cable news in the 25-54 demo. At 11 PM/ET, FOX News @ Night secured 1.7 million viewers and 323,000 in the 25-54 demo.
At 6 PM/ET, Special Report with Bret Baier drew 3.8 million viewers and 489,000 in the 25-54 demo. Special Report led CBS Evening News (486,000 A25-54) in the 25-54 demo for the first time since Inauguration week in January. On Wednesday from 6:30 - 7 PM/ET, Special Report averaged 6.2 million viewers and 1.1 million in the 25-54 demo leading NBC News Special Report (5 million viewers; 666,000 A25-54) and CBS Evening News (3.9 million viewers; 534,000 A25-54). On Thursday, Special Report posted 3,740,000 viewers and 639,000 in the 25-54 demo from 6:30 - 7 PM/ET leading CBS Evening News which saw 3,734,000 viewers and 419,000 in the 25-54 demo.
FNC’s late-night hit Gutfeld! (weekdays, 10 PM/ET) averaged 2.9 million viewers and 376,000 in the 25-54 demo continuing to outpace the broadcast competition including CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (1.9 million viewers; 271,000 A25-54), ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! (1.5 million viewers; 288,000 A25-54) and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (1 million viewers; 178,000 A25-54).
FNC continued to see its daytime programs outpace the broadcast competition. The Will Cain Show (weekdays, 4 PM/ET; 2,843,000 viewers; 384,000 A25-54) and America’s Newsroom (weekdays, 9-11 AM/ET; 2,515,000 viewers; 320,000 A25-54) topped ABC’s The View (2,324,000 viewers) with viewers for the week. The Story (weekdays, 3 PM/ET; 2,312,000 viewers; 283,000 A25-54), The Faulkner Focus (weekdays, 11 AM/ET; 2,224,000 viewers; 263,000 A25-54), Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET; 2,140,000 viewers; 247,000 A25-54) and America Reports (weekdays, 1-3 PM/ET; 2,072,000 viewers; 261,000 A25-54) all led NBC’s Today Third Hour (1,877,000 viewers) and ABC’s GMA3 (1,396,000 viewers).
FOX & Friends (weekdays, 6-9 AM/ET) averaged 1.4 million viewers and 180,000 in the 25-54 demo for the week. On Friday during the 8 AM/ET hour, the show’s interview with President Donald Trump secured over 3 million viewers and 535,000 in the 25-54 demo
On Saturday: FNC presented a special tribute to Charlie Kirk with Charlie Kirk: An American Original (Saturday, 7 PM/ET), hosted by Jesse Watters. The program was the top show of the day with 2 million viewers and 216,000 in the 25-54 demo. Life, Liberty & Levin (weekends, 8 PM/ET) was most-watched in primetime with 1.8 million viewers and 145,000 in the 25-54 demo.
On Sunday: Maria Bartiromo’s Sunday Morning Futures (Sunday 10 AM/ET) was the top show of the day with 2 million viewers and 220,000 in the 25-54 demo. The final airing of MediaBuzz (Sunday, 11 AM/ET) drew 1.5 million viewers and 136,000 in the 25-54 demo. A repeat of Charlie Kirk: An American Original at 7 PM/ET commanded 1.5 million viewers and 146,000 in the 25-54 demo.
Source: Nielsen. Big Data + Panel. Week of 9-8-25 ratings data. Average audience for cable news networks Monday-Sunday based on Total Day and Prime (6a-6a, 8P-11P), P2+, P25-54. Cable News/Broadcast Program averages exclude repeats and include the corresponding program name.
Disney has decided to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC indefinitely following controversial remarks by host Jimmy Kimmel about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. An ABC spokesperson announced the suspension, effective immediately, starting with Wednesday’s scheduled broadcast.
No return date has been confirmed, though a source familiar with the matter indicated the show could potentially resume in the coming days, depending on developments.
The decision comes after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel during an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, hinting at potential regulatory action against ABC-owned station licenses. Major ABC affiliates, including Nexstar Media Group, which operates 32 stations, and Sinclair, with 30 stations, announced they would stop airing Kimmel’s show.
BREAKING: The FCC Chairman is threatening immediate action against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney for deliberately misleading the public by claiming Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a MAGA Conservative.
Chairman Brendan Carr calls Kimmel’s malicious lies are “truly sick” and says they… pic.twitter.com/mGhtGMPReI
Nexstar’s president of broadcasting, Andrew Alford, called Kimmel’s comments “offensive and insensitive,” arguing they do not reflect the values of their local communities. Sinclair demanded an apology from Kimmel to the Kirk family and a donation to Turning Point USA, Kirk’s organization, before considering reinstating the show.
Kimmel’s remarks, made during Monday’s broadcast, accused “the MAGA gang” of misrepresenting the individual responsible for Kirk’s death to avoid association with their movement and exploiting the tragedy for political gain. He also mocked former President Donald Trump’s response to the incident, comparing it to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” and criticized Vice President JD Vance and others for capitalizing on the event.
Trump celebrated the suspension on Truth Social, calling Kimmel talentless with poor ratings and urging NBC to cancel The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
NBCUniversal has not yet responded to the comments.
Disney’s decision, led by CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden, was influenced by the affiliate backlash, particularly from Nexstar, given its significant number of ABC stations. The move reflects broader tensions, as media organizations face scrutiny from the administration, including restricted access to news conferences and investigations into business practices.
Sinclair, Inc., the largest owner of ABC affiliates in the U.S. (operating around 30 ABC stations across 81 markets), escalated the situation by announcing it would preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely on its stations starting Wednesday.
The company, known for its conservative-leaning editorial content and past controversies over mandating right-wing talking points on local news, stated that ABC's suspension was "not enough" to resolve the issue.
In a press release issued on September 17, 2025, Sinclair outlined specific demands before it would resume airing the show:
Formal discussions with ABC: Sinclair insists on high-level talks with ABC executives to ensure the network recommits to "professionalism and accountability" in its programming. This includes broader assurances against future "insensitive" content.
Apology from Kimmel: A direct, on-air apology specifically to the Kirk family (noting that Kimmel's joke did not explicitly target the family, but Sinclair demands it anyway as a gesture of remorse).
Donation to Turning Point USA and the Kirk Family: Sinclair called for Kimmel to make a "meaningful personal donation" to both the Kirk family and TPUSA, the nonprofit organization Kirk co-founded in 2012. TPUSA focuses on promoting conservative values on college campuses and has grown significantly, with over 2,100 active chapters and 54,000 charter requests reported recently. The amount of the donation was left unspecified, but it's framed as a way for Kimmel to support Kirk's legacy and the organization's work.
Sinclair also announced it would replace Kimmel's Friday night timeslot on its ABC stations with a special "remembrance" program honoring Charlie Kirk. This tribute will air across all Sinclair stations over the weekend, positioning the company as a defender of conservative values.
This move aligns with actions by another major ABC affiliate owner, Nexstar Media Group, which also pulled the show from its stations. FCC Chairman Carr praised both Sinclair and Nexstar on Fox News, calling their decisions a "necessary step" against late-night shows that he accused of bias.
National Public Radio (NPR) has announced plans to implement cost-saving measures totaling more than $5 million over its upcoming fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2025, and ends on September 30, 2026.
The move is aimed at balancing the organization's approximately $300 million annual operating budget without resorting to layoffs or significant changes to its programming lineup. The announcement comes amid broader challenges in the public media sector, particularly following a congressional decision in July 2025 to eliminate all federal funding for public broadcasting. NPR CEO Katherine Maher shared these details during an open session with the organization's board of directors on September 13, 2025.
The trims are described as proactive steps to maintain financial stability in a "stand-pat" budget environment, meaning NPR is not planning overall budget growth or expansion for the fiscal year.
Executives are closely monitoring potential ripple effects from the loss of federal funding, which primarily impacts the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)—NPR's main source of direct government support.
While NPR itself receives only about 1% of its funding directly from federal sources (most federal money flows through local stations via the CPB), the broader ecosystem of member stations is facing severe strain. Local stations, which rely more heavily on CPB grants, are struggling to cover operational costs, leading to calls for NPR to provide additional assistance. NPR's leadership has noted uncertainty about the full extent of the damage to its network of over 1,000 affiliate stations, prompting these conservative fiscal measures.
The $5 million in savings will be achieved gradually throughout the fiscal year, rather than through one-time cuts. Specific details on the exact nature of the trims—such as reductions in administrative expenses, travel, or vendor contracts—have not been publicly detailed, but sources indicate they are minor adjustments designed to avoid disrupting core operations.
NPR has explicitly stated that it does not anticipate staff reductions or alterations to its flagship programs, such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, or podcasts like Up First. This approach contrasts with more aggressive cost-cutting seen in other media organizations amid economic pressures.
NPR's $300 million budget is funded primarily through sponsorships (about 40%), fees from member stations (around 30%), and individual donations (20-25%), with the remainder from other sources like endowments.
WLUM-FM, known on-air as FM 102/1, has been a staple of Milwaukee's radio scene for decades, broadcasting on 102.1 FM with an alternative rock format since 2006.
The station, owned by Milwaukee Radio Alliance (a partnership between All-Pro Broadcasting and Times-Shamrock), has been sold to K-Love Inc., a Christian radio conglomerate, for $4 million. The sale will result in the station switching from alternative rock to Christian contemporary music sometime in October 2025.
The change also affects sister station WLDB-FM (93.3), which will shift from adult contemporary to another K-Love format.
The news has sparked sadness among listeners and local media, as WLUM has been a key player in Milwaukee's independent radio landscape, evolving from its disco roots in the late 1970s (when it launched as "We Love YoU Milwaukee!") through rhythmic contemporary hits in the 1980s and 1990s, to its modern alt-rock identity. In response, the station is planning a series of nostalgic "farewell" events and special programming to celebrate its legacy, including a "final party" and theme days leading up to the switch.
Historically, WLUM-FM has seen multiple format shifts:
1960s–1970s: Launched as WMKE with Broadway show tunes.
1979: Switched to disco under new owner Willie Davis (a former Green Bay Packers legend).
1980s–1990s: Evolved to rhythmic contemporary and dance music under brands like "Hot 102."
2006–Present: Alternative rock as FM 102/1, becoming a go-to for local and national acts.
WLUM-FM is dedicating its final weeks to reflective and fun programming with key highlights include:
L-R: Trevor Thomas, Josh Albrecht, John Kuhn and Ramie Makhlouf
1250AM / 105.7 The Fan (WSSP-FM) announces a revamped weekday programming lineup highlighted by the debut of two new shows on September 22.
Trevor Thomas and Josh Albrecht will co-host a new morning show, “Inside Wisconsin Sports,” which can be heard from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CT.
The station is also launching a new midday show, “Nine2Noon with Kuhn,” airing from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT. The show is co-hosted by former Green Bay Packers fullback John Kuhn and Ramie Makhlouf, with Brandon Sneide as the producer.
“The Mason Crosby Show,” starring former NFL kicker, Super Bowl champion and Green Bay Packers all-time leading scorer Mason Crosby and Mitch “Thunder” Nelles, will now be heard from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT.
“Wisconsin Sports Daily,” hosted by Assistant Program Director Steve “Sparky” Fifer, will continue to air from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT.
“As we celebrate the station’s 20th anniversary, we wanted to match our listeners’ passion by assembling the dream team here at The Fan,” said Jason Bjorson, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Wisconsin. “With legendary names and two former Green Bay Packers players on our roster, we are going full throttle. We’re excited to bring our fans the best talent in the market and give them the most entertaining sports coverage Wisconsin has to offer.”
“I couldn't be more excited to be joining The Fan,” said Kuhn. “Since retiring from the NFL, I have thoroughly enjoyed talking about our Wisconsin sports programs and am looking forward to creating another strong bond with our sports fans wherever they may be.”
“I'm beyond grateful to be a member of this team and one half of the new morning show, ‘Inside Wisconsin Sports’ with Trevor and Josh,” said Thomas. "I don't think we're prepared for how much fun this show is going to be, but we're ready to find out."
"I’m thrilled to be joining this incredible lineup of talent and bringing my voice to a whole new audience,” said Albrecht. “I look forward to connecting and entertaining our listeners as well as being the voice of The Fan!”
Nielsen’s Spring 2025 Nationwide study, aggregating AM/FM radio listening across all U.S. counties (Portable People Meter and diary markets), reports significant audience growth compared to Fall 2024.
The increase is driven by Nielsen’s modernization of the Portable People Meter (PPM) methodology, which now credits tuning sessions of three minutes or more, down from the previous five-minute threshold.
Key Findings from Spring 2025 Nationwide Study
Overall Growth: Total U.S. AM/FM radio Average Quarter-Hour (AQH) listening among persons 25-54 rose by 6%, fueled by a 19% surge in PPM markets.
Time Period Gains: Weekends (+9%) and nights (+11%) showed the strongest growth.
Demographic Trends:
Growth was higher among men than women and stronger in older demographics.
Significant increases were seen among college graduates and upscale Americans (household income $75K+).
Hispanic 25-54 audiences saw double-digit growth in nights and weekends; Black 25-54 audiences reported a 12.2% increase in nighttime listening.
Format Stability: Format shares remained consistent despite the AQH growth.
Market Indices: Top market indices improved by 3-5 points, narrowing the gap between major markets and the national average.
Scott Anekstein, VP of Research at Westwood One, analyzed the Spring 2025 Nationwide data against Fall 2024, confirming:
A 6% AQH increase for persons 25-54, with weekends (+9%) and nights (+11%) leading.
Stronger growth among men, older demographics, college graduates, and high-income ($75K+) listeners.
Stable format shares, indicating proportional growth across all radio formats.
Implications for Radio and Advertisers
Surpassing TV Ratings: AM/FM radio’s ratings growth is expected to accelerate, potentially overtaking linear TV among 25-54s in 2026 and widening its lead in the 18-49 demographic.
Increased Reach: Higher PPM-measured reach enhances AM/FM radio’s position as America’s top mass-reach medium, improving campaign effectiveness in media mix modeling.
Optimized Ad Breaks: With the three-minute qualifier, stations can schedule more frequent, shorter commercial breaks (e.g., at :10, :20, :30, :40, :50), improving listener retention. Nielsen data shows two-minute ad pods retain 99% of listeners, compared to 85% for six-minute pods, boosting ad effectiveness.
The controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel's comments erupted shortly after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, on September 10, 2025, in Utah.
During the Monday, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel addressed the killing in his monologue, stating: "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it."
He further accused figures like Vice President JD Vance of baselessly blaming the left without evidence. Conservatives, including Fox News hosts like Greg Gutfeld, condemned the remarks as "delusional" and insensitive, arguing they mocked a tragedy and mischaracterized the shooter's motives.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr played a pivotal role in escalating the situation. Wednesday during an appearance on podcaster Benny Johnson's show, Carr labeled Kimmel's comments "the sickest conduct possible" and "truly sick," suggesting they violated broadcasters' obligations under FCC licenses.
He warned ABC and Disney: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."
Carr explicitly endorsed suspension or firing as "reasonable" remedies and hinted at potential fines or license revocation, stating the FCC would examine "remedies" for content that fails to serve the public interest.
Carr argued: "Something’s gone seriously awry... They went from being court jesters that would make fun of everybody to enforcing a narrow political ideology."
Reactions to Carr's praise and the suspension have been sharply divided, reflecting the polarized media landscape:
Many on the right hailed Carr's stance as accountability for "Hollywood elites" and anti-conservative bias. Trump himself praised the suspension on Truth Social, calling it a "win for real Americans."
Fox News and podcasters like Benny Johnson amplified Carr's comments, with users on X like
@NotSoInteres thanking him directly. Turning Point USA, now under interim leadership, has not commented on the donation demands but has seen a surge in support. Affiliates like Nexstar (seeking FCC approval for a merger with Tegna) and Sinclair positioned their actions as defending "community values."
Democrats and media watchdogs decried it as censorship and an abuse of power. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat, accused Carr of exploiting Kirk's death for "broader censorship and control."
FOX Sports is celebrating the massive viewership for their broadcast of the NFL Week 2 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs this past Sunday.
This game was a highly anticipated rematch of Super Bowl LIX (played in February 2025), where the Eagles had previously defeated the Chiefs. The telecast shattered multiple viewership records, underscoring the NFL's enduring popularity amid declining audiences for other sports and TV programming.
It drew an average of 33.8 million viewers across FOX, FOX Deportes, and other platforms, marking a 21% increase from the previous year's Week 2 late window (which featured the Chiefs vs. Bengals and averaged 27.9 million viewers).
This game wasn't just a hit for FOX—it set benchmarks across NFL history.
Here's a breakdown of the records broken, based on Nielsen measurements:
FOX's Best-Ever Regular Season Sunday Telecast: At 33.8 million viewers, it surpassed all prior FOX Sunday regular-season games. The network's previous high was lower, and this figure excludes Thanksgiving, Monday Night Football, or playoff games, which often draw larger crowds.
Most-Watched Week 2 NFL Telecast on Record: This topped the prior Week 2 record set by the 2024 Chiefs-Bengals game (27.9 million viewers). It's the highest for any Week 2 game since detailed tracking began in the late 1980s.
Most-Viewed September/October NFL Game Ever: No other regular-season game in these early-season months has matched this audience. The previous September/October high was a 1993 Monday Night Football game between the Cowboys and Commanders (29.02 million viewers).
Largest NFL Doubleheader Audience in Network TV History: The full FOX doubleheader (including the earlier Giants-Cowboys game, which averaged 20.72 million viewers and went to overtime) averaged 26.9 million viewers overall— the best for any Sunday doubleheader.
FOX's Strongest Start to an NFL Season: Through the first two weeks, FOX is averaging 23.8 million viewers per game, up 27% from 2024's 18.7 million average and the network's best two-week start since acquiring NFL rights.
The pregame show FOX NFL Sunday drew 5.5 million viewers, its highest since 2019.For context, this 33.8 million figure represents the largest Nielsen-measured TV audience for any network broadcast since the Super Bowl LIX itself (which had 127.7 million viewers across all platforms). Note that comparisons to pre-2025 numbers involve some caveats due to Nielsen's updated methodology, including expanded out-of-home viewing and "Big Data + Panel" metrics.
MSNBC, the liberal-leaning cable news network, is undergoing a significant corporate and operational restructuring as part of Comcast's broader spinoff of its cable assets into a new entity called Versant.
This process, announced last year, aims to separate MSNBC (along with CNBC and other networks like USA, E!, Oxygen, and Golf Channel) from NBCUniversal, which will retain the NBC broadcast network, NBC News, NBC Sports, Peacock streaming, and Bravo.
The separation will culminate in a legal split by January 1, 2026, but operational changes begin in earnest on October 6, 2025, marking the end of MSNBC's nearly 30-year reliance on NBC News for shared resources, editorial guidance, and on-air talent. This move positions MSNBC as a fully independent news organization, competing directly with its former parent.
The announcement was detailed in an internal memo and editorial call on September 17, 2025, shared with staff by MSNBC's senior vice president of newsgathering, Scott Matthews.
It comes amid MSNBC's rebranding to "MS NOW" (standing for "My Source for News, Opinion, and the World"), revealed in August 2025, which includes dropping the iconic NBC peacock logo to establish a distinct identity.
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler emphasized that the network's editorial direction—focused on progressive commentary and analysis—will remain unchanged, but it will now build its own standalone newsgathering operation.
The separation is staggered to allow MSNBC to test and refine its independent workflows. Here's a breakdown of the major milestones:
