Nielsen Appeals Judge’s Injunction; No Stay Granted
Nielsen Audio’s managing director Rich Tunkel says that U.S. District Court Judge Jeanette Vargas’ order that his company is enjoined from enforcing its Network Policy — in which clients wanting to buy network ratings must also buy the local ratings — and from charging a
commercially unreasonable rate for its Nationwide Report may cause it to have to do away with the Nationwide Report altogether. This testimony accompanied Nielsen’s request for a stay pending appeal as it appeals to the Second Circuit. This is the latest in action in Cumulus’ suit alleging that 
Nielsen is illegally leveraging its dominance over national and local radio audience data to stifle rivals and charge inflated prices. Judge Vargas denied the stay pending appeal but did grant an administrative stay will be in effect only until January 16, 2026, to allow Nielsen time to file a motion for a stay in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Tunkel’s testimony states that the order would cause Nielsen “significant irreparable harm if required to comply with the Court’s ruling during the pendency of Nielsen’s appeal… As a result, Nielsen would not be able to apply that policy in any of the at least ten negotiations with clients that Nielsen expects to have in 2026. If Nielsen is unable to apply the Network Policy, then it will be hindered in its ability to ensure that it can recover the costs of collecting the local radio-ratings data that make up the Nationwide report and spread those costs appropriately across the customers that use the products generated from those joint costs. If Nielsen cannot recover these costs, then it may have to retire the Nationwide report, similar to when Nielsen retired its other national data product, RADAR. If it does not retire the Nationwide report, it may have to pass a higher share of the costs of collecting local data on to other customers, including local radio stations, hurting Nielsen’s negotiating position with respect to those customers, as well as those customers themselves.”
the Post that he’s “been left with ‘tears in my eyes’ amid a bitter feud with his longtime ‘brother’ Rudy Giuliani — which escalated when the former mayor filed suit against him Monday.”
gathering – will take place February 19-21 at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel in midtown Manhattan.
served as a media consultant. He states, “WTOP is setting the pace for the radio industry in our digital world. It’s a leader both in Washington and in the country. I look forward to joining its award-winning newsroom and evolving business reporting in the age of social video, YouTube, podcasts, and whatever comes next.” WTOP says it will expand the scope of its business reporting under Wordock’s leadership, including by Wordock producing original video content and written articles for WTOP.com and the station’s social media channels. WTOP director of news and programming Julia Ziegler comments, “Evolution is more important than ever in the news industry. We need to meet our consumers where they are and bring them the stories they need in the formats they want. John brings a wealth of multi-platform experience and business expertise to WTOP, and we can’t wait for news consumers in the DMV to be reintroduced to him.”
SXSW in Austin on March 16. Nominees for Podcast of the Year include: “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” “The Breakfast Club,” The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” “The Daily,” “The Rest Is History,” “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Heavyweight,” and “Giggly Squad.” The nominees for Best Political podcast include: “Pod Save America,” “The Bulwark Podcast,” “Breaking Points,” “Hacks On Tap,” and “The Ben Shapiro Show.” 
discoverability capabilities to small and mid-sized businesses that are being excluded from emerging search and discovery channels due to cost, complexity, and technical barriers.” Audacy SVP of digital Jenny Sutton says, “Local advertisers can be overwhelmed by the pace of change in digital marketing and discovery. By partnering with Next Net, we’re giving our clients a future-ready solution that integrates AI discoverability directly into the media and marketing strategies they already know and trust, without requiring technical resources or additional burden on the business owner.”
will support our strong team and help WHO continue delivering the high-quality programming listeners rely on every day.” Henson most recently served with Cumulus Media as PD and morning host at classic rock WLAV-FM and country WTNR-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During his career he’s programmed news/talk outlets including WRVA, Richmond; WPGB-FM, Pittsburgh; and WOWO, Fort Wayne. Henson comments, “I’m incredibly excited to return to iHeartMedia and work with the legendary staff at NewsRadio 1040 WHO. WHO’s legacy of trusted news and strong local voices is unmatched, and I’m focused on building on that foundation and continuing to deliver relevant, impactful programming for listeners across Iowa.”
solutions-oriented conversations about the political, cultural, and social issues shaping Americans’ lives… expected guests in the show’s first days include James Carville, Bob Costas, Mark Cuban, former Senator Joe Manchin, Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Rand Paul and more. Cuomo comments, “Too much of our politics is about teams instead of truth. ’Cuomo Mornings’ is going to be about breaking through those barriers, asking better questions, and bringing people into the conversation instead of talking past them. We need to prioritize common sense, accountability, and real dialogue, and SiriusXM’s P.O.T.U.S. channel is exactly where that belongs. I’m very excited to be back on the platform and to engage with callers every day. Let’s get after it.”
through March 25. Allen will also host a post-game show, adding to the station’s 2026 Brewers coverage, which also includes Tommy Wortz’s “Lead Off Show.” Audacy Wisconsin SVP and market manager Jason Bjorson says, “If you’re going to be the number one sports radio station in Milwaukee, then you have to have the best coverage of the Brewers. Tim Allen is the definitive voice of the franchise’s fanbase, and his presence solidifies our commitment to local listeners.” Allen states, “I’m very appreciative to have my post-game show back on ‘The Fan’ in Milwaukee and now on the Wisconsin Sports Radio Network. We started this post-game show on ‘The Fan’ 21 years ago, and to have it continue with them is a pretty special feeling.”
New York City. The Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to an individual who has made invaluable contributions to the broadcast industry. BFOA president Tim McCarthy comments, “Judy’s no-nonsense approach to legal disputes has provided riveting television entertainment to millions of viewers across America. We are proud to recognize her many accomplishments and contributions to broadcasting.” For more information about the Broadcasters Foundation, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.
Media | Westwood One says, “The relaunch marks Bongino’s most extensive digital commitment to date, designed to meet increasing audience demand for long-form and in-depth content. The two-hour format strengthens the show’s position as a major voice in independent media, offering a highly engaging, daily destination for listeners seeking headline analysis, guest interviews, cultural commentary, and special ‘Bongino Army’ segments.” Bongino comments, “I’m excited to get back behind the mic and reconnect directly with the audience. This show has always been about cutting through the noise and talking honestly about what matters. We’re coming back bigger, bolder, and always unfiltered — exactly how people want it.” Westwood One and Cumulus Podcast Network president Collin Jones adds, “Dan Bongino is back! Few voices in talk media command the loyalty and firepower that Dan brings. His audience? Formidable. His influence? Undeniable. This promises to be an incredible journey as Dan drives the national conversation daily on the most important issues at hand, with authority that has been hard-fought and well-earned. Westwood One is beyond proud to help power the next chapter of ‘The Dan Bongino Show.’”
councilor Cliff Ponte. WPRI-TV, Providence reports that the new owners say “they’re going to shift programming to cover 100% local content focusing on Fall River and its suburbs while still keeping Celtics and Patriots broadcasts.” Ponte tells WPRI, “This station has been a part of my life for more than two decades. I got my start behind the microphone here as a teenager, learning the ropes at WSAR and later moved to other stations in Cape Cod and Providence.” The report says that Silvia will serve as the station’s general manager, Ponte will serve as program director, and current station general manager Sue Nadar will move to the role of sales manager. 
Evidence that your correspondent is a nerd: my airplane read for my CES back-N-forth was Successful AI Product Creation: A 9-Step Framework by Shub Agarwal (Wiley). If you haven’t got time for all 307 pages, here’s what I gleaned, pertinent to radio:
Talk show hosts are not motivated or driven like disk jockeys or salespeople. Most general managers have never managed talk show hosts. Few program directors have managed talk show hosts. My career has been blessed with daily exchanges with the best talk show hosts in history. Here are some suggestions I would like to share on how to have a superior relationship with talk stars.
Circus Came to Town.” The Minneapolis-based former DJ, programmer and radio exec tells TALKERS, “In full disclosure, this song was created on suno.com using V5. The lyrics are all mine, and the orchestration is mine too by virtue of having given all of the instructions to create the track. Regardless of how all the controversy about artificial intelligence plays out, I am releasing this opinionated and highly emotional song purely as an expression of my free speech and artistic expression – not for commercial marketing purposes.”
stations; Jennifer Wells is promoted from business manager to controller after 25 years with the company; after 16 years of service and “proven sales leadership,” Tami Grashof is promoted to regional sales manager; and Brittany Capparelli is elevated event marketing specialist to director of client experience. Galaxy Media CEO Ed Levine says, “These promotions are a pivotal moment for Galaxy Media. We’re energized to celebrate our team’s growth and excited for the leadership, creativity, and drive they bring as we shape the next chapter of our company.” Among Galaxy’s stations is sports talk WTLA-AM/W249BC, Syracuse “ESPN 97.7/100.1.”
Judge Kenneth M. Karas concluded Townsquare failed to establish monetary damages on most of the contracts and ordered Townsquare a partial award of about $115,000 but ruled in favor of Regency on most of the deals. Townsquare requested reconsideration, and in 2023 Judge Karas concluded that he had overlooked evidence on 10 advertising contracts. After holding a bench trial last June, Karas on December 12, 2025, ordered Regency “to pay $114,936 that remained unsatisfied from his 2022 partial decision for Townsquare; $694,328 on the contracts he reconsidered, and $344,833 in interest, for a total of $1,154,097.” 
dashboards and API access that support automated reporting and portfolio-level insights. The collaboration will also support select broadcast attribution initiatives within Audacy’s radio portfolio, complementing existing measurement partners. Audacy president of digital sales Michael Biemolt says, “Audacy consistently strives to deliver measurable results for advertisers, and our partnership with Podscribe further strengthens that promise. With enhanced attribution and transparency across our portfolio, we’re giving clients even greater confidence in how Audacy drives performance at scale.”
president. NYSBA chairman Chris Musial states, “David is doing an outstanding job, but he believes the time has come to turn over management of the Association to the next generation. The Board of Directors is delighted he will continue to lead our lobbying efforts in Albany and Washington. The NYSBA Board and Executive Search Committee look forward to advancing the important work of Broadcasters on Multiple Platforms as we begin this search.” Donovan comments, “It has been a great run. Our goal is to bring someone on board earlier in the year to have a smooth transition. NYSBA has an outstanding Board of Directors and the best staff of any association in America.” Resumes will be accepted until February 28, 2026. 
of conversations with world leaders, artists, activists and others who shape our world and “somewhere along the way I’ve realized that the art of conversation is dying.” Because of this he’s creating practical courses in the “art of conversation.” He adds, “I’m going to teach what the past 40 years have taught me: how to have conversations that matter… conversation is a skill and like any skill, it can be taught.” The titles of the six course are: The Anatomy of a Great Conversation, How to Know More Than Your Interlocutor Thinks You Do, Generous Listening as a Superpower, Handling Difficult Conversations and Conflicts, Creating Memorable Moments, and Why Conversation Matters in Democracy. 
midday talk host Allen Stiles (right) to afternoons to join “The Drive Guys with Kevin Gleason” (left) as a co-host, effective January 12. The station says, “Allen is no stranger to Sactown Sports listeners. He has already been a key part of the Sactown Sports family as the host of ‘The Allen Stiles Show, which currently airs weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, building a strong connection with the audience through his knowledge, passion, and engaging style.” The station has not indicated its plans for the midday daypart.
places remain unchanged with NPR’s “NPR News Now” at #1, followed by The New York Times’ “The Daily” at #2 and NPR’s “Up First” at #3. Changes among news/talk shows include The Daily Wire’s “The Ben Shapiro Show’ up two places to #12, the Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Shawn Ryan Show” falls 11 spots to #15, and “The Tucker Carlson Show” dips two spots to #19.