FCC’s Gomez Testifies About First Amendment Concerns
At last week’s appearance before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Committee on Energy and Commerce, FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez testified about her concerns with
the way the commission is operating. She took issue with FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s interpretation of how the Commission should ensure that licensees operate in the public interest. She stated, “For months, this FCC has asserted an apparent roving mandate to police speech that this Administration does not like, invoking an undefined and unchecked concept known as the ‘public interest’ standard.
Instead of functioning as a principle intended to serve the public, this standard is being treated as a license to weigh in on content, viewpoint, and editorial judgment.
This is not what the FCC was created to do. The Commission’s job is not to police content, root out media bias, or guarantee favorable coverage for any administration. Its responsibility is to regulate communications infrastructure and markets, not censor the speech that flows through them.
The First Amendment protects against government interference with speech, and the Communications Act prohibits the FCC from engaging in censorship. In a free society, the government does not decide what speech is acceptable or aligned with its views. When the government’s media regulator claims the power to judge content or police bias, we move away from oversight and closer toward censorship and control.
That is why it is so important for the FCC to clearly define what it means by the public interest standard, something I have called on it to do repeatedly. It is also why Congress must insist on guardrails that prevent content-based regulation and protect against the FCC acting as an arbiter of speech.”
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.”
About Money, the newest release from bestselling author and “The Ramsey Show” co-host Jade Warshaw. Ramsey Press says, “Warshaw draws from her own journey of paying off more than $460,000 of debt to offer readers a clear, practical way forward. She pairs honest storytelling with simple, hands-on tools readers can use to break cycles and build confidence that lasts. Unlike traditional money books that focus only on tactics. Warshaw adds, “People don’t need just another plan — they need a way to understand what keeps pulling them off track. When you deal with the emotional weight behind your money choices, that’s when real progress starts.”
The risk is real. Suggesting that a technique used with great success in the recent past might be beneficial to the present is a perilous course. Is the idea out of touch with today’s reality? Is the author ignoring current trends?
Counting.” KBLA personalities Tavis Smiley, Dominique DiPrima, and Nii-Quartelai Quartey will speak with a panel featuring survivors, community leaders, activists, experts, and more to “reflect on the 100 days since the fire erupted and address hard and heart questions about where the community goes from here.” KBLA says this is part of its continuing coverage of the fire, the aftermath, and its long-term impact on the Black community in Altadena. The station also broadcasts a one-hour, weekly live program called “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” hosted by James Farr. 
Longtime talk radio mainstay and TALKERS Heavy Hundred member, Jeff Katz is this week’s guest on the award-winning PodcastOne series, “The Michael Harrison Interview.” Katz is the tremendously popular 3:00 – 6:00 pm host at Audacy’s WRVA, Richmond, VA where he has developed a national reputation within the broadcasting industry as a champion of public service and community outreach. 
In addition to being a compelling political commentator and dazzlingly entertaining personality, Katz – a former Philadelphia police officer – has worked tirelessly for years as a champion of law enforcement, the needy, and the disabled. A former recipient of the TALKERS “Humanitarian of the Year” award, Katz has received numerous honors over the years from public officials including the President of the United States, Director of the FBI, and Governor of Virginia. Just recently, VA Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Katz to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. Katz and Harrison discuss radio’s handling of the current water crisis afflicting central Virginia, which has been overshadowed, in terms of national attention, by the Southern California wildfire disaster, in addition to the importance of radio as an invaluable societal safety net. Don’t miss this. To listen to the podcast in its entirety, please click 
The research notes millennials (ages 27-42) are the most concerned at 83%. The survey finds people are feeling the effects of the higher costs of goods and services, and they remain concerned about inflation. In addition, 37% said their finances are in worse shape than four years ago. Thirty-four percent said their finances are about the same, while only 29% said they’re better off than they were four years ago. The research indicates more than half (52%) of Americans believe the U.S. presidency has a major impact on their personal finances. “We encourage every American to go out and vote,” said Dave Ramsey, personal finance expert and host of “The Ramsey Show.” “But remember, what goes on in your house is a whole lot more important than who’s in the White House. The research shows that less than half of Americans believe a written household budget is the way to win with money. That has to change, or nothing will.”
Heavy Hundred mainstay Mark Levin will host an original content series. Yael Eckstein, president/CEO of The Fellowship, will serve as co-host of the series and lend insight from her expertise as a resident of Israel. The series will explore Jewish cultures and tradition, the significance of Judeo-Christian values, the historical hatred of Jews through the centuries, and the centuries-old cycle of violence that led to the devastating attacks on October 7th. The series will feature four episodes in 2024. “I am very excited about our new podcast partnership with The Fellowship,” said Levin. “It is a fantastic organization with a wonderful mission and a truly righteous group of people, from the president and CEO Yael to her dedicated team.” Ekstein tells TALKERS, “At a time when the world seems to have once again turned on Israel and the Jewish people, I feel so blessed to partner with Mark Levin – a strong voice for Israel,” adding, “Together, as we discuss and find inspiration in how Israel is standing up for democratic societies around the world, we are continuing to build bridges of understanding to help combat the terrifying rise in global anti-Semitism.” The four episodes will be released on 10/2, 10/23, 11/20, and 12/18.
Audacy, Inc. announced yesterday (9/30) that it has successfully completed its financial restructuring, implementing a fully consensual, deleveraging transaction that equitized approximately $1.6 billion of funded debt, a reduction of 80% from approximately $1.9 billion to $350 million. Sources at the radio giant – owner of more than 220 local stations including major all-news, news/talk, and sports talk outlets – say the company emerges as a “healthy, scaled, multi-platform leader in the dynamic audio sector, with total net leverage of approximately 2.7x, differentiated by its #1 position in exclusive, premium audio content.” 
Audacy will continue to be led by David J. Field, its current president and CEO, and its existing management team. Field will also serve on the company’s new board of directors. Field states, “We are pleased to have successfully achieved all of our restructuring goals, emerging with an outstanding balance sheet, delivering industry-leading growth, serving our listeners and advertisers with excellence and honoring our commitments to employees and partners,” adding, “Today, Audacy embarks on our next chapter, capitalizing on our position as a scaled, multi-platform audio leader, differentiated by our exclusive, premium audio content, including our unrivaled leadership in sports audio, powered by our industry-leading financial strength and focused on accelerating our innovation and digital transformation. We are maximizing a broad set of opportunities to further accelerate our growth for the benefit of Audacy and all its stakeholders.” In conjunction with the completion of its restructuring, Audacy is expected to become a private company. Audacy’s restructuring comes after the FCC’s commissioners gave a thumbs up on the assignment of licenses held by the radio giant to a new, post-bankruptcy version of the company on September 18, allowing the radio giant to bypass the commission’s review, at least temporarily. According to reliable reports, the Soros Fund Management, led by billionaire investor and powerful supporter of liberal causes, George Soros, acquired over $400 million of the radio company’s debt, making it the largest contributor among a group of lenders looking to exchange loans for stock. Concern grows in the radio industry and related political circles, including some Members of Congress, that the influence of Soros’ political leanings might be felt in the programming of Audacy’s all news stations and predominantly conservative news/talk outlets.
Wall Street investors do not put up money for traditional radio and television stations.
Many Americans have been, in the two years since the Supreme Court punted the issue down to the states. For suburban women voters in swing states, it is – by far – the number one issue, per a Wall Street Journal poll. It tipped 2022 midterms and 2023 elections and swung other elections in battleground states.
be able to alter the course of established radio stations and the marketplace of ideas before the 2024 election or even soon thereafter. Harrison told “America at Night” host Rich Valdés last night (5/22) that radio is far too idiosyncratic an industry – already run by too many people who don’t understand how it really operates – for someone (who also doesn’t really have first-hand experience in the field) to just step in and make drastic alterations to entrenched stations, formats, audiences and sponsors just to make a political statement. Harrison states, “There are more 
expedient uses of his money if that is his main purpose. After all, not all Audacy stations are conservative news/talkers… many are music, sports and a variety of formats. How inefficient such a move would be!” Harrison went on to say that radio is still an extremely powerful and potentially lucrative medium if only its present owners and operators believed in it and invested in its programming and marketing. He encouraged radio broadcasters to understand and believe in the “esthetic of ‘radio’ and not be so anxious to bail out into the utilitarian term ‘audio.’” Harrison and Valdés tied the discussion into the current news about the AM for Every Vehicle Act currently making its way through Congress stating that radio is still a lifeline for service to the community as a place for information, education, and entertainment and that eliminating it from automobile dashboards would be about “five to 10 years premature.” 
defaming two Georgia election workers, and they were accusing him of make new false accusations against them. 
talking about the 2020 election for three years and was never made aware that election talk was off limits. In The New York Times story Giuliani states that WABC’s policies on this topic are “a clear violation of free speech” to which TALKERS founder Michael Harrison comments, “As a lawyer, former attorney
general and former mayor, Giuliani should know better than to muddy the waters about ‘free speech’ by citing it and distorting it for his own defense in this manner. The letter of the law regarding the First Amendment protects the rights and responsibilities of Catsimatidis as the licensee and platform owner in this situation. And as far as the spirit of the law as indicated by the general term ‘free speech’ is concerned, the understanding between these two men as to what Giuliani can discuss on WABC is completely subjective and ultimately based on what the licensee determines at any given moment to be in the best interest of the platform, its listeners and most importantly, the truth.” 
Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Jesse Kelly, and Clay Travis & Buck Sexton, as well as Key Networks’ Bill O’Reilly. The story indicates the station’s cume has skyrocketed from about 2,100 listeners per month to 29,000 in the first week after the change (Sept. 7-13). Adell tells the paper he has no regrets about the move, “The more divided we are, the better it is for radio. It comes down to one thing — show business. If we live in a utopia, we have nothing to talk about.” Adell also says he expects cume to jump to 200,000 per month as he continues to promote the new lineup. At the time of the change, the Black community was upset with the firing of the (unpaid) hosts and the format flip, but Adell said it was purely a business move. “[T]he format was no longer profitable and only attracted about 2,100 listeners a month, an abysmally small audience for a radio station. When you look at it, no one supported it. I couldn’t get the community to support it.” 
Many news/talk stations broker weekend hours to professionals who host ask-the-expert shows to attract new clients.
the history making adventure of a lifetime, blowing the lid off the Iran-Contra scandal and almost taking down the Reagan presidency.” Former New York Times bureau chief Stephen Kinzer states, “During the 1980s and 1990s, Cookie Hood was the single driving force behind the most successful television coverage of Central America that appeared across the United States. ‘Journalista’ is a series of stories over four decades in the making and will entrance each listener to the realities of what really happened during that time.”
It looks like the podcast business is hitting those ever-present speedbumps.
The show helps financial advisors and investors with the five personal finance topics that matter most: Longevity, Retirement Security, Exponential Technologies, Blockchain & Digital Assets, and Health & Wellness.” Edelman is a New York Times bestselling author of 12 books on personal finance and won “book of the year” awards from the Institute for Financial Literacy and the Society of Business Writers. The podcast is available on-demand globally across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube and TheTAYF.com.
last 9 years. Being your voice, using my platform to speak up for you, to take on the powerful, the connected, the politicians, has been the greatest honor of my professional life. You have responded with incredible ratings and support of our advertisers that stood behind me. In the process we have formed an unbreakable bond. In the end, the show was always about us. In a battle together. I also want to thank those of you who have written letters in support of me the last 3 weeks. I was so moved by the outcry demanding this beautiful thing we’ve forged together keep going at the place we made it happen. If you want the answers why it will not occur, that’s a question for Urban One. We have some amazing things coming soon! Our bond is so much bigger than any singular platform or frequency. You have proven that in recent weeks. I can’t wait to tell you all about our new opportunities together in the near future. In the meantime, thank you for all YOU have given to me the last 9 years. Your loyalty and dedication allowed me to live out my boyhood dream. I will never be able to thank you enough.” Kendall hasn’t publicized his plans for the future but appears to be leaning toward a digital platform as he’s continuing to post Indiana and Indianapolis news via social media.
and content for iHeart’s My Cultura podcast network. The first show from the collaboration will debut early 2026 featuring MLB’s 2025 Comeback Player of the Year and Rimas talent Ronald Acuña Jr. My Cultura Podcast Network head Leo Gomez states, “Sports aren’t just something the Latino community watches, it’s something we live. Sports are part of the culture, heritage and legacy that is woven into who we are. Partnering with Rimas Sports on amazing audio content curated by Bad Bunny and his team will allow us to bring sports and pop-culture icons like Ronald to listeners everywhere and share richer stories about how Latinos experience, elevate and redefine sports every day.”
said, “Having our meaningful discussions about world and local issues, as well as more mundane issues with you has been one of the highlights of my career.” In a piece posted to KDKA’s website, the station says Moore’s health and mobility issues, combined with the recent winter weather forced him to consider his future. “‘The Moore of Pittsburgh’ has been a local weekend staple since 1994 and Chris has provided countless hours of entertaining radio that made listeners smile, think and participate.” Moore is also the founder and co-chairperson of the educational committee of the Frank Bolden Urban Journalism Workshop of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation where a Chris Moore Internship was named in his honor in 2024.
infamous and fascinating lesser-known crimes through firsthand accounts from those who investigated, prosecuted, and survived them. No Googled stories or AI scripts. Details you will hear nowhere else, from the people who are free to discuss what really happened in Vegas.” Harris says her first episode asks, “Who’s the guy in the barrel that was found in Lake Mead? I speak to the cold case detective who worked the case, and a journalist who grew up with the guy who just might be in the barrel!”
contract dispute Urban One management but he’s not exactly sure why. Kendall’s contract expired in October and his attorney Jay Kanzler says the problem is not about money. He tells the Star, “It’s not like he walked in there and demanded more money. People are scratching their heads.” Kendall began speaking with management prior to his October contract date asking “to discuss new marketing ideas and flexibility in his role in a challenging radio industry.” When those efforts failed, he hired Kanzler who reached out to management. But, Kendall and Kanzler say neither of them have heard back from the company.