FCC Chair Carr Underscores Broadcasters’ “Public Interest” Duty
During last week’s testimony before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, FCC Chair Brendan Carr addressed, among other things, broadcasters’ obligation to serving the public interest. This comes as he is being accused by critics of using the power of the Commission to influence content. Carr testified, “The FCC is
working to empower local broadcasters to serve the public interest and meet the needs of their communities. As Congress, the Supreme Court, and the FCC have all made clear, broadcasters are different than every other distributor of media. Specifically, broadcasters are required by both the Communications Act and the terms of their FCC-issued licenses to operate in the public interest. This sets them apart from cable channels, podcasts, streaming services, social media, and countless other types of distributors that have no public interest obligation. The FCC’s broadcast hoax rule, its news distortion policy, its political equal opportunity regulation, its prohibition on obscene, indecent, and profane content, its localism requirements – all of those and more apply uniquely to broadcasters. Congress has instructed the FCC to enforce public interest requirements on broadcasters. The FCC should do exactly that.
“Television broadcasters have this public interest obligation because the government has given them the unique privilege of using a scarce national resource – the public airwaves – and in doing so has necessarily excluded others that might want to broadcast their own programming over that same spectrum. That is why they are required to serve, not just their own narrow interest, but the public interest, including the needs of their local communities.
“To ensure that broadcasters can meet their public interest obligations, the FCC has taken a number of actions, including seeking public comment for the first time in more than 15 years on the relationship between the large, national programmers on the one hand and the many local broadcast television stations on the other. Comments in that proceeding suggest that many local broadcasters are concerned that the national programmers have amassed enormous power and influence in recent years and have made it more challenging for local broadcasters to fulfill their public interest obligations. The FCC is going to continue its efforts to empower local broadcasters to meet their public interest obligations.”
news/talk WGBF-AM, Evansville, Indiana at the end of the broadcast day on December 31. The company clearly isn’t getting the returns it wants on the operation of the station. The story indicates that the signal is up for sale but it’s unclear if there is any interest in the station that was launched in 1923 by the Finke Furniture company. The calls stand for G.B. Finke. 
operations Mark Sullivan comments, “Andrea and I have worked alongside each other for decades and shared in many successes together. She has a long track record of driving results for our Lexington stations, rooted in her passion for the business and service to the community, our advertisers, listeners, and employees. This is a well-deserved opportunity for her, and I’m looking forward to her success in this new role as VP/market manager.” Ayers says, “I’m truly honored to accept the role of VP/market manager for Cumulus Lexington. I’m excited to bring my experience and passion to the table and work alongside such a talented group to drive growth, strengthen relationships, and deliver exceptional results.”
appreciate this real estate, and your feedback.
morning radio show with co-hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious and Loren LoRosa. Charlamagne Tha God comments, “When it comes to iHeartMedia, gratitude will always be my attitude. They’ve created space for me to grow not just as talent, but as an executive and true partner through The Black Effect Podcast Network. To say that I’m thankful is an understatement. iHeart is the biggest and best audio company on the planet and audio is the foundation on which the whole media conglomerate will be built. Podcasting, live events, TV/film and documentaries, the sky is the limit for where we are going; and radio will always be at the core of it. Here’s to a new era of growth, impact, and prosperity.”
WNYM in 2014. Salem Media New York general manager Laura Sheaffer says, “Joe Piscopo remains one of the most dynamic talents in New York radio. His authenticity and connection with our listeners are extraordinary and extending his presence on ‘AM 970 The Answer’ was an easy decision. Joe continues to raise the bar every single morning.” Piscopo comments, “Our audience relies on us for honesty, respect, and straight talk about the issues that matter, and that trust means the world to me. And let’s be honest – only in New York do you wake up at 3:00 am and call it show business! I’m honored, grateful, and excited to keep sharing these mornings with such an amazing audience.”
regions. President of community markets John Karpinski says, “Mark and Jeff consistently demonstrate exceptional leadership in developing business, cultivating long-standing client relationships, and building high-performing sales teams. Their strategic vision and deep understanding of our business will be instrumental as we continue to invest in our people and platforms. I am excited to see the impact they will have across even more markets.” Additionally, Marshal Burgess, currently president of the Portland market, is promoted to region president of the Pacific Northwest Area expanding his responsibilities to include Seattle, Portland, and Spokane. Division president Nick Gnau states, “Marshal has been a cornerstone of iHeart’s success in the Pacific Northwest, consistently driving growth and fostering strong relationships throughout the region. With a deep understanding of the business and a proven leadership track record, he is well-positioned to lead the region and drive success.”
Chicago sports radio hosts Chris Bleck & Adam Abdalla airing from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET. Jim Rome remains in the 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET daypart, followed by “BetMGM Tonight” with Brad Evans and Pat Boyle from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm ET. Finally, “Westwood One Sports Night” will be hosted by Lynnell Willingham and Josh Graham airing from 11:00 pm to 3:00 am ET. SVP of sports | content & audience Bruce Gilbert states, “With our partners at Audacy, we’ve assembled a group of diverse and passionate sports voices committed to covering the biggest sports stories with opinions, expert analysis, and fan interaction. This lineup will highlight the biggest stories and provide timely information that is fresh, fun, and fan focused.”
call the final two games of the regular season and the playoffs. Papa has been off the air this fall as he battles leukemia. While Papa still must go through chemotherapy and receive a bone marrow transplant, his doctors have cleared him to return to the booth to broadcast games.
Chicago area were encouraged to submit an entry for a chance to win a $10,000 media campaign and feature on WBBM-AM’s “Made in Chicago” news segment. Based on the originality, persuasiveness and creativity of their submission, Kikwetu Coffee Company takes home the Grand Prize that includes a media package consisting of a 1 minute 30 second “Made in Chicago” news feature and web article, plus the production and 60 runs of a custom 30-second commercial scheduled to air in February. Runners-up were Presto Real Estate Services and Palmer Florist Inc. and they are being awarded a media campaign valued at $2,500.
announcement via a post on X, saying: “I will be leaving my position with the FBI in January. I want to thank President Trump, AG Bondi, and Director Patel for the opportunity to serve with purpose. Most importantly, I want to thank you, my fellow Americans, for the privilege to serve you. God bless America, and all those who defend Her.” President Trump commented on Bongino’s departure saying, “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.” Now, the speculation begins as most industry watchers expect Bongino to return to the conservative talk media ecosystem, where will he resume his media career?
independent one because commissioners can be removed by the president. Numerous news organizations pointed out that the mission statement on the FCC’s website described it as an independent agency – until yesterday afternoon when the website was apparently updated to reflect Carr’s testimony. Numerous news outlets also pointed to Carr himself describing the agency as independent as recently as April of 2021. When questioned about the FCC regulating content, Carr said that he believes political satire is protected speech but he added that broadcast television and radio stations are held to a “public interest” standard that the FCC is required by law to enforce.
Jennings, CNN political commentator and longtime conservative strategist, who expands his current SRN program to 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET. Salem Media SVP of content Phil Boyce comments, “This is an important moment for Salem. Salem has earned the trust of conservative audiences for decades, and we don’t take that lightly. Scott Jennings and Alex Marlow each bring a distinct voice, a rare 
ability to engage audiences, and real seriousness to the conversation. Together, they will carry the Salem legacy forward.” Meanwhile, “The Charlie Kirk Show” will continue as a podcast on Salem Podcast Network, and Salem Media will maintain its relationship with Turning Point USA. Executive producer Andrew Kolvet will continue as co-host of the podcast show. He says, “Salem has been so gracious through this process and even encouraged us to continue broadcasting the show on the Salem Radio Network. While ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’ team is excited to continue the live show and podcast in other venues, ultimately we agreed that Alex and Scott were the perfect hosts to take over on the radio portion. Both are great friends and extremely talented broadcasters. We are also grateful that Salem Media Reps will continue to represent and sell the time inside the show. While some of the details around how we want to distribute the show will change, our friendship and trust in Salem does not.”
been an instrumental voice on OutKick, across FOX News Media, and for women across this country. I am thrilled that she will be part of our new expansion and provide a unique and fresh perspective on everything from culture trends to current affairs and continue to be a leading voice for young conservative women.” Gaines comments, “I started this journey of simply saying men shouldn’t play in women’s sports and OutKick and FOX News Media have supported me from day one. They provided me a platform to bring national attention to the transgender issue in sports and ignite change that will forever protect women living out their dreams in athletics. I’m beyond excited to launch my new show that will cover a variety of topics and highlight the stories of women who are fighting alongside with me.”
1972. The company was headed by Dr. Jerrel Jones, who passed recently. His daughter, current owner and president Mary Ellen Jones, says, “My parents built The Milwaukee Courier and WNOV to give Milwaukee’s Black community a voice when few existed. Passing that responsibility forward was not taken lightly. Civic Media is committed to honoring that legacy while investing in the future of trusted media.” The company says that Dr. Robert “Biko” Baker will join as operations manager for both the radio station and newspaper. Civic Media CEO Sage Weil comments, “Acquiring The Milwaukee Courier and WNOV is both an opportunity and a responsibility. These are trusted institutions with deep roots in Milwaukee, and our role is to steward that legacy while investing in their future – modernizing operations, expanding digital reach, and ensuring they continue to serve the community with integrity. We’re proud to have Dr. Robert ‘Biko’ Baker lead this work.”
and #2 in most past surveys – are gone from the ranker entirely. With that change, iHeartRadio’s “Stuff You Should Know” is the new #1, with Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” at #2. Other changes for talk radio-related podcasts include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Shawn Ryan Show” rising five places to #4, Cumulus Podcast Network’s “VINCE” climbing two places to #10, and iHeartRadio’s “The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show” moving up seven places to #11. 
UW-Green Bay’s men’s basketball team – says he will step away from his radio program in order to focus on his coaching duties. During his post-game press conference yesterday, Gottlieb said of his radio show, “As of now, we’re going to take a break from it. I’ve got to have a life. I’ve got to be there for these kids. I’ve got to really dig in because we’re building something cool here.” 
controller. Coury has been overseeing the company’s treasury operations, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and traffic functions. Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley says, “John’s leadership, strategic insight, and strong financial acumen have been instrumental in strengthening our company’s financial foundation. His dedication and expertise will continue to play an important role in advancing Beasley’s fiscal efficiency and long-term growth.”
president of news/talk for Cumulus Media for nine years. Cumulus Media chief content officer Brian Philips states, “Bill is an esteemed leader, teacher and journalist. He possesses intellect, a gift for talent development and strict high standards. It has been our good fortune to work in the trenches with Bill during the overheated recent news cycle. Bill will always be our trusted advisor. We wish Bill great things in retirement and thank him for his uncountable accomplishments with Cumulus Media and our high-performing news/talk stations – particularly for his work programming our news/talk flagship, WMAL. His legacy is forever secure.” Hess comments, “I am grateful for these 48 years in the business I love, programming both music and spoken-word stations, and working with the most exciting and entertaining teams in radio. Concluding with the past 15 years at WMAL and Cumulus Media has been a true highlight.”
Murder,” “Joe and Jada,” “Dear Chelsea” with Chelsea Handler and “This Is Important” with “Workaholics” stars Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson. iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman states, “Audio podcasting has been the fastest-growing medium over the past 20 years, and now we’re thrilled to expand that experience with an exciting new category – video podcasts. Netflix has a leading video-first service, and this partnership perfectly complements our strong audio foundation. Working with Netflix – an important leader in entertainment – gives fans one more way to connect with the personalities they love and opens the door to new audiences, including viewers discovering these shows for the first time.”
the multiyear deal, the Newsmax channel will continue to be available in YouTube TV’s Base Package. Newsmax SVP of distribution Andy Biggers says, “This agreement keeps Newsmax, the fastest growing cable network in the U.S., on YouTube TV, the fastest growing pay TV platform in the U.S., for years to come. YouTube TV have been great partners, and we look forward to continuing to grow together.”
says, “This interactive session brings together four distinguished executives representing key areas across today’s audio landscape, offering attendees an opportunity to learn practical leadership skills, modern management strategies, and actionable insights for navigating a rapidly evolving industry.” Panelists will include: Erik Hellum, chief operating officer, Townsquare Media Group; Dara M. Kalvort, VP of digital sales, StreamGuys; Kieran Geffert, SVP and market manager, Audacy San Francisco; and Mary Boyle, VP & general manager, WGN Radio Chicago – Nexstar Media Inc. 
rate increases. Cumulus argued, “Nielsen, a monopolist engaging in anticompetitive behavior, holds all of the power during contract negotiations, resulting in an unequal bargaining dynamic that is ripe for retaliation. For example, Nielsen can and has raised its rates significantly during negotiations. 
If identifying information is revealed to Nielsen’s businesspeople, Nielsen can retaliate with additional rate increases, resulting in manifest injustice to these third parties actively involved or who will be involved in negotiations with Nielsen.” After denying Cumulus’ request on December 4, Cumulus filed a supplemental brief and on December 15 Judge Jeannette Vargas agreed with Cumulus, writing, “Cumulus has established that sufficient countervailing factors – in particular, the privacy interests of these non-party declarants, the lack of bearing these narrowly tailored redactions have on the merits of this action, and the non-party declarants’ susceptibility to economic retaliation – outweigh the strong presumption in favor of public access to judicial documents.” 
Carr. Facing regulatory scrutiny, the San Francisco Bay Area station demoted well-regarded journalists and sharply curtailed its political coverage for months. As pressure has eased, KCBS has gradually resumed more ambitious reporting, reflecting tensions between regulatory oversight and editorial independence.” Carr accused the station of failing to operate in the public interest and threatened an investigation. This was enough for Audacy management to back off its reporting. Tau writes, “KCBS demoted a well-liked anchor and dialed back on political programming, people said. For months, reporters were dissuaded from pursuing political or controversial topics and instead encouraged to focus on human interest stories, according to the current and former staffers.” The piece notes that anchor Bret Burkhart, the one to first present the ICE actions on the radio, was demoted. He eventually left the station for another position.