Monday Memo: Read The Room
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
This is not about politics. This is about change, and listening to listeners.
The dust is still settling. But, as you might have, I spent election night surfing news channels. I probably landed most often on FOX News, where Karoline Leavitt’s punditry debut was more resigned than her undaunted press secretary persona. Donald Trump had won twice as a change candidate. As the big story was unfolding, MS Now’s Chris Hayes called change FROM Trump “an expression of exhaustion.”
Georgia elected the USA’s first Black woman governor, New Mexico elected the first Native American woman governor, and a Latina will govern Texas; where her fellow Democrat won the most-watched/most-expensive-ever Senate race there. Reliably-red Kansas turned-out an incumbent Republican to send the Senate its first-ever megachurch pastor and Michigan is sending a Muslim. The Senate also gets its first Native American woman and first openly gay member, and Alabama – Alabama! – sends an openly trans woman to Congress. There are dozens of other stories, and two senate races not yet won in which Democrats lead.
In the month before election day, FOX News posted the biggest year-over-year ratings drop any of the three major cable news networks has suffered during a comparable pre-election month in the past decade. Although FOX News still led both, CNN’s primetime adults 25-54 audience was up 40% percent, and MS Now’s grew 30%.
Premiere Networks host Jesse Kelly told The Guardian: “Honestly, it was easy radio, easy podcasting, easy TV to just sit down and just powder Trump’s butt all day long. That’s what the audience wanted to hear. But like any other politician, same for all of them, you don’t stay hot forever. It’s not possible. No matter what, we’re nearing the end of the Trump era because his last term’s almost over and people are going to start looking around for the next guy.”
In that same report, TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison: “Anybody who is in radio and who plans to be in radio for a very long time has got to – or eventually learns – that the carpet is going to be pulled out from you eventually, with switching circumstances and public opinion.”
On Election Day afternoon, we got fresh 6+ numbers from big markets. Often public radio is beating noisier commercial news/talk stations.
Now what? Relevance to listeners’ day-to-day lives is imperative. Talk dollars-and-sense. Own your market’s weather image. Say “you” and “your” more than “I” and “me” – less monologue, more dialogue. Make the audience the show. Stations I work with are inviting voice texts, which don’t ask busy callers to wait on hold.
All-Christmas-music stations will do well.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
named the interim host of FOX News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” – beginning this Sunday (9/27) through the weekend after the November midterm elections (11/8). A new host will be named at a late date. Kudlow succeeds Maria Bartiromo, who exited FBN and FNC earlier this month. Kudlow served as the director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for economic policy under President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2021.
evening (9/22) at 8:00 pm ET. Bush currently hosts the digital show “Hot Mics with Billy Bush.” He was working for “Access Hollywood” in 2005 when he infamously caught Donald Trump on a hot mic saying about women that he could “grab ‘em by the p*ssy,” and that “when you’re a star, they let you do it.” Trump subsequently said the recording was fake. Regarding his new gig, Bush says, “I’m excited to join FOX News Media and its loyal audience to share my perspective on the people, ideas and moments shaping today’s culture…. as well as the ones trying to undo it!”
News Channel are covering the event. Salem Radio Network vice president of news & talk programming Tom Tradup says, “Our city is rolling out the red carpet for the convention delegates and journalists who will be covering them.” Tradup says coverage will include a keynote address by President Donald Trump, speeches by Vice President JD Vance and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson among others.
conservative hosts across America as he offers encouraging commentary to growing national concerns among Republicans about the Democrats flipping an all-important Senate seat in the traditionally red Lone Star State. Yesterday’s installment of the highly rated “Clay Travis & Buck Sexton” Show featured an in-depth interview with Berry (a.k.a. The Czar of Talk) about the Texas Senate race between AG Ken Paxton and James Talarico, who President Donald Trump has taken to calling “Talacreepo.” 
generated a lot of buzz on YouTube and social media as the complete interview aired on Cohen’s WABC program at 5:00 pm on Sunday (8/23). Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for lying to congress and failing to report millions in income and testified against Trump in congress and in court. 
income testified against Trump in congress and in court. But Cohen says he’s spoken with Trump several times over the past year and the president agreed to do the interview. WABC says, “The coming-together of these two political heavyweights comes at a particularly intriguing time. Cohen and Trump have been publicly at odds for years, making this unexpected sit-down impossible to ignore. Whatever the answer, Cohen interviewing Trump is sure to generate attention and plenty of questions about what happened to one of the most complicated relationships in modern politics.”
(1/20) on make his debut on FOX News Channel’s “Hannity.” Priebus is a former Republican National Committee chairman and served as White House chief of staff to Donald Trump in 2017. He currently is president of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, chairman of Michael Best Strategies and is a senior adviser to Centerview Partners. He also holds roles on President Trump’s Intelligence Advisory and Oversight boards.
Trump’s historic Executive Order on artificial intelligence promotes America’s leadership in AI and advances our nation’s economic and national security interests. It does so by targeting excessive state regulations that would not only hold America back but insert ideological bias into AI models. President Trump’s decisive action also ensures a policy framework that protects children, prevents online censorship, respects copyrights, and safeguards communities. The FCC welcomes President’s Trump’s direction that the agency initiate a proceeding to determine whether to adopt a Federal reporting and disclosure standard for AI models that preempts conflicting State laws.”
Let’s discuss how CBS’s $16 million settlement became a warning shot for every talk host, editor, and content creator with a mic.
move to appease the Administration and secure regulatory approval of a major transaction currently pending before the FCC. For months, it has been clear that this lawsuit was entirely meritless, just like the complaint now before the Commission. The transcript and video of the 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Harris show no evidence of wrongdoing, only the standard editorial judgments used across the news industry to ensure clarity and brevity. Had Paramount chosen to fight this in court, they would have prevailed on the facts and the law. But instead of standing on principle, Paramount opted for a payout. That decision now casts a long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before the FCC. Given the extraordinary public interest in this deal, the novel legal questions raised by the lawsuit and its resolution, and the repeated calls from lawmakers for transparency, I once again urge the FCC to bring this matter before the full Commission for a vote. Approving this transaction behind closed doors and under the cover of bureaucratic process would be a shameful outcome that denies the American people the transparency and accountability they deserve, especially when press freedom is at stake.”
radio services report in 27 languages serving audiences in 23 countries. On Thursday (3/27), the Trump administration reversed course and restored funding for the news organization two days after a federal judge temporarily blocked the closure saying the president can’t dismantle the organization created by Congress. According to a report in The New York Times, the administration also reinstated 33 employees at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting that targets Cuba’s Communist government. 
election, its reporting on the origins of the coronavirus in China, and the investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia during his first term. U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) told Maher, “You guys were 0-for-3 on three of the biggest stories in the country.” Maher was also pressed by U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) about comments she made before she was CEO of NPR in which she called Donald Trump a sociopath, a racist and deranged and asked how she could helm a news organization with that kind of inherent bias. She replied, “There is strong firewall between me and the newsroom,” and said her political thinking and personal worldview have changed in recent years, adding, “I regret those tweets; I would not tweet them again today.” The story notes that Maher said she “respected” the lawmakers’ concerns and promised NPR is doing more under her watch to “beef up our editorial standards” and “make sure we have more points of view reflected in every story.” 
unnecessary regulatory burdens. This follows President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14192 titled, “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation” and Executive Order 14219 titled “Ensuring Lawful Governance And Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative.” FCC Chairman Carr says, “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Administration is unleashing a new wave of economic opportunity by ending the regulatory onslaught from Washington. For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired. This only creates headwinds and slows down our country’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The FCC is committed to ending all of the rules and regulations that are no longer necessary. And we welcome the public’s participation and feedback throughout this process. The American people expect and deserve a government that will efficiently deliver great results. We are committed to doing exactly that at the FCC.” 
pm to 10:00 pm ET with 37,895,000 viewers across the 15 networks that televised the address. This year’s audience was up over 13% compared with the 32.2 million viewers that watched President Biden’s State of the Union address in 2024. Breaking down Tuesday’s audience by age, 5.7% of viewers were aged 18-34; 20.5% of viewers were aged 35-54; and 70.7% of viewers were aged 55 and older. 
should have the right to handpick the journalists who cover them. Doing so gives them license to select only news outlets whose coverage they deem positive and exclude responsible journalists whose reporting, although fair and accurate, the administration may not like. We call on the Trump administration to reverse this decision without delay so that the American people, and the world, can be assured they are getting a complete and accurate account of the activities of the President of the United States. This is especially critical during times of crisis.”
by a political appointee instead of a career agent. The role of the deputy director is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the bureau’s law enforcement. The Journal also reports that new FBI director Kash Patel had “offered Republican senators private assurances that he would name a special agent with bureau experience” in order to provide “operational expertise and experience.” The FBI Agents Association has made no public statement so far. Cumulus Media issued the following statement: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dan Bongino on his decision to take on the role of deputy director of the FBI. Dan has entertained and informed tens of millions of listeners every day and we are grateful for our successful partnership. We look forward to welcoming Dan back in the future. We truly value our audience, advertisers, and affiliates and remain dedicated to bringing them the next exciting chapter for this programming soon. Dan’s last show will be Friday, March 14.”
a 52% increase with viewers and 58% increase in the 25-54 demo compared to Hannity’s 2025 average and saw a 129% increase with viewers compared to the same day last year. The FOX News exclusive secured nearly 70% of the cable news audience at 9:00 pm ET and was the highest-rated episode of “Hannity” in 2025 aside from Inauguration Day. According to YouTube analytics and Emplifi, FOX News drove 20.5 million video views across YouTube, TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook.
executive branch and must therefore: “(1) submit draft regulations for White House review—with no carve-out for so-called independent agencies, except for the monetary policy functions of the Federal Reserve; and (2) consult with the White House on their priorities and strategic plans, and the White House will set their performance standards. The Office of Management and Budget will adjust so-called independent agencies’ apportionments to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely. The President and the Attorney General (subject to the President’s supervision and control) will interpret the law for the executive branch, instead of having separate agencies adopt conflicting interpretations.” The order also argues that since the president is elected by the people and all agencies are accountable to the American people, therefore the president represents the will of the people. Critics of the move are questioning the constitutionality of the order and some expect this matter will be decided by the courts. 