The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Looming Government Shutdown
2. Deadly Michigan Church Attack
3. National Guard to Portland Battle
4. Comey Indictment
5. Russia Attack on Kyiv
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/22-26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Government Shutdown Battle / Firing Threats
2. The Economy / Positive Growth Report
3. ICE Facility Shooting
4. Comey Indicted
5. Trump UN Address
6. Trump vs Kimmel / Kirk Slaying Aftermath
7. Tylenol-Autism Debate
8. SCOTUS OKs Trump FTC Firing
9. Gaza War / Russia-Ukraine War
10.Dem Wins AZ House Seat
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Chuck Schumer / Hakeem Jeffries
3. James Comey / Pam Bondi
4. Greg Abbott
5. Jimmy Kimmel
6. Charlie Kirk / Erika Kirk
7. RFK Jr.
8. Rebecca Kelly Slaughter
9. Benjamin Netanyahu / Vladimir Putin
10. Adelita Grijalva
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/24) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/23) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/22) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Charlie Kirk Memorial
2. The Economy / Fed Rate Cut / Record Dow
3. Kimmel Cancelled / Disney-FCC Controversy
4. Homan Investigation Revealed
5. Canada, UK & Australia Recognize Palestine
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/15-19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Kirk Slaying Aftermath / Public Figure Safety Fears
2. ABC Suspends Kimmel / First Amendment Issues
3. The Economy / Fed Rate Cut
4. Trump Visits UK
5. Israel’s Gaza City Takeover
6. Trump Sues NYTimes
7. ICE Raids / Guard to Memphis
8. Russian Incursion into NATO Airspace
9. Lisa Cook Case
10.Robert Redford Dies
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Charlie Kirk
3. Pam Bondi / Stephen Miller / JD Vance
4. Jimmy Kimmel
5. Barack Obama
6. Jerome Powell
7. Benjamin Netanyahu
8. Vladimir Putin
9. Lisa Cook
10. Robert Redford
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. ABC Suspends Kimmel Show
2. Politicians’ & Media Personalities’ Safety Fears
3. Fed Cuts Interest Rates by a Quarter Percent
4. Trump Visits the UK
5. Israel’s Gaza City Takeover
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/16) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Kirk Slaying Aftermath / Patel Testimony
2. The Economy / Tariffs / Fed Rate Cut
3. Trump Sues NYTimes
4. Trump UK Trip
5. Robert Redford Dies
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/15) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Kirk Slaying Aftermath / Vance Threaten Left-Wing Organizations
2. ICE Raids / Guard to Memphis
3. The Economy / Tariffs / Fed Rate Cut
4. Israel Begins Gaza City Takeover
5. U.S. Hits Venezuelan Drug Boat
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Kirk Slaying Aftermath
2. The Economy / Tariffs / Fed Rate Cut
3. Russia Incursions into NATO Airspace
4. ICE Raids / Guard to Memphis
5. The Emmy Awards
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/8-12) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Charlie Kirk Assassination
2. ICE Raids / Guard to Chicago Threats
3. SCOTUS ICE Ruling
4. The Epstein Files
5. The Economy
6. Lisa Cook Ruling
7. GA Hyundai Plant Raid / U.S.-South Korea Relations
8. Poland Intercepts Russian Drones
9. Israel Attacks Hamas in Qatar
10.France’s Government Implodes
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Charlie Kirk
3. JB Pritzker / Brandon Johnson
4. Jeffrey Epstein
5. Scott Bessent
6. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
7. Lee Jae Myung
8. Vladimir Putin
9. Benjamin Netanyahu
10.Emmanuel Macron
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Charlie Kirk Assassination
2. ICE & Guard Troops in Chicago
3. Harris’ Criticism of Biden
4. Poland Downs Russian Drones
5. The Epstein Files
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/9) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Reports of Weakening Economy
2. Epstein Birthday Note Controversy
3. Lisa Cook Ruling
4. ICE & Guard Troops in Chicago
5. Israel Strikes Hamas in Qatar
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Operation Midway Blitz / SCOTUS ICE Ruling
2. Subpoenaed Epstein Docs Revealed
3. The Economy / Trump’s Trade War
4. Israel Orders Gaza City Evacuation
5. France’s Government Implodes
By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Media Law, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer
Superman just flew into court – not against Lex Luthor, but against Midjourney. Warner Bros. Discovery is suing the AI platform, accusing it of stealing the studio’s crown jewels: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Scooby-Doo, Bugs Bunny, and more.
At first glance, you might shrug. “That’s Warner Bros. vs. Silicon Valley – what does it have to do with my talk media show?” Here’s the answer: everything. If you or your producer are using Midjourney, DALL·E, or Stable Diffusion for logos, promos, or podcast cover art, you’re standing in the same blast radius.
AI Isn’t Neutral Paint
The romance of AI graphics is speed and cost. Need a logo in five minutes? A flyer for a station event? A podcast cover? Fire up an AI tool and you’re done.
But those images don’t come from a blank canvas. They come from models trained on copyrighted works – often without permission. Warner Bros. alleges that Midjourney not only trained on its characters but knowingly let users download knockoff versions.
If Warner wins – or even squeezes a settlement – AI platforms will clamp down. Suddenly, the “free” art you’ve been posting may not just vanish; it may become a liability.
Too Small to Matter? Think Again
Here’s the legal catch: infringement claims don’t scale by size. A podcaster with a Facebook page is just as liable as a network if the artwork copies protected content.
It’s easy to imagine a rival, competitor, or ex-producer spotting an AI-made graphic that looks “too much like” something else – and firing off a takedown. Once that happens, you’re judged not by intent but by what you published.
Unlike FCC guardrails for on-air speech, there’s no regulator to clarify. This is civil court. You versus the claimant – and the billable hours start immediately.
Even Elon Musk Just Got Burned
Neuralink – Elon Musk’s brain-computer startup – just lost its bid to trademark the words “Telepathy” and “Telekinesis.” Someone else filed first.
If Musk’s lawyers can’t secure simple branding terms, what chance does your station or company have if you wait until after launch to file your new show name? Timing isn’t just strategy; it’s survival.
The Playbook
The Bottom Line
AI may feel like a shortcut, but in media law it’s a trapdoor. If Warner Bros. will defend Superman from an AI platform, they won’t ignore your podcast artwork if it looks too much like the Man of Steel.
Big or small, broadcaster or podcaster – if your AI Superman looks like theirs, you’re flying straight into Kryptonite.
Matthew B. Harrison is a media and intellectual property attorney who advises radio hosts, content creators, and creative entrepreneurs. He has written extensively on fair use, AI law, and the future of digital rights. Reach him at Matthew@HarrisonMediaLaw.com or read more at TALKERS.com.
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump’s “War” on Chicago
2. The Epstein Files
3. GA Hyundai Plant Raid
4. Russian Drone Strikes on Ukraine
5. The Economy /Trump’s Trade War
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (9/1-5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Trump Challenges Tariff Ruling
2. Judge Backs Harvard in Grants Case
3. Guard Troops in DC / Other Cities Protest
4. Epstein-Maxwell Victims Testify
5. Trump’s Health
6. Florida Ends Kids Vaccine Requirements
7. The Economy / Fed Policy
8. China Military Parade / Russia-China-India Economic Talks
9. RFK Jr Testimony
10.Russia-Ukraine War
People
1. Donald Trump
2. James Comer
3. Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell
4. Muriel Bowser
5. Allison D. Burroughs
6. Karoline Leavitt
7. Gavin Newsom
8. Ron DeSantis
9. Xi Jinping / Vladimir Putin / Narendra Modi
10.RFK Jr.
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Judge Rules in Favor of Harvard
2. Guard Troops to U.S. Cities
3. Florida Ends Child Vaccine Requirements
4. Epstein-Maxwell Victims Testify
5. Trump Tariffs
The most discussed stories yesterday (9/2) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump to Challenge Tariff Rulings
2. Guard Troops to Cities
3. China Military Parade / Russia-China-India Economic Talks
4. Epstein-Maxwell Hearings
5. Caribbean Drug Vessel Strike
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Troops in DC / Trump vs City Mayors
2. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Meeting / Modi-Putin Talks
3. House Committee Epstein-Maxell Accusers Meeting
4. The Economy / Fed Policy
5. Trump Health
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/25-29) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. The Economy / Fed Policy / Trump-Cook Battle
2. Tariffs on India
3. Troops in DC / Union Station Takeover
4. Deadly Minneapolis School Shooting
5. Redistricting
6. CDC Director Firing / COVID Shots
7. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case
8. Bolton Raid
9. Russia-Ukraine War / Israel’s Gaza Attacks
10.Kelce-Swift Engagement
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
3. Muriel Bowser
4. Stephen Miller
5. Pam Bondi
6. Greg Abbott / Gavin Newsom
7. Susan Monarez
8. Kilmar Abrego Garcia
9. John Bolton
10. Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/27) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Minneapolis School Shooting
2. CDC Director Firing / COVID Shots
3. Troops in DC / Union Station Takeover
4. Trump vs Lisa Cook
5. Russia Attacks on Ukraine
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Lisa Cook Sues Trump Administration
2. Troops in DC / Trumps Teases Baltimore & Chicago
3. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case
4. Tariffs / The Economy
5. Kelce-Swift Engagement
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/25) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump Fires Fed’s Lisa Cook
2. Trump’s Military Takeover of U.S. Cities
3. Israel Attacks Kill Journalists
4. Redistricting
5. ICE Raids / Abrego Garcia Case
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. The Economy / Powell Open to Rate Cuts
2. Guard Troops in DC
3. Raid on John Bolton’s Office
4. Redistricting
5. Abrego Garcia Case
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (8/18-22) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
1. Russia-Ukraine Negotiations
2. Texas & California Redistricting
3. The Economy/Fed Policy
4. Tariffs
5. Federal Takeover of DC
6. The Epstein Files
7. ICE Raids
8. Israel-Gaza War
9. Trump vs The Smithsonian
10.Trump Voting System Criticisms / Newsmax-Dominion Settlement
People
1. Donald Trump
2. Vladimir Putin
3. Volodymyr Zelensky
4. Greg Abbott
5. Gavin Newsom
6. Jerome Powell / Lisa Cook
7. Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell
8. Kristi Noem
9. Pam Bondi
10.Benjamin Netanyahu
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/20) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Russia-Ukraine War Negotiations
2. Texas Redistricting
3. Fed Policy-Trump Demands Cook Resign
4. ODNI Cuts
5. Federal Takeover of DC
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Russia-Ukraine War Meetings
2. Trump vs Smithsonian
3. Guard Troops in DC-Crime Stats Challenge
4. Texas & California Redistricting
5. Security Clearance Revocations
The most discussed stories yesterday (8/18) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump-Zelensky-EU Meeting
2. More Guard Troops to DC
3. The Epstein Files
4. Trump on Mail-In and Voting Machines
5. Newsmax-Dominion Settlement
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Trump-Putin Meeting
2. Guard Troops in DC
3. Texas & California Redistricting
4. The Epstein Files
5. ICE Raids
The most discussed stories over the weekend on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
1. Tariffs Go into Effect
2. Deadly CDC Shooting
3. Trump Federal Takeover of DC
4. Trump-Putin Meeting
5. Israel’s Gaza City Takeover