The most discussed stories over the weekend (5/9-10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
One of the most popular panel discussions of the annual TALKERS conference – “The Big Picture” – will again be featured at the forthcoming 28th installment of the talk media industry’s longest running and most important national gathering. Moderated by TALKERS publisher/founder Michael Harrison (pictured here) and featuring a remarkable, diverse lineup of industry luminaries, the session tackles the major issues – social, political, 
technological, and financial – facing the talk media business in the current environment of rapid change. Described as the fastest-moving 40 minutes in the broadcasting conference arena, this year’s panelists will include (in alphabetical order): Steve Jones, president, CEO & chairman, Skyview Networks; Chad Lopez, president, WABC, New York / Red Apple Audio Networks; Frank Morano, member, New York City Council / former host, WABC, New York; Chris Olivero, Chief Business Officer, Audacy; Tavis Smiley, owner/host, KBLA, Los Angeles; and Rich Valdés, host, “This Is America with Rich Valdés.” The session will take place between 2:20 pm and 3:00 pm at TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter on Friday, June 5 on the campus of Hofstra University on Long Island. Harrison states, “This rapid-fire session of heavyweights ties it all together in terms of trying to make sense of the uncertainties we presently face in the talk media business.” For more information about TALKERS 2026: Radio’s Next Chapter, please click here.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (5/4-8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (5/6) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (5/5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (5/4) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend (5/2-3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (4/27-5/1) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/29) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/28) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/27) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend (4/25-26) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (4/20-24) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The latest court filing in the Cumulus v Nielsen monopolistic practices suit tells the court it is no longer asking it to prevent harm, it’s asking the court to recognize that the harm has already happened. The filing states: “After a three-day evidentiary hearing, the District Court ruled for Cumulus, finding that Nielsen’s unlawful tying would irreparably injure
Cumulus’s relationships with advertisers, goodwill, and market share, and push it towards financial collapse. The District Court accordingly enjoined Nielsen’s anticompetitive conduct. 
Nielsen’s brief attacks those findings as speculative, asserting that Cumulus never showed any real risk of bankruptcy or any other non-compensable harm, but one of those irreparable harms has now come to pass: After a motions panel stayed the injunction, Cumulus declared bankruptcy—citing “the Nielsen network tying policy” as a significant contributing cause. The other harms identified by the District Court remain today and have become increasingly urgent, as Cumulus will lose access to Nationwide this September.” TALKERS associate publisher and Harrison Media Law senior partner Matthew B. Harrison comments, “Cumulus has fundamentally shifted the posture of this case. What began as a forward-looking claim of irreparable harm is now being presented as a realized outcome, following its Chapter 11 filing. The appellate court is no longer being asked to prevent potential damage, but to assess whether the harm that has already occurred can be attributed to Nielsen’s challenged conduct — or to broader economic pressures facing the radio industry.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/22) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The Chicago Tribune’s Robert Channick writes a piece about Audacy’s all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago dealing with the task of replacing the top-of-the-hour CBS News that will cease in May. In the piece, brand manager and news director Craig Schwalb isn’t tipping his hand on what the station will do once CBS News is gone for good. He says “all options are on the table.” TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison is quoted in the piece noting that WBBM faces a “high bar” replacing a
newscast that some 700 stations respected enough to put on their air. Schwalb tells the Tribune, “Conversations have been going on since the announcement, and I think we get closer and closer to a decision every day. But we have to be very careful and be very diligent about making sure the product that we select is going to make sense from a listener perspective and a revenue perspective as well… CBS has been a great top-of-the-hour news piece for a long time, but it’s a very small percentage of what we do in a given hour between business, traffic and weather together on the eights, local news – the strongest local newsroom in Chicago radio.” Read the Tribune story here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/21) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/20) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend (4/18-19) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (4/13-17) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/15) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
U.S.-Israel-Iran War / Israel’s Lebanon Attacks
Trump-Vance vs The Pope
Trump Threatens Jerome Powell
New Jersey Special Election
Labor Secretary Investigation
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/14) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
U.S.-Israel-Iran War / U.S. Blockade
Trump-Vance vs The Pope
Looming Expiration of FISA 702
Swalwell & Gonzales Exit Congress
Trump Threatens to Fire Jerome Powell
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/13) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories over the weekend (4/11-12) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Iran Negotiations / U.S. to Blockade Strait of Hormuz
Swalwell Scandal
Trump vs The Pope / Trump-as-Christ AI Post
Orban Ousted
Epstein Files-Melania
By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Media Law, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer
The rise of independent, talk show-style political commentary on YouTube has created a new class of media actors who do not see themselves as broadcasters, journalists, or publishers. They see themselves as creators. That distinction is real in terms of identity, tone, and platform. It is not real where it matters most: liability.
The difference exists in how the work is produced and presented. It disappears the moment the content is published.
In practice, these creators are engaging in acts that courts have long recognized as publication. They are selecting topics, framing narratives, editing clips, and distributing content to large audiences. Those decisions are not neutral. They are editorial.
The absence of FCC regulation in this space has created a persistent misunderstanding. Traditional broadcasters operate under a regulatory framework that includes licensing and content restrictions. Independent creators do not. But the lack of FCC oversight does not reduce exposure. It removes one layer of regulation while leaving the core legal risk fully intact.
Defamation law applies equally to both groups. A false statement of fact about a real person that causes reputational harm can give rise to liability whether it is spoken on a licensed radio station or uploaded to a monetized YouTube channel. The standards may differ depending on whether the subject is a public or private figure, but the underlying obligation remains the same: accuracy matters.
There is no YouTube exception. There is no creator carveout. The law does not care how the content was distributed, what the platform calls you, or how you see yourself. It cares who made the statement, who chose to publish it, and whether it was false.
The structure of YouTube content introduces additional risk. Many creators rely on rapid production cycles and clip-based commentary. This increases the likelihood of error, particularly when context is compressed or omitted. Editing choices that seem minor from a production standpoint can materially change meaning, which is precisely the type of conduct that courts examine in defamation and false light claims.
Monetization further complicates the analysis. Revenue from ads, memberships, or sponsorships strengthens the argument that content is commercial in nature. That does not eliminate First Amendment protections, but it can influence how a court evaluates intent and reasonableness.
There is also a tendency to assume that platform norms provide a form of protection. If a piece of content is allowed to remain online, or even promoted by an algorithm, it can feel implicitly validated. That assumption is misplaced. Platform enforcement decisions are not legal determinations. They are business judgments.
The most important point is simple and often overlooked. Liability does not turn on intent. It turns on what was said, whether it was false, and whether reasonable steps were taken to verify it.
The platform may change how content looks. It may change how fast it spreads. It may change who gets to participate.
It does not change the consequences of getting it wrong.
Time passes. Technology and fancy packaging change. Exposure and liability do not.
Matthew B. Harrison is a media and intellectual property attorney who advises talk show 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.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (4/6-10) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/7) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
The most discussed stories yesterday (4/6) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Health/lifestyle syndicated talk media star and ringside physician, Asa Andrew, M.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Asa) finds himself strategically positioned at the dynamic intersection of radio and wrestling as TNA Wrestling announces a collaboration that will integrate its premium live events, weekly television programming, digital platforms, and fan experiences across iHeartMedia’s formidable audio network. Dr. Asa has achieved 
TALKERS “Heavy Hundred” national prominence for years, originally launching his daily three-hour “The Dr. Asa Show” on its flagship radio affiliate, iHeart’s WLAC, Nashville. Andrew has subsequently and simultaneously returned to his roots as a professional wrestler and recently joined TNA Wrestling as the company’s ringside physician and head of sports medicine.
Andrew tells TALKERS, “I am excited to see these two entertainment and media giants come together. Finally, my two passions are aligning synergistically. TNA Wrestling has seen immense expansion this year as its president Carlos Silva led the company into one of its largest growth periods. This includes a major TV network deal with AMC for our weekly live show, ‘Thursday Night iMPACT!,’ as well as filling up arenas in major cities across America with record breaking crowds. Now – from the radio, TV, and podcast studio to the professional wrestling ring – talk media’s ‘America’s Health Coach’ and professional wrestling’s ‘Ringside Physician’ Dr. Asa has a significant cross-section of his brand in one place.”
As part of the agreement, iHeartMedia will serve as the presenting sponsor of the TNA Wrestling Pay-Per-View Pre-Show for all remaining 2026 premium live events. The integration will feature prominent brand visibility across broadcast graphics, in-arena announcements and event marketing. On TNA’s flagship weekly television program, “Thursday Night iMPACT!,” airing nationally on AMC, and streaming on AMC+ in the U.S., and worldwide on TNA+, iHeartMedia will receive premium broadcast integration including sponsorship of the LED Walkout Ramp, one of the most visually recognizable elements of TNA’s live events and television presentations.
Check out Dr. Asa, the ringside physician, in action
Dr. Asa had to respond a real-life medical emergency during a recent TNA World Championship match in New Orleans between current standard bearer Mike Santana and challenger, “Bulletproof” Steve Maclin. Maclin took a superkick and Santana connected with the left side of his jaw almost knocking him out and delivering an instant concussion (as immediately evaluated by referee Alice Lane). Dr. Asa‘s instincts were equally quick as he was sliding into the ring while referee Lane was throwing up the X sign. That’s when a referee crosses the two forearms to make an X. It signals there is a serious injury and the match needs to pause until a medical doctor can evaluate the wrestler to see if the match is to be stopped or can continue. Dr. Asa made the decision to stop the match, and Maclin was transported to the hospital for further evaluation. Thankfully, Maclin only suffered a mild concussion with slight neck pain and spasm. He should be returning to the ring soon once he is medically cleared. To see a video clip of this incident, please click here.
The most discussed stories over the weekend (4/4-5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (3/30-4/3) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS:
Stories
People
To see the full TALKERS Stories, Topics, and People Charts, please click HERE.