SiriusXM is offer subscribers coverage of Major League Baseball’s 2026 All-Star Week, with live broadcasts of the 96th All-Star Game, the Home Run Derby, the MLB Draft, and more special programming from Philadelphia. Coverage begins Saturday (7/11) at 1:00 pm ET on the MLB Network Radio channel.
Here are the most talked about stories of the past week (7/6-10) 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.
By Matthew B. Harrison
TALKERS, VP/Associate Publisher
Harrison Legal Group, Senior Partner
Goodphone Communications, Executive Producer
A political candidate sits down for a broadcast interview. The host asks questions. The conversation reaches into policy, personality, controversy, and campaign issues… just another day in the world of talk radio.
To the FCC, depending on the program and the circumstances, it may raise a different question: did the station give one legally qualified candidate a broadcast “use” of its facilities that now triggers equal opportunities for opponents? That question sits at the center of ABC’s dispute with the FCC over “The View,” and it deserves the attention of every broadcaster who books public officials, candidates, advocates, and political personalities.
This is not an article about whether anyone likes “The View.” That is the wrong question. The better question is whether the government should decide, after the fact, that a long-running interview program no longer qualifies as a bona fide news interview program because regulators dislike, distrust, or second-guess its guest selection.
The Equal Opportunities Rule, often called “equal time,” is not the Fairness Doctrine. The Fairness Doctrine is gone. However, equal opportunity requirements remain part of broadcast law. In general terms, when a broadcast station permits a legally qualified candidate to “use” its facilities, opposing legally qualified candidates for the same office may be entitled to comparable opportunity, unless an exemption applies.
One such exemption covers bona fide news interviews.
That exemption matters because it allows broadcasters to cover politics without turning every meaningful candidate interview into a scheduling trap. The law recognizes that a news judgment is different from a campaign favor. A host may interview a candidate because that candidate is newsworthy, controversial, powerful, interesting, or central to a public issue, not because the station has endorsed the campaign.
ABC’s argument is that “The View“ already cleared that hurdle more than two decades ago, when the FCC treated it as a bona fide news interview program. ABC now says the Commission has forced the issue back onto the table and is effectively asking whether the government should dictate which candidates the program may feature. That is why ABC’s filing points beyond daytime television and directly toward talk radio.
Talk radio should not dismiss that warning. The format routinely features candidates and officeholders without immediately inviting every opponent. Sometimes the reason is obvious: one guest is in the news and the others are not. Sometimes the reason is practical: a candidate accepts and the opponent declines. Sometimes the reason is editorial: the host believes one interview will better serve the audience.
Those are normal programming judgments. But if regulators start looking behind those judgments for partisan motive, the risk changes. The question becomes less “Was this guest newsworthy?” and more “Can you prove to the government that your reason was acceptable?” That is a dangerous shift for any medium built around editorial discretion.
This does not mean broadcasters should panic or stop booking candidates. It does mean stations, networks and programs should tighten their habits. Know when a guest is a legally qualified candidate. Understand when an appearance may count as a use. Keep clean records. Preserve the editorial reason for the booking. Make sure producers and hosts know the difference between a campaign appearance, a news interview, and paid political time.
The larger warning is simple: broadcast talk is regulated speech in a way podcasts, YouTube shows, and most streaming programs are not. That distinction already matters for indecency, sponsorship identification, public files, political files, and license obligations. Now it may matter again in the heart of the format itself: who gets invited to talk.
The government should not sit in the producer’s chair. But broadcasters should not pretend the chair is invisible. The best protection is not silence. It is disciplined editorial judgment, documented in real time, applied consistently, and defended as what it is: the broadcaster’s constitutional role in deciding what is newsworthy for its audience.
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@HarrisonLegalGroup.com or read more at TALKERS.com.
Since Urban One transitioned news/talk WBT, Charlotte from its primary broadcast frequency at 1110 AM to 107.9 FM back in December, radio history buffs have been wondering what will become of the AM transmitter property and, more importantly, its historic transmitter building that was retrofitted as a bomb shelter 
in the early 1960s. WCNC-TV reports that local radio fan Johnny Caudle has launched a Change.org petition to save some of the history. He tells WCNC-TV, “I heard the land was for sale and knowing the radio background industry the way I do, I know that that probably means the towers are going down and the place is going to be bulldozed and redeveloped. So, I started thinking we need to save something.” Caudle says he’s not trying to kill any deal that would see the land developed but just wants “to preserve something.” The story indicates the property has an assessed value of $3.5 million. Urban One has not made a public statement about the future of the property. See the WCNC-TV story here.
Cumulus Media promotes Mobile market manager Don Boyd to regional vice president overseeing the Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans, and Columbus-Starkville, Mississippi markets. He’ll 
continue to lead the Mobile market. Cumulus operations president Bob Walker comments, “We are excited to expand Don’s role in the region. He is an accomplished leader that helps markets focus on how to help clients grow their business with unique partnerships with our brands and our digital solutions. We are eager to see the impact he will have on the broader region.” Boyd’s new oversight will include sports talkers KKND-AM, New Orleans “The Ticket 106.7” and WXQW-AM, Mobile “Jox Mobile.”
Audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” is the new #1 podcast on Podtrac’s 
Top Podcasts chart for the month of June based on U.S. unique monthly audience for participating networks. It bumps The New York Times’ “The Daily” to #2, NPR’s “NPR News Now” to #3, and “Up First from NPR” to #4. Other moves of note include DailyWire’s “The Ben Shapiro Show” dips two places to #9, while Silverloch’s “The Dan Bongino Show is steady at #14. See the full ranker here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/8) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
ABC states in the opening paragraphs of its filing with the FCC that the Commission’s targeting of “The View” over its guest bookings is not consistent and ultimately threatens talk radio as well. The petition states: “These Reply Comments arise from an unusual 
posture. ABC did not come to the Federal Communications Commission asking for anything. The Commission compelled ABC to file the Petition for Declaratory Ruling at issue here, directing the network to explain why the government. should not dictate which political candidates may appear on The View—even though the Commission itself resolved that very question in ABC’s favor more than two decades ago, ruling in 2002 that The View is a bona fide news program not subject to the equal opportunities requirement.
“Members of the public then submitted tens of thousands of comments in the proceeding, the overwhelming majority urging the Commission to respect the broadcaster’s editorial independence. These Reply Comments respond to that record. The commenters are right to be concerned. The First Amendment does not permit the government to sit in an editor’s chair. Yet that is the seat the Commission now proposes to take—deciding which broadcast programs qualify as legitimate news and, for those it finds wanting, compelling them to surrender their airtime to guests they never chose to feature.
“Today, the program in the Commission’s sights is The View. The principle in the balance is far larger: whether a federal regulator may override a broadcaster’s editorial judgment about whom to interview—a judgment the Constitution commits to broadcasters and their audiences, not to the state. Nothing about The View that the law cares about has changed since the Commission last answered that question more than two decades ago. The program remains regularly scheduled, remains under ABC’s control, and remains driven by the same lodestar—newsworthiness—that has long led it to interview the day’s most consequential figures, from Presidents and Senators to Supreme Court Justices. What has changed is not the program but the political climate around it.
“The Commission has trained its attention on daytime and late-night television—programs perceived as unfriendly to the current administration—while leaving untouched the vast landscape of talk radio, where candidates routinely appear without their opponents. A rule pressed against one set of speakers and quietly suspended for another, along lines that track the administration’s political preferences, is not evenhanded regulation. The record here reflects a widespread and well-founded concern that it is not.”
Canadian media company Rogers Sports and Media is shutting down six of its news and sports stations, including CISL-AM, Vancouver “Sportsnet 650”; CFAC-AM, Calgary “Sportsnet 960”; CFFR-AM, Calgary “660 NewsRadio”; CXWX-AM, Vancouver; CJNI-FM, Halifax “NewsRadio 95.7”; and CKGL-AM, Kitchener 
“570 NewsRadio.” Yahoo! is reporting that Rogers says the closures will mean layoffs for 80 employees of the stations. Other simultaneous staff reductions at Rogers are costing another 150 people their positions. These cuts are revenue based as Rogers spokesperson Zac Carreiro states, “The media business continues to face headwinds driven by declining advertising revenue and changing audience habits. These changes are part of our plan to focus our investment in areas that will drive growth long-term. After a thorough review of our radio stations, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to close six radio stations in four markets due to declining audience and revenue trends.” Rogers will continue operate 44 radio stations in some 30 markets. See the Yahoo! story here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/7) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
In an insight piece titled, Attention is Heard to Earn: News/Talk Already Has It,” Audacy presents a strong argument for the value of the format to advertisers. Some of the key elements of the presentation include: 1) News/talk is now the No. 1 radio format across broadcast and streaming, accounting for 22% of all AM/FM 
station streaming, nearly 3x the next closest format; 2) One in four Americans now identifies as a “News Fanatic,” checking the news five or more times a day and actively seeking deeper context – not just headlines; 3) News/talk listeners are more loyal than sports fans. Fifty-four percent are primary listeners who spend most of their listening time with news/talk, compared with 41% for sports; 4) Trust remains news/talk’s biggest advantage. Local news radio is trusted by 84% of listeners – higher than broadcast TV, national news radio, or social media; 5) The audience has significant buying power. Median household income is approximately $95,000, with listeners over-indexing for net worth above $2 million; and 6) The advertising works. Among ad-exposed consumers, news/talk campaigns drive 56% awareness, 47% consideration, and 49% purchase/conversion, while Audacy campaigns generate an average 24% lift in website traffic, with some categories seeing increases as high as 67%. See more here.
Federal Communications Commission commissioner Anna M. Gomez is criticizing a summary dismissal of a Petition for Special Relief with the Commission seeking a repeal of the Commission’s news distortion policy filed last fall by a bipartisan group of former 
FCC officials. Gomez filed a petition for mandamus with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking to compel action by the FCC on such petition. Instead, of responding to the mandamus petition, on June 22 the Commission filed its response and included a copy of an unpublished letter dismissing the News Distortion Petition that was signed by the Acting Chief of the Media Bureau on delegated authority.
Gomez writes, “The Commission has increasingly used its regulatory authority as a cudgel against broadcasters whose coverage it dislikes rather than as a neutral enforcement tool, and license renewals and merger approvals have been treated as leverage over editorial judgment rather than as the objective processes the Communications Act requires them to be. This is not an isolated tactic, and the Commission has repeatedly reached for rarely used or long dormant authority to discipline broadcasters it views as critical, including reviving a license renewal mechanism that had not been invoked in over half a century apparently to target a single company’s news coverage. This includes repeated reliance on the previously rarely invoked news distortion policy at issue here. That pressure has had a real effect, and station groups and local broadcasters across the country have asked my office what topics are now considered too risky to cover, a question that should never need to be asked in a country with a First Amendment. When a federal agency with the power to grant or revoke broadcast licenses starts weighing in on editorial content, the chilling effect reaches far beyond any single station or story, and it is compounded here by the Commission’s choice to resolve this particular petition through an unpublished staff letter rather than a public vote of the full Commission.
“The Commission regularly uses delegated authority to get the work of the Commission done, issuing licenses, seeking comment, granting rule waivers, etc. These are instances where the bureaus and offices of the agency take actions consistent with established Commission precedent. Delegated authority allows the Commission to operate efficiently.
“Delegated authority, however, can be abused to shield significant actions from judicial review as only final Commission actions can be appealed. That is what appears to be happening in this instance and the consequences for our democracy are serious. The Commission has repeatedly used the Media Bureau to take actions that are inconsistent with longstanding Commission precedent that violate both the Communications Act and the First Amendment.
“I am cognizant that my dissent on the substance will not change the outcome of the News Distortion Petition by the Commission. Not providing the Commissioners with an opportunity to vote on this important petition, however, shields the Commission’s actions from critical judicial review. Accordingly, I stand ready to vote on an order addressing the issues raised in the News Distortion Petition to facilitate the timely advancement of this matter to a final appealable order that will allow the appellate review process to move forward without unnecessary delay.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/6) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
This coming Saturday (7/12), former Trump Organization attorney Michael Cohen will get behind the microphone for his first radio show on Red Apple Media’s WABC, New York. Cohen is taking over the Saturday 5:00 pm show while former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo takes the summer off. Cohen – who ended up 
testifying against his former boss in cases revolving around Stormy Daniels – has apparently made up with President Donald Trump. Or so says WABC owner John Catsimatidis. He tells the New York Post, “I checked with the White House and they had no objection. I understand everything is fine.” Cohen tells the Post, “I was told the president gave me a glowing recommendation for this gig because he believes I’m going to be the next Rush Limbaugh.” Red Apple Media says Cohen program, titled, “When You Know… You Know,” will be a “provocative and bold new one-hour program that promises to expose the truth behind politics, power, betrayal, and the stories the headlines never tell. Drawing on firsthand experience from the highest levels of American politics to federal prison, Cohen will challenge conventional wisdom, expose deception, and deliver the kind of insider perspective few people on the planet can match.” In addition to the radio show, Cohen is also doing a weekly podcast called, “When You Know… You Know Unleashed.”
The most discussed stories over the weekend (7/4-5) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Walnut Media is acquiring the dark signal KXSP-AM, Omaha and plans to bring the station back on air as a sports talk outlet with the legendary WOW call letters originally assigned in 1926. The station will return to the air on July 6 featuring content from ESPN 
Radio, local talk and coverage of University of Nebraska sports. Walnut Media president Patrick Combs says, “This is an incredibly exciting moment for our company and for sports fans across the region. We are proud to add this historic signal to our group and are excited to offer not only top-notch sports content but also give Husker fans a powerful regional signal.” The station will become the Omaha market’s radio source for Huskers athletics including football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball and “Sports Nightly.” Walnut Media vice chair Nick Seline adds, “We are pleased to add one of the largest and most historic stations in the Midwest to our growing media family. This investment will give us added ability to serve both our listeners and our advertisers.”
The most discussed stories yesterday (7/1) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Sports media pro Steve Czaban returns to the Milwaukee air with a talk show on Audacy’s WSSP-AM/W289CB “The Fan” for an 
hour-long morning program with Josh Albrecht. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports the program will also air across Audacy’s Wisconsin Sports Radio Network in markets including Greeb Bay-Appleton, Wausau, Madison, and Duluth-Superior. Czaban previously hosted a morning program on iHeartMedia’s then-sports WRNW-FM “97.3 The Game” that iHeartMedia flipped to AC last fall. See the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story here.
Cumulus Media is selling two radio signals to Family Life Ministries. Going to the religious broadcaster is sports talk WLLF-FM – a class A FM licensed to Mercer, Pennsylvania – and CHR WWKL-FM – a class B FM licensed to Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The most discussed stories yesterday (6/30) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research:
Numerous media outlets are reporting the blockbuster deal that will see the David Hoffman-controlled Hoffman Family of Companies take ownership of Audacy’s St. Louis cluster that includes heritage news/talk KMOX, talk KFTK-FM, and four music brands. According 
to KSDK-TV, St. Louis, Hoffman Media Group recently took majority ownership of Lee Enterprises, which owns the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. David Hoffman said in a statement to STLPR, “This is a deliberate step to accelerate the expansion of our media platform and establish it as one of the 
largest print and digital news organizations in the United States. With our planned acquisitions, combined with our existing portfolio of 154 newspapers and our expansion into radio, we expect to become the second-largest media company in the United States by year-end.” Audacy president and CEO Kelli Turner reportedly issued a memo to staff revealing the deal (in which the terms were not disclosed) and stated that Audacy will continue to own and operate the stations until the deal closes and that listeners, advertisers, partners and employees should expect “business as usual” during the approval process. See the KSDK-TV story here.
WJJT, New London, Connecticut talk host Lee Elci announces he will present an epic 17-hour, 76-minute live broadcast on Friday, 
July 3 from 12:00 midnight to 6:16 pm to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Elci says the broadcast will culminate with the 12 most impactful patriotic moments in American history. He adds, “America is turning 250, this is our chance to stand tall, salute the red, white, and blue, and remember exactly what makes this country the home of the brave. Tune in, call in, and let’s make some patriotic noise together!”
ESPN announces that Mike Golic Sr. and Mike Golic Jr. are returning August 3 to ESPN Radio to host, “The Golics,” a new weekday show airing from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon ET, according 
to the New York Post. Golic Sr’s stint with ESPN ended in 2020 when the “Golic & Wingo” show was cancelled. He had worked alongside Mike Greenberg for 25 years before that hosting “Mike & Mike.” ESPN EVP and executive editor Mike Foss says, “Reuniting with the Mikes Golic was a tremendous opportunity for our audience. They’ve been building chemistry together since 1989, and it’s a joy to bring their peerless partnership back to ESPN.” See the Post story here.
The most discussed stories yesterday (6/29) on news/talk radio and related talk media according to TALKERS research: