Dan Bongino is heading back to terrestrial radio, and Westwood One just landed one of the bigger free-agent signings in the news/talk radio space.
The company announced this week that Bongino will launch The Bongino Report PM, a three-hour afternoon program co-hosted with Shawn Farash, marking Bongino’s first regular radio gig since he left broadcasting to join the FBI in 2024. It’s a move that, on paper, works out well for everyone involved.
Farash will host the first hour of the show, with Bongino taking the final two hours. The program will air live from 3-6 PM ET.
Let’s start with Farash. He’s built a strong following through digital platforms, and he recently launched a show under Bongino’s Silverloch Media banner. But radio is a different animal entirely. A live, syndicated program doesn’t offer the same forgiveness as a podcast or YouTube show — there’s no editing bay to clean things up, and affiliates expect a certain rhythm and pace that digital audiences don’t demand in the same way.
Fortunately, Farash isn’t walking into this cold. He’s logged plenty of fill-in time on stations around the country, so he already understands the format and what it takes to hold an audience through a commercial break. This new gig gives him a shot at something he hasn’t had before: a shot at putting “nationally syndicated radio host” on his resume. That’s a credential that opens doors, and it’s one that plenty of digital-first talent never gets the chance to earn.
A Return Bongino Has Wanted
For Bongino, this looks like unfinished business finally getting finished. When he left radio to join the FBI, he told me directly that he’d always felt a pull toward the medium, but the timing wasn’t right to take on a nationally syndicated show while he prepared for a major life change. Now he’s fully readjusted to life as a media figure again, and it clearly feels like the right moment to add a two-hour radio show on top of his already-successful two-hour podcast.
That’s not a small workload. Still, Bongino gets to return to a medium he’s said he loves, and he does it in a different timeslot than the one he held before. He’s also doing it with the backing of one of the most respected syndication operations in the industry, which matters when it comes to affiliate relationships and long-term stability.
There’s another practical benefit here, too. Bringing in someone like Farash gives Bongino a built-in safety net. Hosts get sick, travel, or need a break occasionally, and having a co-host who already knows the show, the stations, and the audience makes those moments far less disruptive. It’s a smart structural decision, not just a programming one.
Why This Matters for Westwood One
Westwood One, meanwhile, gets exactly the kind of signing that can move the needle. Bongino’s name still carries real weight in the news/talk world, and his return is likely to draw strong affiliate interest in an important afternoon timeslot. Stations that lost access to his voice back in 2024 now have a reason to come calling again.
It’s worth remembering just how much Bongino’s exit stung the industry the first time around. When he departed for the FBI, Cumulus Media CEO Mary Berner specifically cited his absence as a factor in the company’s revenue decline over the following quarters. That’s not a minor data point — it’s a direct acknowledgment from a major radio company that Bongino’s presence had a measurable financial impact.
So bringing him back into the terrestrial fold isn’t just a nice programming story for Westwood One. It’s a legitimately strong business move. Advertisers, affiliates, and audiences all responded to him before, and there’s little reason to think that won’t happen again.
Put it all together, and The Bongino Report PM reads like one of those rare moves where everyone walks away better off. Farash gets a bigger stage and a credential he’s earned. Bongino gets back to a medium he’s missed, on his own terms, with support built in. And Westwood One gets a proven ratings and revenue driver back on its roster, right when the timeslot needed a jolt.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.