What We Know: The Athletic’s editorial director, Mike Semel, released internal findings Thursday. Semel wrote that Russini’s relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was in “clear violation” of newsroom standards. His review covered hundreds of articles, videos and dozens of podcast episodes. Still, Semel found no clear link between the relationship and Russini’s actual coverage of Vrabel. Following the release of the findings, Emmanuel Acho says that Russini was at fault for this story becoming so big by getting caught with what many of her peers do in a transactional media cycle.
Emmanuel Acho says the NFL insider game is all about transactions of information: “Adam Schefter, last I checked, has like 7.3 million followers. There is a currency for Adam Schefter tweeting out this agent or that agent. We might not think about in our normal daily life in the Speakeasy. Adam Schefter might not have been having an inappropriate relationship with an individual for some news. But Adam Schefter is for sure exchanging something to get his inside source. Russini just exchanged her body.”
Emmanuel Acho only questions Dianna Russini’s method to earn pieces of her reporting: “I don’t think that Dianna Russini’s reporting was ever invalid. I just think her method of which she acquired the reporting may have been a little more mischievous. Beyond any of that, she just got caught.”
Emmanuel Acho says Dianna Russini is at fault for how this all blew up: “I’m not surprised by the finding [by The Athletic] I do, to some degree, hate this for the parties involved because it never should have gone to this. But Russini is the one that added the gasoline to all this.”
What Remains Unclear: Russini’s next career move is still unknown. The NFL previously declined to investigate Vrabel, calling it a team matter. The Athletic hasn’t announced further action beyond her earlier resignation.
What It Means: The findings reinforce concerns about disclosure standards for reporters. Acho frames the episode as an industry pattern rather than an isolated lapse. That framing could push other newsrooms to scrutinize similar reporter-source relationships more closely. For now, though, Russini’s report closes one chapter while her media future stays open. She is reportedly already in conversations about a return sooner than later.
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Former FOX Sports analyst Mark Sanchez plans to plead guilty in his Indianapolis assault case. A motion for a plea and sentencing hearing was filed Thursday, court records show.
What We Know: Sanchez faces felony battery, plus misdemeanor charges, tied to an October 2025 altercation with truck driver Perry Tole. The fight left both men hospitalized, with Sanchez suffering stab wounds and Tole a facial laceration. Prosecutors want the hearing set for November. Notably, Sanchez was a FOX Sports color commentator at the time. The network cut ties with Sanchez following the event.
What They Said: Nick Sanchez Jr, Legal advisor to Mark Sanchez: “There is real momentum toward bringing this entire chapter to a close.”
What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear exactly what charges Sanchez intends to plead guilty to. Prosecutors haven’t released further details. Meanwhile, terms of Tole’s related civil suit against Sanchez and Fox Corporation remain unsettled. Whether the September 8 trial date will formally be vacated is also unknown.
What It Means: A guilty plea would close the criminal case without a trial. In turn, it could help clear a path toward resolving Tole’s civil suit too. For Sanchez, it marks a step toward moving past the incident that ended his broadcasting career. For Fox, meanwhile, the case remains a lingering headache tied to its talent roster.
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Maria Bartiromo is weighing legal action against Fox News following her abrupt firing Thursday. The longtime host has reportedly hired attorney Bryan Freedman to explore her options.
What We Know: Bartiromo has hired Freedman, according to multiple reports, after Fox News ended her 12½-year run with the company. Freedman previously represented Tucker Carlson following his 2023 firing from Fox News. He also represented Don Lemon and Megyn Kelly after their departures from CNN and NBC News, respectively. The attorney has developed a reputation for representing high-profile media personalities in employment disputes. Meanwhile, Fox described Bartiromo’s exit as a “business decision” without providing additional details.
What’s At Stake: Bartiromo could contend that Fox News breached her employment contract by terminating her before its expiration. Reports indicate she signed a new three-year agreement with the company earlier this year. Any potential lawsuit could seek damages tied to the remaining value of that contract. However, Fox could argue that Bartiromo’s actions justified her dismissal under the agreement’s terms.
What Remains Unclear: Status’ Oliver Darcy reported that Bartiromo shared confidential Fox News coverage guidance with senior White House officials. The guidance reportedly instructed network employees to avoid amplifying President Donald Trump’s claims about the 2020 election. Neither Bartiromo nor Freedman has publicly detailed her legal strategy. Fox News also hasn’t publicly connected the reported disclosure to her termination.
What It Means: Freedman’s involvement signals that Bartiromo could challenge Fox News rather than quietly move on. Still, the attorney’s hiring doesn’t guarantee that she will file a lawsuit. For now, the dispute could become another high-profile legal battle involving a former Fox News star.
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CNBC’s Rick Santelli is preparing to step away from the network after more than two decades on the air. Santelli announced Friday that he’ll retire October 2nd following a career closely tied to financial markets.
What We Know: Santelli announced his retirement during an appearance on Squawk Box Friday morning. He joined CNBC in 1999 and has spent much of his career reporting from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade. Over the years, Santelli became one of the network’s most recognizable voices covering markets and the economy. His energetic reports from the trading floor became a signature part of CNBC’s business coverage. Santelli will make his final appearance with the network on Friday, October 2.
What’s At Stake: Santelli’s departure marks the end of a significant era for CNBC’s market coverage. He built a national profile by delivering real-time reactions from the trading floor. Additionally, his influence extended beyond financial television. In February 2009, a passionate on-air rant about the federal government’s housing bailout efforts drew widespread attention. The comments became associated with the emerging Tea Party movement and helped elevate Santelli’s profile outside business media.
What Remains Unclear: CNBC hasn’t announced how it will permanently fill Santelli’s role following his retirement. The network also hasn’t detailed whether Santelli plans to pursue other media or business opportunities after October 2nd. For now, his final weeks will allow viewers to watch one of CNBC’s longest-serving personalities conclude his tenure.
What It Means: Santelli’s retirement represents a notable change for CNBC and financial television. His combination of market expertise, personality, and live trading-floor coverage helped distinguish him for more than 25 years. Ultimately, his departure closes a chapter for one of the network’s most familiar faces.
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Two Houston radio translators flipped formats Monday. KJOZ Conroe and K291CE Houston officially launched “The X 106.1” variety format, capitalizing on Audacy’s recent pivot of 95.7 The Spot to all-sports programming.
What We Know The new station positions itself around the concept “X marks the Spot.” It plays music spanning the 1960s through 2010s, promising listeners everything from classic hits to contemporary tracks. The X 106.1 offers a deliberately broad approach. This directly answers Audacy’s market departure from music radio at 95.7.
What’s at Stake Both KJOZ and K291CE faced significant compliance issues recently. The FCC cited K291CE in August for improper program origination. Meanwhile, Nielsen flagged translator misuse across the market in March and earlier this year. Successfully launching The X 106.1 signals their commitment to legitimate operations. Recovery of listener trust matters considerably here.
What Remains Unclear Market saturation concerns linger in Houston radio. Will a “we play everything” approach resonate with fractured listening habits? The X 106.1 must establish clear positioning beyond filling KKHH’s void. Long-term viability depends entirely on consistent execution.
What It Means Houston’s radio landscape continues reshaping rapidly. Stations can rebuild credibility through strategic format changes following violations. Additionally, variety formats still hold potential in competitive markets. The X 106.1 becomes a test case for programming flexibility. Ultimately, success hinges on delivering authentic differentiation rather than simply occupying abandoned frequency space.
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Fox News fired Maria Bartiromo, and the industry is still sorting through the fallout. According to Oliver Darcy’s Status, the Sunday Morning Futures host was let go after she reportedly shared a screenshot with senior Trump administration officials, revealing internal thinking behind Fox’s coverage decisions.
She was also told, explicitly, not to broach the subject before she did it anyway. If that reporting holds up, Fox News made the right call.
Plenty of people will frame this as karma. Fox News built its brand on cozying up to conservative politics, so why should anyone feel bad when that relationship turns messy? I get the instinct, but I don’t fully buy it. Fox News is undeniably a conservative network. It has served as a mouthpiece for Trump more than once. It has carried water for the administration on plenty of occasions. Those are fair and just criticisms.
None of that changes what happened here.
The specifics matter, too. This wasn’t a stray comment or an off-the-cuff opinion that irritated the White House. The screenshot reportedly explained why Fox News wasn’t giving comprehensive coverage to Trump’s July speech alleging election interference by China. Maria Bartiromo shared that internal reasoning with officials after being told, in no uncertain terms, to keep it to herself. That’s a deliberate choice, made with full knowledge of the consequences.
Sharing internal editorial strategy with outside political operatives is a different kind of problem than ideological bias. When a host prioritizes the White House over her own network, her colleagues, and her audience, she’s no longer doing the job she was hired to do. That’s not partisan hackery — it’s a breach of trust that goes beyond ideology.
Talk Host or Not, the Standard Still Applies
Some will argue that Bartiromo isn’t a straight news reporter. That she’s a talk show host, so different rules should apply. Fine, I’ll grant that distinction. But it doesn’t really move the needle here.
Handing behind-the-scenes information to government officials is a loyalty test. And she reportedly failed it. With flying colors. If that’s even a thing.
Hosts don’t get a pass on basic workplace conduct just because their show leans opinion over hard news. If you’re feeding information to the very people your employer covers about that coverage, you’re putting your company at legal and reputational risk.
Consequently, you shouldn’t be surprised when that company decides it’s had enough. I don’t see much room for nuance there, honestly.
A Message Beyond One Host
There’s likely a deeper story here too. Fox News’ willingness to fire one of its most prominent, Trump-aligned personalities suggests the network viewed betrayal, not just compromise, as the real offense. That’s worth sitting with. It says something about how even Trump’s oftentimes most-favored network handles internal challenges to its authority, and it’s not exactly flattering to the administration’s grip on the network.
Still, the outcome doesn’t change. Fox News drew a line, and it enforced it. Suzanne Scott and Jay Wallace clearly decided this crossed it. Whatever the underlying motivation, the message to every other host and producer on the payroll is the same: sharing confidential editorial strategy with outside political figures will get you fired. No matter how close you are to the audience or the administration.
That matters beyond this one situation, too. Critics will keep calling Fox News a mouthpiece for conservative politics and Trump specifically, and in fairness, they’ll have plenty of material to work with. But now Fox also has a genuine counterpoint. It can point to Bartiromo’s exit as proof that loyalty to a political figure over the network itself isn’t tolerated, regardless of ratings or tenure.
In the end, that’s the real takeaway for the industry. This wasn’t just about one host’s misstep, it was about Fox News reasserting some level of institutional control at a moment when plenty of observers assumed it had none left. Whether that holds up over time remains to be seen, but for now, Fox News made the defensible choice.
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Major League Baseball is back on NBC. A network that is no stranger to televising memorable baseball moments. Think back to the 1975 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox. Game 6 has long been considered one of the greatest games in baseball history, culminating with Carlton Fisk’s game-winning 12th-inning home run at Fenway Park.
Then there was the 1986 World Series, another seven-game classic that put the longtime angst of Red Sox fans on full display. Boston was one strike away from winning the title. Then game six unraveled through a combination of miscues and bad luck that have become part of baseball lore.
NBC also carried the 1956 World Series, highlighted by Don Larsen’s perfect game for the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. There was the 1988 World Series and Kirk Gibson’s unforgettable Game 1 homer on two injured legs. The 1960 World Series featured Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run to give the Pittsburgh Pirates the championship, while the 1997 World Series ended with Edgar Renteria’s walk-off hit to give the Florida Marlins the title.
Want more history?
NBC was also there in 1974 when Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run. Indeed, NBC has a long and distinguished baseball resume. After a quarter-century away, the network has reclaimed the Grand Old Game, along with some newfangled wrinkles.
A Local Flare
One of the best things NBC is doing this season is incorporating local team broadcasters into its national game coverage. It is a simple concept, but one that adds a tremendous amount of value.
There is something special about getting the perspective of someone who has watched a particular team all season. Local broadcasters provide information and insight that a strictly national broadcast cannot duplicate. They know the players, personalities, clubhouse dynamics, injuries, slumps and little inside tidbits that don’t necessarily show up in statistics.
On NBC, the local broadcasters also maintain a level of objectivity, eschewing over-the-top homerism.
NBC is also taking an interesting approach to its pregame coverage. The network’s Sunday Night Baseball pregame show, MLB Countdown to First Pitch, is hosted by the game broadcasters from the broadcast booth. There is no on-field or in-studio pregame show that then throws to the field. That separation no longer exists.
Viewers are brought directly into the ballpark and introduced to the voices and faces that will call the game.
At first, I was skeptical about the concept, But it does create a seamless and more intimate broadcast.
The open of NBC’s Sunday night games features a montage of great baseball moments from the network’s history. For the August 30 game pitting the Astros against the Mets, the video open was followed by a dramatic zoom-in shot of Citi Field, combined with the equally dramatic voice of play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian.
It immediately established the atmosphere.
Proven Voices, Future Stars
I am pleased that NBC added Vasgersian to its play-by-play roster. He is one of the best at combining knowledge, humor and professionalism when calling a baseball game or talking about the sport. Vasgersian was joined by former Astro and team broadcaster Geoff Blum, as well as ex-Met and team broadcaster Todd Zeile.
Vasgersian pulled no punches when discussing the Astros and their position in what he called the “watered-down” American League West. Blum provided a thorough assessment of where Houston stands heading into the final month of the season. That’s the value of a local broadcaster. Blum has watched virtually every Astros game this season. He has firsthand knowledge of the club from being with the team every day.
Much of the discussion centered on Yordan Alvarez and his pursuit of a potential Triple Crown. As of August 30, Alvarez led the American League in batting average at .320, home runs with 37 and RBIs with 93.
On the Mets’ side, Zeile emphasized the importance of getting slugger Juan Soto back into the lineup. Vasgersian also tapped into Zeile’s extensive knowledge of starting pitcher Zac Thornton. As Blum and Zeile spoke, NBC’s production team provided graphics with relevant player statistics.
I also enjoyed the camera shots of New York City and the exterior views of Citi Field. The whole concept made me feel as though I was actually at the game rather than sitting in front of a television waiting for a sterile studio program to end.
NBC’s broadcast crew also featured reporters Ashley ShahAhmadi and Hall of Fame pitcher CC Sabathia. ShahAhmadi conducted a solid pregame interview with Astros first baseman Christian Walker. Sabathia, stationed at field level, provided insight into the pitching side of the game.
I was impressed with Sabathia as a relative newcomer to television. His knowledge of the game comes through naturally, and his perspective as a former pitcher adds depth to the broadcast.
3-Man vs. 4-Man
NBC showcased a doubleheader this past Sunday, with the first game featuring the Reds at the Cubs. Play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti was joined by Anthony Rizzo, Jeff Brantley and Joey Votto in the Wrigley Field broadcast booth for MLB Countdown to First Pitch.
To be honest, the four-man pregame booth was a little crowded for my taste. I much preferred the three-man setup used for the Astros-Mets game. There is simply not enough time in a pregame segment for four people to provide their full opinions and perspectives.
Still, the local touch was positive. Votto, a former Red, brought his Cincy knowledge to the broadcast. Rizzo added insight on the Cubs. It was great to see Brantley, another former Red, talking baseball. I always liked his work on ESPN.
Votto has been an absolute find on television. I like his direct, no-holds-barred approach. He is not afraid to offer an opinion and brings a lot to the discussion. I would like to see more from Rizzo as he develops as a broadcaster. He has a terrific personality, but I want to see and hear more of the baseball knowledge he surely possesses.
Benetti is a really solid baseball play-by-play announcer. He also did an excellent job getting all three analysts mixing into the pregame conversation. As Benetti was reciting his opening intro to the Reds-Cubs game, the grounds crew was actually pulling the tarp off the field following a rain delay.
This is another plus in having the pregame show at the field. A studio host didn’t have to say, “Let’s take you to the ballpark now to see what the weather is like.”
We were already there and saw it firsthand.
That, to me, is what NBC baseball version 2026 is all about. The network is combining its vast baseball history with new production ideas and modalities.
NBC’s three-year multimedia agreement with Major League Baseball is off to an impressive start. The local broadcasters add authenticity and gravitas. The on-site pregame show works really well. The production combines baseball history, relevant graphics and excellent camera angles. An aspect that is uniquely crucial in live baseball coverage.
The Sunday night doubleheader experience showed NBC’s desire to embrace old-school baseball tradition with a new-school game presentation.
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The loss of Dolly Parton hit our format and our culture like a physical weight. She was not just a global icon or a country music legend. Rather, she was the connective tissue of our industry. She was the warm, welcoming heart of East Tennessee.
In the days following her passing, a few trade articles questioned whether radio moved fast enough. Some suggested that our industry may have missed the moment. However, what I heard across our cluster and direct competitors told a different story. What I heard from client stations and random station check-ins simply would not support that criticism.
When it mattered most, country radio did exactly what it was built to do. Ultimately, we opened the microphones and dropped the static automation. We gave millions of grieving listeners a place to gather. That gathering happened with total immediacy.
Celebrating When We Get It Right
We spend a lot of time in this business dissecting what needs fixing. But when something goes right, we need to celebrate it. Indeed, the response to Dolly’s passing was a masterful example. It showcased local radio’s human connection beautifully. It celebrated life for a truly inspirational human.
According to Mediabase, Dolly’s songs experienced a massive 2,000 percent jump in airplay. The numbers soared from roughly 620 spins to over 13,300 in a single week. Notably, more than 930 terrestrial stations returned to her deep catalog. “9 to 5” led the charge. Stations like WSM in Nashville flipped to all Dolly programming. Additionally, networks launched dedicated tribute channels. Local morning shows threw out their prep sheets. They took emotional phone calls from listeners who needed to process their grief. Those who knew her shared unforgettable stories of her grace.
Perhaps the most breathtaking moment came on Thursday morning. Hundreds of stations synchronized to play “I Will Always Love You” simultaneously. The gesture was profound. Asking commuters to turn on their headlights in her honor was inspired. Morning traffic transformed into a living, moving candlelight vigil. This vigil stretched across American highways. That is not an industry missing the moment. That is an industry leading it.
Applying WWDD: What Would Dolly Do for Country Radio?
Dolly treated our industry with incredible dignity. Whether you hosted a morning show in market 150 or anchored a national network, she learned your name. She listened intently to everyone. She often sent handwritten notes after station visits.
If we want to honor her legacy, we must ask ourselves a simple question daily. This question applies at the station or out in the community. The question is simple: What Would Dolly Do? Applying WWDD is how we keep making country radio better.
Cut the Bureaucracy and Act Fast: When the 2016 wildfires devastated East Tennessee, Dolly established the My People Fund with zero red tape. She gave $1,000 a month directly to families. Therefore, radio wins when we bypass paralysis. We must react to community needs immediately.
Lead with Radical Empathy: From founding the global Imagination Library to donating millions to pediatric cancer research at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in honor of her niece, Dolly gave because she genuinely cared. When we treat our audience with that same warmth, listeners lock in for life. This principle transforms customer loyalty into lasting relationships.
Reinvest in Your Community: She quietly used her songwriting royalties from Whitney Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You” to buy commercial property in Sevier Park. This investment uplifted a historically Black Nashville neighborhood beautifully. Local radio must be an active investor in its hometown. It cannot remain just a transmitter on a hill.
Looking Ahead to Dolly Day on September 25
The momentum does not have to stop. The initial news cycle has passed, but our commitment should remain. Mark your calendars for September 25 — 9/25 — a date that naturally pays homage to her iconic anthem “9 to 5.”
September 25 offers a perfect opportunity to keep the celebration going. Stations I work with plan to bring Dolly Day to life. They will feature special programming blocks, archived interviews, and book drives. These book drives support the Imagination Library.
Our industry lost its brightest light. However, the way radio responded proved something essential. Local human connection is alive and well. Let us keep leaning into that warmth. Honor her legacy in everything we do. Make sure WWDD is how we run our stations every single day.
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Every September, football fans get a bill. Not an actual bill, of course. Roger Goodell isn’t mailing invoices to America just yet. But if you’re a football fan, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
It’s the annual Football Tax: the price we pay to consume the greatest television product this country has ever created. Every year, the games spread out a little more. Another streaming service joins the party. Another package gets added, and another app finds its way onto your television. Every year, fans swear they’ve reached their limit. Yet, every year, opening weekend arrives and we sign up anyway.
Why? Because football delivers.
So, like I do every year, I wanted to figure out exactly what it costs to watch as much football as humanly possible in 2026. Not casually. I’m talking about the hardcore fan. The fan who wants every NFL game, every major college football game, Sunday Ticket, RedZone, conference championship games, playoff games and enough football to make family members question whether you’re ever leaving the couch.
The answer is somewhere between $1,100 and $1,200. That’s not cheap. It’s also a tremendous amount of football.
So Many Options
The foundation for most football fans is YouTube TV. At $82.99 per month, it delivers CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ACC Network and most of the channels that carry the games we care about every weekend.
Over the course of a five-month football season, that comes to about $415. For a lot of fans, that would be enough. But we’re not talking about a lot of fans. We’re talking about football people.
If you’re serious about the NFL, Sunday Ticket remains one of the best products in sports television. Want to watch your favorite team after moving across the country? Sunday Ticket. Want to track playoff races around the league? Sunday Ticket. Want four games on the screen at once because your fantasy season is hanging by a thread? Sunday Ticket.
"I have never spoke to a person who complains about the cost of watching football…"
Since the standard cable package isn't enough, NFL fans are facing rising prices to watch every football game this year.
Returning customers currently pay about $378 for the season when bundled with YouTube TV.
Then comes RedZone, which at this point feels less like a channel and more like a lifestyle choice. Seven straight hours of touchdowns, highlights, fantasy points and Scott Hanson somehow speaking continuously without food, water or a substitute teacher. The Sports Plus package that includes RedZone runs another $10.99 per month, adding about $55 over the course of the season.
Thursday Night Football stays on Prime Video. Netflix is again part of the NFL landscape through its holiday games. Peacock continues to carry exclusive NFL inventory and remains important for both NFL and college football fans. None of these services are particularly expensive by themselves, but together, they become part of the Football Tax.
Prime Video costs about $15 per month. Peacock Premium sits around $13 per month. Netflix’s standard plan runs about $18 per month. Over a five-month season, that’s another $230 added to the tax.
Oh, And College Too
Then there’s college football, which somehow manages to be both easier and more complicated at the same time. The good news is that one service does most of the heavy lifting. The bad news is that college football rights have become as complicated as NIL.
The SEC lives on ESPN. The Big Ten is spread across FOX, CBS, NBC and Peacock. The ACC is heavily tied to ESPN and ABC. The challenge isn’t finding the game. The challenge is remembering where the game lives each week.
For the deeply committed college football fan, Paramount+ is worth adding to the lineup because it provides streaming access to CBS content and helps fill in some of the remaining gaps. Depending on the package, you’re looking at another $45 to $50 over the course of the season.
So, let’s add up the Football Tax.
YouTube TV: approximately $415.
NFL Sunday Ticket: $378.
NFL RedZone: $55.
Prime Video: $75.
Netflix: $90.
Peacock: $65.
Paramount+: approximately $50.
That puts the grand total at approximately $1,128 for the season based on those figures. With the final cost varying depending on the plans and promotions you choose.
Justifying The Purchase
Now, before you spit out your Bloody Mary, remember what you’re buying.
NFL Sundays from September through January. College football Saturdays. Rivalry games. Playoff races. Conference championship games. The College Football Playoff, NFL playoffs, and the Super Bowl.
You’re investing in hundreds of games and thousands of hours of programming. In an era when television shows disappear after one season, movies come and go in a weekend and streaming services constantly fight for your attention, football is still one of the few entertainment products that consistently lives up to the hype.
Photo Credit: Canva
Every week brings another upset, another game-winning drive, another unbelievable finish. Also another reason to stay glued to the screen.
For all the complaints about streaming, subscriptions and rising costs, football has never been more accessible. Twenty years ago, if your team wasn’t on local television, you were out of luck. Today, every NFL game and every major college football game is available somewhere.
The challenge isn’t finding the game. The challenge is remembering whether it’s on YouTube TV, Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix, Paramount+, ESPN or one of the other apps currently occupying space on your television.
Yes, the Football Tax is real. Most taxes feel like money disappearing. The Football Tax feels like an investment. Every year, football asks fans for a little more, and every year, fans grumble. Every year, we pay it anyway.
Then opening weekend arrives. RedZone fires up. College football takes over Saturday. The NFL owns Sunday. Suddenly, nobody is thinking about the bill anymore.
We’re thinking about football. And that’s the thing about the Football Tax. The bill may arrive in September.
The payoff lasts until February.
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As we head through the week before Labor Day, I’ve been sampling news/talk radio stations around the country, and notably, the biggest story of the week has been missing from a lot of shows: the Lindsay Clancy deliberation. And I have been shocked by it.
I know when the public hears “News/Talk radio,” they think of politics. But let’s be honest: one of the few stories this summer generating widespread, passionate debate across demographics is the Lindsay Clancy trial. And while we’ve allowed politics to define “News/Talk,” shouldn’t we lean into the “News” in the format name? What political story is really going to connect with the audience in a more meaningful way than Lindsay Clancy?
A Story That Crosses Every Line
As the deliberations have gone on, the Lindsay Clancy trial has divided people along gender lines. It has divided people along political lines. It’s the most universal story of the summer, and people have developed strong opinions that have led to conversations about mental health, child safety, big pharma, legal intricacies, and so much more.
The story isn’t simply a mother murdering her three children. That’s not really compelling talk radio. The story has evolved into a national debate over mental health, criminal responsibility, pharmaceuticals, parenting, and the justice system.
When Court TV, national newspapers, cable hosts, TikTok creators, Facebook groups, legal analysts, and millions of social media users are all talking about the same story, that’s usually a pretty good indication that the audience is interested. Yet many News/Talk stations continue defaulting to the same political conversations they’ve had every day for the last decade.
And while true crime stories tend to lean more toward the female demographic than male, that’s not the case here. This one is crossing every demographic in America, and you can own it in your market. Your music competitors are very unlikely to touch this story, but for a talk format, you can own your city’s radio airwaves by discussing the hottest and most controversial story of the summer. Why wouldn’t you?
Why This Story Beats Politics Right Now
Politics can wait. The elections aren’t going anywhere. This story is happening right now.
Other than elections, it’s rare that news/talk radio gets a story similar to sports talk, where you can break down and discuss winners and losers. Sports talk has always had that edge over News/Talk: preview and predict games every day or week, the games happen, reaction happens. It’s very black and white.
News/Talk has always had more gray area and nuance. But the ongoing Lindsay Clancy trial deliberation is giving us the opportunity to play in the sandbox of a story that is being universally watched and followed, with strong opinions and, eventually, clearly defined winners and losers — a story that will give us unbelievable reaction commentary regardless of outcome. And it will likely drive an entirely new set of branches on the topic tree.
Give the politics a rest. They aren’t going anywhere. What do you think two adults between 25-54 are going to talk about today at the water cooler? The Save America Act? Or Lindsay Clancy? How about two spouses after a day’s work? If you think about it, even briefly, you know the answer. And it’s not some bill that is all but certain not to pass Congress before the midterms. So be where your audience is, not where you think your show needs to be, based on a narrative format defined by too many who don’t even consume the product.
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