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In an AI-Driven World, Talk Radio May Be the Last Human Connection

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One spoken word/talk radio trend that should scare all of us? The sheer glut of available distractions is consistently growing. At some point, there will be a balloon pop — right?

What if I told you the on-demand experiences will become catered to each human to create their own reality? I am sure that we all have this impulse. You know the person who seemingly lives in their own reality. The person who is busy living “their truth.” What does this mean to radio?

Soon, you will be able to ask artificial intelligence to break down the news from the Zoroastrian point of view, and you will be able to get the biggest stories of the day individually catered to your personal views, ethics, and biases. You will be able to avoid anything that you don’t want to hear. It will create an alternate reality in an already splintered world.

Radio being companionship is something that is disappearing. It is not that radio has ceased to provide that service; it is because of the millions of alternatives. So, you are an adherent to the Zoroastrian belief system — I am using this as an example — you could be Jewish, Christian, atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, or some other faith. The point is this: the moment that you don’t need other people is the warning sign for our society.

Your new artificial intelligence friend can’t really listen to you. The prompts provided to the AI platform of your choice can only give you the answers that you asked for. So, if you want to bathe deeply in your personal beliefs, you can. There will be no differences provided. There will be no questions, only confirmation of your truth.

If you dive deeply into humanity’s weaknesses, it is our personal devotion to the person in the mirror. We have all worked with radio personalities that have self-destructed. Why do they fall apart? If you are the biggest genius ever to walk the earth, everyone around you is somewhat less. We have heard people refer to someone they disagree with as an insult that equates to “subhuman.”

Our artificial intelligence future could become a rocket for dehumanization between people. This is not necessarily a war between countries, but hate for our neighbors.

The promise of artificial intelligence is seemingly unlimited. Could AI give us the cure for cancer, potholes, or help us with complex mathematics? Yes. Can it lead to solving humanity’s greatest problems? Yes.

Here is what artificial intelligence can never do — provide real human interaction and feeling. The suicide rate is up 36% since the year 2000. Why? Isolation, depression, worthlessness, and loneliness certainly cover a great deal of the reasons. Are you a skilled person on an artificial intelligence platform?

According to United States Census data, about 17% of Americans ages 18–65 live alone. Thirty percent of U.S. households have children under the age of 18. Radio is essential. Humans are made to be pack animals. Sadly, isolation is a growing segment of our society.

Ok, that is nice, Peter — but what does this mean for radio?

This is a shot across the bow of radio’s future. When you are on the air, you may be the only human voice people interact with today. Think about that. Radio is about community and interaction. There are people who work from home and rarely leave their homes. They are alone in a consistent manner. Sometimes people at the office just focus on the tasks at hand and never really interact with others. Human beings need each other. With our faults, we are best together.

This is where radio comes into play. You are an essential part of the day of people who may be at their wits’ end. The ex-spouse may be taking the kids away or demanding more money. The person is driving to work, and you may be the only person they feel connected to. In a humorless existence, you may be the lone light on that commute. You are not artificial intelligence. So, you must be real and connect with the listeners. You are not a prompt hoping for an answer that someone conjures up to validate whatever motivation the prompt directed.

Talk Radio is people. The more human the format, the happier the audience is. In news/talk radio, this is about confessing to something stupid you did at dinner last night. Talking about being so close to a complete road rage breakdown that you had to share it with people who would understand — your listeners. A talk radio host reliving the moment they cried at the end of Home Alone because of how wonderful Catherine O’Hara was in that movie. Rest in peace to her.

In an unfeeling, on-demand world, you are an essential part of their world. You can be the reason the audience feels worthy and connected to another living soul. I am always amazed when I receive a note from a listener from a decade or two ago who tells me about a moment on the radio that touched their life. Radio is an intimate medium. Ideas and experiences are shared that change people’s lives. Artificial intelligence cannot do that.

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After 28 Years With Glenn Beck, Stu Burguiere’s Departure Couldn’t Have Been Predicted

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For nearly three decades, Stu Burguiere’s professional life has revolved around one thing: showing up every day to help Glenn Beck do radio at the highest possible level.

It’s a run that’s almost unheard of in modern media, marked by stability, loyalty, and a creative partnership that never fractured under the weight of success. That’s what makes Burguiere’s decision to leave The Glenn Beck Program after 28 years feel less like a career move and more like a life pivot.

Yet for Burguiere, the timing isn’t accidental. In fact, it’s precisely the moment that makes sense.

“Well, I think considering the economy seems to be really upside down and crumbling, it’s a great time to quit your job and start a new business,” said Burguiere, with a chuckle. “So I just wanted to go down the road. It’s been a really great run with Glenn, and we’ve done so many things. It was a very difficult decision because I love Glenn, I love that show, and I love that audience. There’s no audience like it, in my view, ever been created, and I don’t think it’s one that can be assembled outside of radio specifically. It’s a really special group. So leaving that was really hard.”

That audience, and the show that cultivated it, made the decision anything but easy. Burguiere didn’t leave because something was broken. If anything, the opposite was true. The relationship still worked, which only made stepping away more emotionally complicated.

“Part of it was watching Glenn build something new,” Burguiere said of his reasons for now being the right time to exit. “He’s in the middle of doing something new, and I think if I were going to go all in on that, I needed to be 100% able to help him with every little part of it. I still had a lot of stuff I wanted to do on my own.

“I was growing and getting really excited about these prediction markets, which is something I’ve been doing for over a decade on my own. The fact that they’re now able to be accessed by everybody, and not just some weird nerdy niche thing I was doing on the side, made it a really cool opportunity.”

Burguiere’s next chapter centers on that fascination. He’s launching a new show and company built around prediction markets called Predictable with Stu Burguiere, blending media, analysis, and financial insight into a space that’s only recently become widely accessible. While he’ll still host his show for Blaze Media — Stu Does America — it’s a leap of faith, but one grounded in years of quiet preparation.

“I hope to be able to pop back on with Glenn,” added Burguiere. “We’ve talked about it quite a bit, so I think that’ll still happen. I just thought it was time for me to try something new and always be supportive of what Glenn’s doing as well. I think it was time.”

Time is the recurring theme. Burguiere isn’t a broadcaster bouncing between jobs or chasing the next contract. He’s someone who spent almost his entire adult life in one place, which makes the emotional weight of leaving impossible to ignore.

“It’s really difficult because I have no experience as an adult not doing that show,” Burguiere said. “It was the first real job I got in the world of radio. I’ve been doing it for 28 years. I’m 49, about to turn 50. I started working with him before I could drink, before I met my wife, before I really had any experience in the workplace. So it’s been really mixed emotions.”

Those mixed emotions extend beyond nostalgia. Stu Burguiere understands how rare his run with Beck was in an industry defined by churn, ego, and fracture.

“I’m very excited about this new thing. I feel invigorated to give something like that a try,” Burguiere said. “But when I think about radio and all the people I’ve known in radio, there aren’t a ton of examples of what Glenn and I have done together, which is stay together for a really long time and never really have arguments, fights, disagreements, or near breakups. None of that stuff really happened. It’s been really solid and positive for 99% of the time. Knowing that was coming to an end has been really difficult.”

That stability shaped him professionally, and Burguiere doesn’t shy away from acknowledging how central Beck was to his development.

“I’ve basically made a mess of myself on the air trying to articulate this,” said Burguiere. “It’s because it really is a huge part of my life. He’s a really important figure. The best professional decision I will ever make in my entire life was going in and hanging out with this guy who, at the time, seemed like his career was washed up and destroyed. Listening to him and learning from him, a guy who knows more than anybody else I’ve ever met in radio times ten, has been incredible. Mixed emotions probably understates it. He’s been great, supportive, and helpful when he absolutely didn’t have to be, and that’s made it a lot easier.”

So why prediction markets, and why now? Burguiere points to a major legal shift that changed everything.

“In October 2024, Kalshi, one of the big prediction markets, won a lawsuit that allowed these markets to move out of the gray area and into the light in all 50 states,” Burguiere said. “Being able to invest based on your opinion on everything is interesting. People already do this in their own lives. Everyone has an opinion about what’s coming in the world and what’s going to happen. They just never had an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is.”

For Burguiere, prediction markets aren’t just about money. They’re about clarity.

“With prediction markets, you have a clear question with a yes-or-no answer. It’s simple and accessible,” Burguiere added. “I think it’s a great way to talk about the news with an ability to drill down to the truth. There’s a lot of punditry out there, and I like punditry. But prediction markets eliminate the problem of people saying things they don’t believe because money is on the line.”

That philosophy underpins Predictable, which Burguiere hopes will carve out a distinct lane separate from partisan media noise.

“There really aren’t many serious efforts to build a media company around prediction markets,” said Burguiere. “The government can always get in the way, but I think these markets have real staying power. They’re a fascinating way to understand the news and potentially make some extra cash. I’ve paid for a lot of vacations over the years thanks to prediction markets.”

The launch is expected later this spring, with multiple distribution paths and layers of content designed to appeal to casual observers and serious participants alike. For Burguiere, it’s the culmination of a long curiosity finally meeting the right moment.

After 28 years of predictability in his own career, Stu Burguiere is betting on something new. And for the first time, the outcome isn’t already known.

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9 MLB Teams Officially Leaving FanDuel Sports Network RSNs

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All nine MLB teams whose broadcasts remained on FanDuel Sports Network regional sports network channels are departing the organization.

According to a report from Sports Business Journal, the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays are all departing FanDuel Sports Network, with eight planning to move to MLB Media distribution methods.

The Atlanta Braves are planning to launch their own network, following a recent precedent created when the Texas Rangers struck deals with local cable and satellite providers, a local over-the-air partner, and a streaming platform with the Victory+ platform.

“FanDuel Sports Network is continuing to broadcast NBA and NHL games, and we appreciate the leagues’ engagement in ongoing discussions on our go-forward plans,” a spokesperson for Main Street Sports, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network, said in a statement. “We appreciate the relationships we have had with our MLB partners and fans over many years, and we wish them the best.”

The announcement of the MLB franchises leaving FanDuel Sports Network comes on the heels of reports that the regional sports network company had been in on-again, off-again talks to sell the organization to DAZN. Those talks have remained fruitless, however, with SBJ noting that the viability of the business is in question following the exit of the MLB broadcasts.

Furthermore, Main Street Sports reportedly did not make payments to its remaining NBA and NHL teams on Sunday as was previously scheduled.

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ESPN Andscape Signs Jason Reid to Contract Extension

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ESPN Andscape has announced it has inked senior NFL writer Jason Reid to a multi-year contract extension.

The network has been a familiar home for Reid for the past decade. He originally joined ESPN as an online columnist in February 2015. He later moved to Andscape — previously known as The Undefeated — in January 2016 before its launch.

“I’m grateful for the trust that Andscape and ESPN have continued to place in me,” said Reid. “I work with so many amazing colleagues, and I’m incredibly proud of the storytelling we do every day.”

As part of his duties, he’ll continue to lead Andscape’s coverage of the NFL, while continuing to contribute to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio.

“Jason is a pioneering NFL reporter whose work has chronicled the league’s evolving identity and its social and cultural impact,” said ESPN Vice President and Head of Andscape Jason Aidoo. “His journalism has helped establish Andscape as a destination for incisive coverage of the National Football League, and we are fortunate to have him leading this work.”

Jason Reid has previous experience writing for The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times before joining the network. He also previously helmed a morning drive radio show on ESPN 980 in the nation’s capital alongside Chris Paul.

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ESPN Sees 2nd Most-Watched Month in 30 Years During January

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ESPN has shared that January was a banner month for the network, seeing its second-most-watched month in the past three decades.

The network’s records go back to 1996, with the 1.7 million viewers averaged throughout January marking the near record-setting performance.

The 1.7 million average viewership figures mark a 12% uptick compared to the same time period in 2025.

During January, ESPN had back-to-back days of high-stakes football broadcasts between college and the NFL. On Sunday, January 18th, an AFC Divisional Round game pitting the New England Patriots against the Houston Texans was broadcast at 3 PM ET. The following day, the network aired the College Football National Championship Game, as Indiana won its first title in a tight contest over the Miami Hurricanes.

According to figures from Nielsen, 43% of all sports viewing in January took place on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN Deportes.

Furthermore, 89.6 billion minutes were spent watching ESPN and ESPN on ABC. That marked a 10% increase year-over-year and is the best month since ESPN and ABC Sports combined forces in 2006.

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KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM Adds The Chad Benson Show to Evening Lineup

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KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM in Seattle has announced it is adding The Chad Benson Show to its daily lineup in the evening window.

The show will be heard from 7-10 PM beginning on Monday.

The program from Chad Benson will replace Eye on the World with John Batchelor, The Takeout with Major Garrett, and Prime Time with John Dickerson in the window.

“I’m excited to join KIRO Newsradio and connect with listeners across Seattle,” said Benson. “My goal is to deliver the news in a way that’s informative, honest, and engaging—without losing sight of the human side of the stories.”

In addition to airing on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM, The Chad Benson Show also airs on 92.3 KTAR in Phoenix, among other locations. The show — nationally syndicated through Radio America — airs from 9 AM to Noon ET. Benson also hosts the 12-3 PM timeslot at SuperTalk 99.7 WTN in Nashville, as well as a 12-3 PM Dallas-focused show for 1080 KRLD.

“Chad has a unique ability to break down complex issues in a way that’s engaging and accessible,” said KIRO Director of News and Talk Programming Bryan Buckalew. “He respects the intelligence of the audience, values facts, and understands how to connect with listeners in a meaningful way. He’s a strong addition to our evening programming.”

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Dan Bongino Upon Podcast Return: This Isn’t Going to Be About What I Did at the FBI

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Dan Bongino made his anticipated return to his podcast on Monday, and shared what the relaunched show won’t be, as much as shared what’s in store.

To begin Monday’s first edition of the returned Dan Bongino Show, the former FBI Director said that he wouldn’t turn the podcast into a retrospective of his year working at the agency.

“I really did miss you all,” Bongino said. “It’s been a crazy year … Never tell people what you’re not going to do. But in this case, it matters. This is not going to be a year or two of me presenting my resume about what happened every single week (at the FBI). It’s not. One of the cardinal rules of leadership and leadership positions is ‘Don’t over-explain yourself.'”

He continued by noting that he would spend much of Monday’s show discussing his thoughts about his time working at the FBI and why he would speak on it today, but not frequently in the future.

“I did what I did. I’m going to show you what I did in today’s show. If you’re a supporter and you like it, you like it. So there’s no need for me to lay out Tolstoy’s War and Peace and keep speaking about it. If you don’t and you hate my guts, it’s not that I’m going to tell you to convince you. So it doesn’t really matter. However, you are the taxpayer, I worked for you. It was the honor of a lifetime to work for you, and this President, and with Kash Patel, who’s an amazing FBI director. So I feel an obligation to tell you what your money paid for.”

During his first show back, Dan Bongino welcomed President Donald Trump as a guest.

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Super Bowl LX Media Row Underway From San Francisco

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Super Bowl LX media row is officially underway at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, as hundreds of sports media brands began their week of coverage. Typically, Monday is more about setup than execution for many brands.

However, this year in San Francisco brought a large number of stations that began their week ahead of schedule.

With the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots set to do battle in less than a week, both markets were well represented on media row Monday.

98.5 The Sports Hub began its broadcasting week featuring three live shows airing throughout the week from San Francisco. Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand kicked off the day, followed by Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti with a special one-hour Big Game Preview program scheduled for the week.

98.5 The Sports Hub Radio Row (Barrett Media)
98.5 The Sports Hub Radio Row (Barrett Media)

WEEI was also on site in San Francisco but adjusted its lineup for the week. Greg Hill and Jermaine Wiggins will join Ted Johnson live from San Francisco, with a full slate of content and interviews planned.

Seattle also had a strong presence out west. iHeartMedia’s 93.3 KJR began its broadcasting week on site with Chuck & Buck, Marc James, plus Dave “Softy” Mahler and Dick Fain all broadcasting live from media row.

93.3 KJR Radio Row (Barrett Media)
93.3 KJR Radio Row (Barrett Media)

The buzz from the first day mirrored the growing excitement ahead of next Sunday’s Super Bowl kickoff in Santa Clara, California. Plenty of stations are already lining up celebrity guest appearances for the week. Several national sports radio outlets are providing coverage, including Westwood One Sports, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM NFL Radio, and Mad Dog Sports Radio.

ESPN Radio is scheduled to join media row beginning Wednesday morning with Unsportsmanlike and Clinton Yates. Additionally, a number of local radio brands from Audacy, iHeartMedia, and 13 universities are also present on media row.

Nick Kostos Radio Row (Barrett Media)
Nick Kostos Radio Row (Barrett Media)

The early start by several stations underscores the importance of Super Bowl week for sports radio, as media row once again becomes a key destination for live programming, brand exposure, and access to athletes and personalities ahead of the NFL’s biggest game.

With booths filling up and microphones already live, media row at the Moscone Center is quickly transforming into the epicenter of Super Bowl week, setting the stage for days of interviews, live broadcasts, and wall-to-wall coverage leading up to Sunday’s kickoff.

SportsRadio 610 Radio Row (Barrett Media)
SportsRadio 610 Radio Row (Barrett Media)

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Turning Point USA Reveals Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett As Super Bowl Halftime Lineup

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Turning Point USA has unveiled its alternative Super Bowl halftime show lineup, which includes Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.

The country music stars will perform opposite the NFL’s scheduled show from rapper Bad Bunny.

Furthermore, the organization has announced where the show will be made available. Viewers can watch the performance on Daily Wire+, Real America’s Voice, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Charge! and The National News Desk.

Additionally, the show will stream on Turning Point USA social media channels on YouTube, X, and Rumble.

It is unclear if the performance will be live or pre-recorded. Previously, TPUSA has shared that the show will happen “in an arena setting.”

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Salem Media Promotes Jason Mosher, Mike Murphy Following Val Carolin’s Retirement

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After more than 40 years in broadcast media, Salem Media’s Val Carolin has retired, and Jason Mosher and Mike Murphy have received promotions in corresponding moves.

“Val has become a valued partner for me in his years with Salem,” said Salem Media President of Broadcast Media Allen Power. “He has led with trust, affirmation, and high standards — a leadership style worth emulating.”

Jason Mosher has been promoted to Regional Director of Sales and Regional General Manager. He’ll oversee both Atlanta and Pittsburgh markets for the company.

Additionally, Mike Murphy has also been promoted to Regional General Manager. He’ll now add oversight to the Cleveland market, after previously overseeing the Twin Cities cluster.

“These moves ensure strong continuity of leadership while positioning Salem for continued growth in these key markets,” said Power. “We’re extremely proud of Jason and Mike for their well-earned promotions, and we extend our deepest appreciation to Val for his decades of service and the impact he’s had across our company.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.