Dr. Peter Attia appeared sporadically throughout the Epstein Files, showing a friendly relationship with the disgraced New York financier, even after being convicted of sex-related offenses. Those revelations came to light after he had been announced as a contributor to CBS News. After a push for the network to cut ties with him, it has reportedly decided against such a move.
Attia was one of 19 new contributors announced last month. That announcement came just days before he was featured in emails to Jeffrey Epstein, glowing about his relationship with the convicted sex offender. His name appeared nearly 2,000 times in the files, with almost all of the messages coming after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
Attia, who is a science researcher, podcaster, and author, has apologized for his messages to Epstein. He noted that he met Epstein in 2014 and was present at his Manhattan home several times, but said he never participated in any illegal activities.
According to a report from The Guardian‘s Jeremy Barr, CBS News has ultimately decided to keep Attia as a contributor. That decision comes after reports surfaced stating that new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss was completely against dismissing Attia, stating that severing ties would be giving in to a mob mentality and would equate to cancel culture.
“Everyone internally unofficially concluded he was staying as of about a week ago,” a CBS News employee told The Guardian.
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NPR host David Greene is suing Google, arguing that its AI podcast tool replicated his voice without his permission.
Greene claimed in an interview with The Washington Post that NotebookLM, the Google AI podcast machine that generates summaries of texts and sources for podcast-style audio, utilized his voice for its male speaking companion.
“I was, like, completely freaked out,” Greene said. “It’s this eerie moment where you feel like you’re listening to yourself.”
Greene alleges that Google violated his rights by launching the technology utilizing his voice without compensation. He added that co-workers have stated that the voice sounds like his in both email and text messages.
David Greene previously hosted Morning Edition for NPR before retiring in 2020. He now helms Left, Right & Center for KCRW.
Meanwhile, Google has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
“These allegations are baseless,” a Google spokesperson said. “The sound of the male voice in NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews is based on a paid professional actor Google hired.”
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Warner Bros. Discovery’s board is reportedly signaling a willingness to reopen discussions with Paramount Skydance as the company weighs a revised acquisition proposal that competes with its previously announced $83 billion agreement to sell key assets to Netflix.
Paramount Skydance submitted its latest proposal — the ninth since negotiations began last year — on February 10, outlining updated financial terms that include a so-called “ticking fee” worth approximately $650 million per quarter if a transaction is not completed by December 31, 2026.
Bloomberg first reported over the weekend that WBD’s board has grown more receptive to re-engaging.
Previously, the board moved swiftly to dismiss Paramount Skydance’s overtures, describing them as insufficient to disrupt the existing deal with Netflix, which was reached in December and centers on Warner Bros. and HBO Max.
However, the sales process involving the studio and its premium content arm has drawn increased scrutiny. Investors and corporate governance observers are examining the situation closely. They are evaluating whether directors have met their fiduciary responsibilities.
Should Warner Bros. Discovery re-enter talks, the move could strengthen the board’s position. It may help as shareholders prepare potential litigation. Lawsuits often follow transactions of this scale and complexity. The company is expected to address the revised proposal soon. It will also announce the timing of its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report after the Presidents’ Day holiday.
Investors are also awaiting details regarding a planned special shareholder vote to approve the Netflix transaction. It remains unclear whether renewed engagement with Paramount Skydance would alter that timetable.
Under the terms of the December agreement, Netflix retains the right to match any superior offer prior to closing. That provision could prove pivotal if WBD determines that Paramount Skydance’s latest bid represents a stronger financial or strategic outcome for shareholders.
The competing structures add another layer of complexity. Netflix’s agreement focuses on acquiring Warner Bros. and HBO Max, whereas Paramount Skydance has expressed interest in purchasing the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery, including its portfolio of cable networks such as CNN, TNT, Discovery, HGTV and Food Network.
Regulatory considerations loom over both paths. As the board navigates mounting legal, regulatory and investor pressure, its next steps will signal whether the December agreement remains the preferred destination or merely the starting point in a broader bidding contest.
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1110 KFAB afternoon host Emery Songer is departing the iHeartMedia Omaha news/talk station to focus on his efforts in middays at 1040 WHO in Des Moines.
Songer has helmed afternoons since June 2023. He joined 1110 KFAB after previously serving as the morning show producer at 1040 WHO for five years.
In a statement, 1110 KFAB Program Director Scott Voorhees shared that Songer won’t be completely gone from the station despite hosting his final show with the outlet last Friday.
“We at NewsRadio 1110 KFAB salute Emery Songer as he does what’s best for his personal and professional life in stepping away from his KFAB/Omaha show in the afternoon to focus on his morning show for our friends at WHO/Des Moines,” said Voorhees. “You will still hear him plenty on our radio station, hopefully for years to come, in various capacities.”
Voorhees alluded to a new host being named in the coming days, adding that details will be released this week.
The exit of Emery Songer marks the latest change for 1110 KFAB in recent months. Longtime morning host Gary Sadlemeyer retired in December, with Voorhees taking over morning drive.
In the Barrett Media Top 20 of 2025 series, Emery Songer earned 20th place in the Mid-Market News/Talk Radio Midday Show category for his work at 1040 WHO. He finished just outside the top 20 in the Mid-Market News/Talk Radio Afternoon Show category with his show on 1110 KFAB.
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Barrett Media’s Top 20 of 2025 for News/Talk Radio is presented by JJ Surma Voiceovers. Be sure to check out JJ’s work and learn how he can elevate your brand by clicking here.
Our news/talk series kicks off week #2 with a look at the Top 20 Major Market Program Directors of 2025. To see all of the results from the entire series, visit our website, subscribe to our newsletters, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and/or X. The full schedule of upcoming releases for news/talk is listed below the images. After the Top 20 series ends in March, I will record a video discussing the entire process for sports, news and music. That video will be posted on the Barrett Media YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe so you’re notified once the video goes live.
As you review these results, please remember that they represent the collective feedback shared by our industry voters. Barrett Media does not vote in this process. Our role is to assemble the group, collect the votes, and present the information.
Important Information
#1 – These results are based on 2025’s performance. 2026 changes have no effect on the voting.
#2 – We ask our voters to supply photos and logos to avoid headaches. Some comply, but most don’t. It forces us to spend a lot of time digging for images to highlight everyone. For that reason, there are no photo changes unless it involves a mistake. Thanks in advance for understanding.
#3 – Our executive panel consists of forty (40) program directors and corporate executives from radio’s top broadcasting companies. They include Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Cox Media Group, Townsquare Media, Hubbard Radio, Bonneville, Radio One, Nexstar Media, Zimmer Communications, Connoisseur Media, Salem Radio Network, Premiere Networks, Fox News Radio, and a number of independently owned and operated outlets. Our voting group is large because we want feedback from all areas of the country. We also try to make sure the results don’t favor any one company.
#4 – The criteria for our voters included the ear test, originality, multi-platform impact, ratings success, clearance (national shows) and industry buzz. Keep in mind, our voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect system but it’s one we feel good about using to showcase the industry’s best.
#5 –A total of 35 program directors appeared on ballots submitted for voting consideration in the Major Market News/Talk Radio Program Directors category.
And the Winner Is…
Ben Mevorach of 1010 WINS in New York. This is Ben’s first category win since Barrett Media started this series in 2022. He ranked 5th in 2024, 3rd in 2023, and 2nd in 2022. Congratulations to Ben and his team on the well deserved recognition.
I want to thank Dylan Barrett for creating the artwork, and each voter who participated in the process. Now without further delay, here are Barrett Media’s Top 20 Major Market News/Talk Radio Program Directors of 2025.
Additional Notes:
Ben Mevorach knocked off last year’s winner Ken Charles by nine (9) points. Mevorach also recorded a category best five (5) first-place votes.
Spots 21-25 belonged to Rob Davidek, Bill Flaherty, Kevin Droesch, Bryan Buckalew, and Martha Maurer.
The closest battle was for 20th place. Greg Stocker snuck by Rob Davidek by one (1) point.
Of the 35 programmers to appear on submitted ballots, seven (7) received at least one 1st place vote.
BM Top 20 of 2025 Remaining Schedule:
Tuesday February 17 = BM Top 20 Major/Mid Market N/T Radio Stations of 2025
Wednesday February 18 = BM Top 20 Major/Mid Market News Media Digital Shows of 2025
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries.Sign upfor our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Barrett Media’s Top 20 of 2025 for News/Talk Radio is presented by JJ Surma Voiceovers. Be sure to check out JJ’s work and learn how he can elevate your brand by clicking here.
Our news/talk series kicks off week #2 with a look at the Top 20 Mid Market Program Directors of 2025. To see all of the results from the entire series, visit our website, subscribe to our newsletters, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and/or X. The full schedule of upcoming releases for news/talk is listed below the images. After the Top 20 series ends in March, I will record a video discussing the entire process for sports, news and music. That video will be posted on the Barrett Media YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe so you’re notified once the video goes live.
As you review these results, please remember that they represent the collective feedback shared by our industry voters. Barrett Media does not vote in this process. Our role is to assemble the group, collect the votes, and present the information.
Important Information
#1 – These results are based on 2025’s performance. 2026 changes have no effect on the voting.
#2 – We ask our voters to supply photos and logos to avoid headaches. Some comply, but most don’t. It forces us to spend a lot of time digging for images to highlight everyone. For that reason, there are no photo changes unless it involves a mistake. Thanks in advance for understanding.
#3 – Our executive panel consists of forty (40) program directors and corporate executives from radio’s top broadcasting companies. They include Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Cox Media Group, Townsquare Media, Hubbard Radio, Bonneville, Radio One, Nexstar Media, Zimmer Communications, Connoisseur Media, Salem Radio Network, Premiere Networks, Fox News Radio, and a number of independently owned and operated outlets. Our voting group is large because we want feedback from all areas of the country. We also try to make sure the results don’t favor any one company.
#4 – The criteria for our voters included the ear test, originality, multi-platform impact, ratings success, clearance (national shows) and industry buzz. Keep in mind, our voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect system but it’s one we feel good about using to showcase the industry’s best.
#5 –A total of 58 program directors appeared on ballots submitted for voting consideration in the Mid Market News/Talk Radio Program Directors category.
And the Winner Is…
Scott Reinart of 700 WLW in Cincinnati. This is Scott’s fourth straight year of occupying the top slot in the category. He has never lost. Congrats to Scott and the entire 700 WLW team on the well earned attention.
I want to thank Dylan Barrett for creating the artwork, and each voter who participated in the process. Now without further delay, here are Barrett Media’s Top 20 Mid Market News/Talk Radio Program Directors of 2025.
Additional Notes:
Scott Reinart scored a seventeen (17) point win over Mike Schaeffer to repeat as the category winner for a fourth straight year. Reinhart notched a category best five (5) first-place votes to secure the victory.
Spots 21-25 belonged to John Mountz, Kevin Miller, Grant McHill, Valerie Vining, and Scott Voorhees.
The closest battle was for 6th place. David Wood slipped by Diane Newman by two (2) points.
Of the 58 programmers to appear on submitted ballots, seven (7) received at least one 1st place vote.
BM Top 20 of 2025 Remaining Schedule:
Tuesday February 17 = BM Top 20 Major/Mid Market News/Talk Radio Stations of 2025
Wednesday February 18 = BM Top 20 Major/Mid Market News Media Digital Shows of 2025
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries.Sign upfor our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
The viewing experience for sports fans is on the cusp of changing forever. Not because of a new play-by-play hire or former athlete in the booth, but because of the continued adaptation of artificial intelligence into the broadcast experience. NBA commissioner Adam Silver spent his All-Star Saturday press conference heralding the excitement about what adaptations could be coming to a sports telecast near you.
The options are seemingly limitless: games in any language, muting commentary, alternative commentary such as alt-casts, social media interactions, and more. The leagues are attempting to make the broadcast model more inclusive than the networks that pay to carry the games themselves. This presents a massive opportunity for sports radio.
Far too often, sports radio has lagged behind trends in how sports fans seek content in the digital landscape. However, if the NBA and other leagues are becoming more welcoming to additional partners or ideas for unique in-game content, the time is now for sports radio to plan its own alt-cast.
Depending on the market, the debate about what defines success for sports radio differs. In totality, it is a combination of ratings share, revenue, and digital reach and engagement. Some markets value one metric more than others, while some no longer consider traditional ratings share to hold significant value in 2026.
The other two metrics still apply heavily to every market: how to grow the audience on the digital frontier while applying sponsorship dollars to the effort. For decades, sports fans have sought content on their own timeline, and sports radio has adapted. However, in most cases, it has played from behind, lagging behind the rise of sports podcasts and their expansion into video distribution.
How sports radio adapts to AI is the next challenge facing the format. While some broadcast companies ensure a guaranteed human approach, others have attempted to apply AI models to what consumers have always trusted. Like anything in radio, the process has involved trial and error, with lessons to be learned.
“We're about to witness probably the most significant change, certainly in my lifetime, in how sports are presented." – Adam Silver on the impact of AI. pic.twitter.com/bYeoKewQF8
When Adam Silver said the viewing experience could change forever, with limitless ways to watch NBA games, my sports radio antennas went up. If NBA fans will soon choose who they listen to during a broadcast, why shouldn’t sports radio hosts be ready to meet that demand?
Or will this be another opportunity that sports radio lets go to the voice of a local podcaster?
If what the research says is true — that sports radio hosts rank among the most trusted voices for consumers — why not lean completely into that notion? For example, if AI is going to allow me as an NBA viewer to watch the game while choosing who I want to hear commentate on it, why isn’t my sports radio host an option?
This past College Football Playoff National Championship game offered options where I could listen to the Indiana radio network or the Miami Hurricanes radio network while watching the game on ESPN Unlimited.
What’s to say that, with advancing technology, ESPN or the University of Indiana couldn’t reach an agreement with 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan that would allow me to access a second screen featuring Kevin Bowen, Jeff Rickard, and James Boyd providing a watch-along cast?
Am I wrong to think the NBA would be open to more content hubs providing real-time coverage of its product? Is it unreasonable to believe that a major professional sports league would welcome partnered radio broadcasters to add a localized feel that fans could select as a go-to option on their television broadcasts?
With AI, nothing seems impossible, and leagues are starting to take notice. Sports radio brands should as well.
We have already seen how the rise of alt-casts has provided more options for viewers to watch and enjoy games. Why wouldn’t networks and leagues work with local partners in their markets to create a more affordable way to expand their content distribution models?
If WWE can lean into the streaming watch-along community and showcase those reactions in montages, why wouldn’t professional sports take the next step? In the race to create content, leagues constantly search for innovative ways to engage with their fan bases anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
Rather than relying primarily on sports betting advertising revenue for survival, sports radio should prioritize being live during games. That strategy may represent its last clear opportunity to disrupt. It could prove critical before AI begins to challenge the trusted voice of the local host.
The blueprint is available. Next time you’re watching your local team, do a quick search on YouTube, Twitch, or Rumble. The watch-along demo reel is there, now it’s on sports radio to enhance and own it.
Instead of waiting to see how AI reshapes the sidelines, sports radio should sprint toward it. The next great competitive advantage will not be who hires the splashiest former athlete or who wins the next ratings book. It will be who embeds themselves into the live game experience in a way that feels indispensable.
If fans are being handed the remote — and soon the algorithm — to decide how they experience a game, sports radio faces a choice. It can remain a reactionary medium, recapping what already happened. Or it can become a selectable layer of the broadcast itself.
The technology is arriving whether radio participates or not. The leagues are exploring it. The networks are evaluating it. The fans are expecting it.
So the real question isn’t whether AI will change sports broadcasting.
It’s whether sports radio will be bold enough to change with it.
Because in a world where viewers can choose any voice, in any language, with any tone, the most valuable currency won’t be signal strength — it will be trust.
And if sports radio truly believes its hosts are the most trusted voices in the market, then the time has come to prove it. Not after the game, not the next morning, but live, in the moment, as part of the experience itself.
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.
It’s interesting to watch artists navigate the complicated music business landscape decade after decade. I’m especially inspired by those who are not only still surviving but elevating their craft to new levels. Talent has no timetable. One of those talented rockers that comes to mind is singer John Corabi.
John may be best remembered by his time in Mötley Crüe, where he bravely took over for front man Vince Neil in 1994. He released a self-titled album with the band that is now looked upon as a solid piece of music. John’s soulful vocals and strong songwriting comes through on on the compilation which includes the single Hooligan’s Holiday.
Before Mötley Mania, John was the front man of The Scream. In 1997, he formed the highly underrated band Union with Bruce Kulick of Kiss. John Corabi joined the supergroup The Dead Daisies in 2015 and has made music with countless artists as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
John’s vocals are reminiscent of Paul Rodgers, Steve Marriott, and Rod Stewart. You could say his solid pipes allowed him to provide a great delivery of a song. He is also one of rock music’s nicest guys.
His forthcoming album and first-ever full solo album, New Day, is out April 24 on Frontiers Records. When it arrived in my inbox and he was on my Carr Stereo Podcast interview schedule, I was excited to catch up with this talented guy who had been on my radio show at WDHA since the early ’90s with his various projects.
I gave the stream of the album a listen, and it blew me away. Twelve tracks, including one cover of Sly and The Family Stone’s Everyday People. John teamed up with his old friend, mega-writer and producer Marti Frederiksen, along with a killer band of musicians. This ensemble included Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke, Richard Fortus from Guns N’ Roses, and Winger keyboardist Paul Taylor.
He also brought an arsenal of quality songs to present to the world. Recently, I caught up with John for an interview on my Carr Stereo podcast to discuss his New Day ahead.
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
Terrie Carr – This new record that you have coming out on April 24 is your debut solo album. I actually did a little head scratch too, because I’m like, John’s not done a solo record yet?
John Corabi – I kind of have, but my first one was the unplugged record. There was really no drum or no keyboards. It was just me and a few friends with acoustic guitars, acoustic bass. If we needed rhythm, we just used tambourine.
TC– This is you and your friends and you’ve got this amazing group of people.
JC– Yes, first real full band, new material kind of record thing.
TC– Let’s start by talking about the title track New Day. The title track is just what we need these days. It’s so positive and makes me feel good. I listened to it the first time it dropped in my inbox, and I was like, Oh my God. This is such a positive, organically about the music kind of song.
It is an earworm, and I was sending it to friends telling them you’ve got to hear this new one from John Corabi.
JC– I had the riff for a minute, and I played it for Marti (Frederiksen). That’s one of those songs that took a minute to put together because it was like, “let’s do this!” Then we’d go away from it, listen to it again.
We finally found the music, and a great title. I sat down and started writing the lyrics. Honestly, I really can’t stand the way people are with each other nowadays. People are not nice, they are very critical. Everybody walks around staring at their phone. Staring at their computers just grumpy, caught up in all the BS that’s going on.
Go outside, dude, put your feet in the grass, enjoy life. I’m sure you can think of somebody off the top of your head. We all have one. There’s a friend or somebody that we know who just walks around mopey-faced thinking that the world is unfair and just did them wrong.
Honestly, it’s more about fixing yourself and looking at the glass half full and not half empty. I don’t know where the song or the lyrics came from. As I was writing it, I’m like, ok, this is really cool. It does have a positive message, but that wasn’t my intention. It just kind of happened that way. Yesterday’s gone. You cannot change it. Today is the day to rearrange it.
TC– You’re working with these incredible people. Including a guy whose name comes up when I’m talking to artists, and that’s Marti Frederiksen. He is like Mr. Music. He’s a great player, producer, and writer.
JC– I’ve known Marti since The Scream days. Marti was in a band called Outlaw Blood that opened a few shows for The Scream. My manager at the time, John Greenberg, knew him. Little known fact- the movie Almost Famous…..that was Marti singing and he did a lot of the writing for Stillwater (the fictitious band).
TC– Yeah, he was the Jeff Bebe character singing voice.
JC– Yup! He’s so easy to work with. I truly depend on Marti because he knows what’s going on up here in my head. He knows what I want to do. With this record, my biggest concern when I got offered this record deal- everybody starts looking for what box to put it in.
I hate when you do a song and it’s like Is it hard rock or is it Americana? Is it country or is it classic rock? Is it alt rock? What is it? Why can’t there just be one big box that says music?
I told Marty that I don’t like labels and boxes. Marti said let’s not think about it. Let’s sit down and just make the best record we can.
TC– People want to hear songs. You’ve always been a very song-driven artist with every project that you were involved with. Even the Motley record is a record that years later, people started to go a different guy, yes. But this record’s actually a freaking great record.
JC– It was swimming uphill right from the beginning on Motley.
TC– But it got recognized afterwards. Looking back at the Motley Crue record from 1994, people say that record is really solid.
JC– That’s all you can ask for. I was just saying to my wife that even more than the money, god forbid, let me knock on wood. If anything would ever happen to Paul McCartney, people are gonna go the guy was consistent. He was always consistent- he started great and he ended great.
That’s what it’s about for me. There’s some weird little desire of mine in my head for people. Whenever my time comes, they look at The Scream, Motley Crue, Union, or the solo stuff I’ve done. The Dead Daisies stuff I’ve done. Look at the whole body of work and say it was consistent. John was consistent. That’s all I can really ask for.
John’s forthcoming release, New Day, is more than consistent. It’s one of the best records I’ve heard in a while. John is hitting the road with his amazing backing band as a headliner and supporting his Philadelphia brother Tom Keifer (they are calling it the “Cheesesteak Tour”!).
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Let’s go back to 1942, when even I wasn’t born yet. The classic movie “Casablanca” was released, starring Humphrey Bogart as Rick and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa. An oft-quoted line came from Claude Rains, playing the role of Captain Renault, stating, “I’m shocked, shocked, to find that gambling is going on in here” in Rick’s club. Almost immediately, a croupier hands Captain Renault some money and says, “Your winnings, sir,” to which he replies, “Oh, thank you very much.” When I read Nielsen’s counterclaim against Cumulus in their ongoing court battle, this scene from “Casablanca” came to mind.
And if you’ve never seen the movie, it’s wonderful (I’ll avoid the continued overuse of “iconic”). Reading the available material filed by Nielsen (so much is redacted, it looks like letters from prison), you can understand the key points being made by the company’s attorneys.
Nielsen states that Cumulus has been a client since 1997. True enough, but the implication (never stated) is that Cumulus has been a continuous client. Sticking with the “Casablanca” theme, let’s channel Sam (Dooley Wilson) singing “You must remember this” — that Cumulus put out an RFP (request for proposals) in 2008 for an alternative service to Arbitron. Specifically, Cumulus management at the time wanted an electronic system for the many smaller markets where the company owned stations.
Yes, Sam, I do remember this clearly, as I was the main author of Arbitron’s response. The company felt a necessity to respond, even though we understood the key reason for Cumulus’ RFP was to find an alternative to Arbitron. Guess what? We didn’t win the RFP.
Cumulus ended up with a diary service from Nielsen. That lasted a couple of years, but few other companies signed up. By the start of 2011, Nielsen was out of the radio ratings business until the company bought Arbitron. The point being that while Cumulus has worked with Nielsen and Arbitron since 1997, there was a two-year hiatus. So this isn’t the first time Cumulus has tried to escape from Nielsen’s clutches.
Let’s get on to the fun part — naming and shaming — specifically the one and only Pierre Bouvard. When I was working with automotive OEMs and others in that space long before DTS AutoStage came along, I’d want people to meet Pierre, Arbitron’s most public face. I always said that in the radio business, he was like Adele, Prince, or Madonna, needing only one name. If you said “Pierre,” everyone knew who you were talking about, with no need to add Bouvard. And everyone liked Pierre as well.
Nielsen’s lawyers have portrayed him as a villain, alleging that he passed along some of Nielsen’s “crown jewels” (their words) to the Germans — oops, I’m sorry, stuck in “Casablanca” mode. I meant to type Eastlan. Admittedly, we’re dealing with lawyers here, but I’d ask a gemologist to check those “crown jewels,” as they may be cubic zirconia these days.
If you’ve ever read a Nielsen contract, or any similar contract, you know there are clear provisions about sharing copyrighted data. In case you don’t know, all Nielsen audience estimates are copyrighted, and the contract specifies acceptable uses of the data under your license from Nielsen. Pretty standard.
The problem is industry practice. If you ask me to believe that no one in the radio industry has ever shared Nielsen or Arbitron data with someone who was not licensed to see it, well, I have a couple of bridges you may be interested in purchasing. And much like Captain Renault, I’m shocked, shocked, that someone would share copyrighted Nielsen Audio data (“Here’s your P25-54 ranker, sir”). That doesn’t make it right, but it’s a typical practice. The better question might be whether Nielsen is “cherry picking” by going after Pierre’s alleged misdeed when this practice has gone on for decades.
There is one line that cannot be crossed. If a non-subscriber uses the data for sales, that company will be in serious trouble. The Nielsen lawyers cited the case of Arbitron Inc. v. Saga Communications, Inc., et al., which concerned unauthorized use of ratings data. Without getting into details, that case was settled with Saga subscribing to Arbitron data in some PPM metros for a period.
Nielsen alleges that the purpose of Pierre’s alleged data sharing with Eastlan was to give that company an idea of what their estimates should look like versus what Eastlan currently produces. That makes sense to a point. But when it comes to Nielsen Audio estimates these days (PPM and diary), the company’s theme song could be House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” because it’s tougher than ever to find consistency. To my mind, some of that is the state of 2026 radio listening, but much of the blame falls on Nielsen methodology. Building a system to align future Eastlan estimates to Nielsen would be very hard to do.
This accusation displays Nielsen’s monopoly market power, which is what Cumulus initially alleged. Agencies expect something resembling consistency in data so that a buy made for a future date will deliver the audience that was expected. Back in my Birch days in the early ’90s, the complaint was that Birch data was different from Arbitron data, so switching was a problem. What’s happening today is the same, demonstrating Nielsen’s market power. If it doesn’t look like Nielsen Audio data, it’s not acceptable as currency.
As the Cumulus-Nielsen saga rolls on, the biggest winners will be the lawyers and their firms. Thinking back to the days of Fly-Ins and industry studies versus today’s court cases, I’ll paraphrase Rick’s famous line to Ilsa: “We’ll always have Columbia.” Here’s looking at you, Nielsen!
Let’s meet again next week.
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.
The reaction inside CBS Evening News to Bari Weiss’ leadership tells a story that’s easy to misread if you’re not careful. Bari Weiss stepped into a legacy newsroom knowing that any meaningful shift would create friction. That friction has now arrived, loudly and publicly, and it should encourage her more than alarm her.
Change rarely arrives quietly in newsrooms, especially ones built on decades of habit. When routines get disrupted, the people most comfortable with the old way tend to speak first and speak the loudest. That dynamic is playing out now at CBS Evening News, where internal criticism has spilled into public view. It’s uncomfortable, it’s messy, and it’s also a familiar sign that something fundamental is moving.
Last week’s departure of Alicia Hastey is a clear example. Hastey said she disagreed with the direction CBS News has taken under Weiss. That statement was framed by some as an indictment of leadership. Look at it another way, and it reads as confirmation that leadership is actually leading. Cultural shifts don’t announce themselves with applause. They announce themselves when people who were comfortable decide they no longer want to stay.
For an executive tasked with changing culture, exits like that aren’t failures. They’re evidence. They show that expectations are being reset and that previous assumptions no longer apply. If everyone is happy during a transformation, it usually means nothing significant is happening. Disruption, by definition, displaces someone.
It’s important to draw a clear line here. None of this should be mistaken as an endorsement of how CBS News is currently operating. That isn’t my call to make, and it’s not the point of this discussion. Performance, editorial judgment, and long-term strategy deserve their own evaluation. What matters in this moment is whether Weiss is accomplishing what she set out to do internally. By that measure, the reaction suggests she is.
Newsrooms are ecosystems built on trust, predictability, and shared norms. When leadership challenges those norms, even with good intentions, resistance is inevitable. Some of that resistance is thoughtful and valuable. Some of it is reflexive and emotional. The loudest voices are often the latter, because change threatens identity as much as workflow.
Public pushback from staffers is also a signal to everyone else watching. It tells remaining employees that the status quo is no longer guaranteed. It forces decisions. Stay and adapt, or leave and preserve what you preferred. That clarity can be painful, but it’s also efficient. Organizations stagnate when no one is forced to choose.
There’s also a broader industry lesson here. Media companies talk endlessly about reinvention while quietly hoping no one notices the process. That approach doesn’t work anymore. Reinvention is visible, disruptive, and controversial by nature. Bari Weiss isn’t discovering that reality; she’s experiencing it in real time.
Critics will argue that losing experienced people weakens the product. Sometimes that’s true. Other times, it creates space for new voices and different approaches. Both outcomes are possible, and neither can be judged fully in the early stages. What can be judged is intent and momentum. Right now, the momentum points toward change actually happening.
Leadership isn’t validated by universal approval. It’s validated when decisions alter behavior. The reaction inside CBS Evening News shows altered behavior, altered expectations, and altered comfort levels. That’s not something to fear if your goal is transformation.
If Bari Weiss set out to challenge the existing culture, the response from departing staffers suggests she’s already landed a few punches. Whether the strategy succeeds long-term remains to be seen. For now, the noise itself is the signal.
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