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OutKick Digital Posts Strong Growth For Third Quarter 2026

John Mamola
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OutKick Digital Posts Strong Growth For Third Quarter 2026

OutKick closed Q3 2026 with major audience gains on digital. In fact, the platform grew across every reported category quarter-to-quarter and year-over-year.

What We Know: According to Comscore data, OutKick averaged 12.2 million monthly desktop and mobile unique visitors in Q3 (July – September). That figure rose 40% from Q2 and 149% from a year ago. Meanwhile, multiplatform views hit 190 million, up 56% quarter-over-quarter and 187% year-over-year. Likewise, total minutes reached 201 million, climbing 29% from Q2 and 196% annually.

What They Said: Gary Schreier, senior vice president and managing editor: “OutKick’s quarterly numbers reflect the platform’s continued growth and influence across sports and culture. Throughout the quarter, OutKick broke sport industry news involving ESPN, drove the conversation around Sophie Cunningham, and delivered on-the-ground coverage for college football and the NFL. This speaks to OutKick’s commitment to providing authentic and in-depth stories shaping the sports landscape.” 

What Remains Unclear: September offered a strong signal of growth. That month, OutKick drew 12.8 million unique visitors, 64 million views and 62 million minutes. Each figure jumped between 188% and 213% year-over-year. It remains unknown heading into the final quarter of the year whether or not the momentum will continue to carry.

What It Means: Furthermore, OutKick’s social footprint is expanding alongside its site traffic following a rebrand. Comscore Social counted over 3 million Q3 social actions on Facebook, X and Instagram, up 58% from Q2. Additionally, video views topped 27.3 million across Facebook, X and YouTube, a 22% gain. Ultimately, OutKick is turning breaking news and live coverage into a growing multiplatform audience.

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.

Katie Zacharia Transitioning Away From Role as White House Press Secretary

Garrett Searight
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Katie Zacharia Transitioning Away From Role as White House Press Secretary

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia is transitioning out of her role after a turbulent first week. Her departure follows mounting scrutiny over her legal credentials and a difficult interview with Sean Hannity.

What We Know: Zacharia’s exit comes less than a week after she replaced Karoline Leavitt as White House Press Secretary. According to Fox News, a White House official confirmed Friday that she’s transitioning out of the position. Zacharia held her first press briefing on Tuesday, October 13th, answering just three questions during an appearance that lasted roughly 15 minutes.

Her tenure quickly became mired in controversy after she acknowledged on Fox News that she never passed the bar exam. Despite that, she had repeatedly described herself as a lawyer and claimed she practiced corporate law in China. Less than a day before reports of her departure, Zacharia appeared on Hannity, where the Fox News host questioned whether she was suited for the job.

What’s at Stake: The abrupt transition raises questions about the Trump administration’s communications strategy and its approach to defending the president’s agenda. The White House will need to determine who can effectively manage reporters, deliver consistent messaging, and withstand scrutiny over the administration’s decisions.

What Remains Unclear: The White House hasn’t publicly detailed the terms of Zacharia’s departure or announced who will replace her. President Donald Trump suggested Friday that she should consider whether the demanding position was right for her, though he hadn’t announced a final decision at the time of those remarks.

What It Means: Zacharia’s brief tenure highlights the risks of appointing a high-profile spokesperson whose background becomes a distraction. Moreover, the controversy escalated after Hannity, a prominent Trump ally, publicly questioned her suitability. The administration now faces pressure to find a successor who can restore focus to its messaging.

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.

NFL Viewership At Strongest Point Ever Through Five Weeks

John Mamola
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NFL Viewership At Strongest Point Ever Through Five Weeks

The NFL’s viewership is looking stronger than last year after five weeks. Viewership results from week five pushed the league to its best game average through that point on record.

What We Know: Games are averaging 18.8 million viewers, up 1% from the same point last year. However, according to Sports Business Journal, the league had trailed last season’s pace through the first four weeks. Week 5 changed that, all games achieved an average of 17.3 million viewers. That’s a 4% leap year over year and the best Week 5 since 2019. Meanwhile, Prime Video, CBS and ESPN are posting the best figures for their respective packages.

What The Data Shows: (via NFL PR)

What Remains Unclear: Still, the season-long gain is modest at just 1%. Even with additional changes to Nielsen measurement that began this season, the league continues to show its strength. Additionally, it’s unclear whether Week five marks a lasting turnaround or a one-week bump.

What It Means: Ultimately, the NFL remains television’s most reliable draw, even in a season that started slow. Moreover, having all four partners near their highs gives every rights holder a strong selling point with advertisers. For Prime Video in particular, its best package figures reinforce streaming’s growing place in the league’s media plans. Consequently, the rest of October will show whether this momentum holds into the season’s second half.

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.

CBS News, Fox News Digital Top Unique Visitors List During 2026’s 3rd Quarter

Garrett Searight
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CBS News, Fox News Digital Top Unique Visitors List During 2026’s 3rd Quarter

Fox News Digital led cable news competitors in multiplatform views and minutes during the third quarter of 2026. However, CBS News outpaced Fox in total digital multiplatform unique visitors.

What We Know: According to Comscore, Fox News Digital generated 4.6 billion multiplatform views and 10 billion multiplatform minutes during the quarter. The network also recorded 169.7 million average total digital multiplatform unique visitors, an 11% increase year-over-year.

Meanwhile, CNN experienced its weakest quarter since 2015 across unique visitors, multiplatform views, and multiplatform minutes. Its total digital multiplatform unique visitors fell 35% compared to the third quarter of 2025.

What The Numbers Show:

Digital News BrandAverage Unique VisitorsYear-Over-Year Change
CBSNews.com186.2 million▲ 9%
Fox News Digital169.7 million▲ 11%
NBCNews.com105.4 million▲ 7%
The New York Times60.3 million▼ 13%
CNN.com57.4 million▼ 35%
ABC News Sites36.6 million▼ 23%

What Remains Unclear: The figures don’t explain why some news brands gained unique visitors while others experienced significant declines. They also don’t establish how much individual platforms, audience habits, or changes in news consumption contributed to the results.

What It Means: Fox News Digital continued to dominate engagement, leading all listed competitors in multiplatform views and minutes. However, CBSNews.com attracted more total digital multiplatform unique visitors, demonstrating that reach and engagement don’t always move together.

Additionally, CNN’s steep declines highlight a challenging quarter for the network’s digital operation. The results suggest that news organizations face different challenges in attracting audiences and keeping them engaged.

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.

Building a Listener Community Between Episodes

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Building a Listener Community Between Episodes

A podcast lives in bursts. An episode drops, listeners tune in for an hour or so, and then a long, quiet week of silence rolls in behind it. For plenty of shows, that silence is exactly where the audience quietly slips away. The ones that thrive treat the space between episodes as the main event, not dead air to be endured. They give listeners somewhere to gather, talk, and belong. This piece is about turning passive listeners into an active community that sticks around long after the credits fade.

Give Listeners Somewhere to Go

An episode is a broadcast. A community is a conversation. You need a home for the second one.

A dedicated space, a forum, a chat server, a hangout of some kind, turns listeners from an audience into a group. Media researchers at the Reuters Institute have long noted that loyal audiences form around participation, not just content. People stay for each other, not only for you. Give them a room and they build the reasons to return all on their own.

So the first move is refreshingly simple. Open a door and warmly wave listeners through it.

Give Them Something to Do Together

A chat room goes stale fast if all it does is sit around waiting for the next episode. Add activity.

Shared things to do keep a community warm between drops:

  1. A weekly discussion thread picking apart the latest episode.
  2. Listener challenges tied to the show’s theme.
  3. Live hangouts, so people meet in real time.
  4. A shared game world, for shows with any gaming streak.

That last one catches people off guard. Gaming and hobby podcasts often spin up a server where listeners actually play together between episodes, which turns a passive audience into a genuine crew. Those communities swap setups in this minecraft modpack hosting review discussion, hunting for something that stays smooth when a crowd piles in the moment an episode lands.

Make Belonging the Real Product

The content pulls people in. Belonging is what keeps them. So design for belonging on purpose.

Recognize the regulars by name. Feature listener stories on the show. Hand the community little rituals that belong to them and nobody else. And if your show runs a game world, keep it dependable, since a crashing server undoes every scrap of that goodwill. Plenty of listener communities host their space on solid modded minecraft server setups so the hangout is always there, humming, between episodes.

Between-episode toolWhat it does
Discussion threadStretches each episode further
Live hangoutReal-time connection
Shared worldA reason to return daily

Belonging, not content, is what quietly turns a casual listener into a lifer. People will forgive a weaker episode now and then, no problem. What they will not walk away from is a whole room full of friends they have come to genuinely care about between the drops.

The Show Is the Spark, Not the Whole Fire

A podcast gets people through the door, but a community is what keeps them. Give listeners a home between episodes, fill it with things to do together, and make belonging the whole point. Whether that is a weekly thread or a shared game world you all pile into, the aim is the same: a place that stays warm and busy while you are off the mic and between recordings. Nail that, and your audience stops waiting for episodes and starts living in the community around them.

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.

Linda Cohn, Craig Carton and Rob Parker Split Over Troy Aikman’s ESPN Future

John Mamola
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Linda Cohn, Craig Carton and Rob Parker Split Over Troy Aikman’s ESPN Future

Troy Aikman’s uncertain future at ESPN has sports media personalities picking sides. In fact, three voices offered three very different takes on the Monday Night Football analyst’s contract standoff.

What We Know: ESPN signed Joe Buck to a six-year extension in September reportedly worth about $108 million. However, Aikman, Buck’s partner for 25 seasons, hasn’t received a formal offer. His five-year deal, signed in 2022, expires after this season. Aikman reportedly earns $18 million a year.

Aikman recently told 96.7/1310 The Ticket in Dallas he expects to become a free agent after the Super Bowl. He later told Jimmy Traina that ESPN seems to be heading in a different direction. Meanwhile, Front Office Sports reported that Buck and Aikman argued over the contract gap before a recent broadcast. ESPN says it won’t address talent contracts publicly until after the Super Bowl.

Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn sided with Aikman on The Linda Cohn Show. She questioned why ESPN would leave half of its lead team in limbo before its first Super Bowl broadcast. In contrast, WFAN’s Craig Carton blasted Aikman on The Carton Show w/Chris McMonigle. Carton called Aikman selfish for failing to celebrate Buck’s new deal. He also suggested ESPN may simply value Aikman below his current salary.

Elsewhere, Rob Parker floated a replacement on The Odd Couple. He argued ESPN should hire Russell Wilson, who retired in June to join CBS’s The NFL Today. Notably, Wilson hasn’t appeared in any reporting about ESPN’s search. Instead, Puck’s John Ourand reports Greg Olsen is the likely choice.

What They Said: “Troy Aikman deserves to get paid, just like Joe Buck. But from the outside looking in, it doesn’t look good. It’s a bad look.” – Linda Cohn

“Maybe ESPN recognizes that you’re not worth $20 million a year. And you can’t be happy for the guy that sat next to you for 25 years?” – Craig Carton

“Russell Wilson should have that job. He checks all the freaking boxes. It’s time for ABC/ESPN to hire a brother in that job and give an opportunity to be representative of the league.” – Rob Parker

What Remains Unclear: So far, ESPN has not made Aikman an offer nor has the network expressed a desire to do so. Furthermore, the network hasn’t said whether salary is the sticking point. It’s also unclear whether rivals like CBS or Netflix would pursue him.

What It Means: For ESPN, the situation creates an awkward backdrop for its first Super Bowl in February. ESPN has locked up one half of its lead booth. The other is openly eyeing free agency. As a result, every Monday night broadcast now carries a subplot. Still, the debate highlights a bigger question for networks. How much is a familiar analyst really worth?

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.

Cumulus Emerges From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy After Completing Restructuring

Garrett Searight
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Cumulus Emerges From Chapter 11 Bankruptcy After Completing Restructuring

Cumulus Media has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after completing its financial restructuring. The company has eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and will operate as a privately owned business.

What We Know: Cumulus Media announced Friday that it received all required approvals to complete its reorganization, including authorization from the FCC. The company entered Chapter 11 protection on March 5th, 2026, under an agreement with its lenders. As part of the restructuring, Cumulus eliminated approximately $550 million in debt. The company has also appointed a new Board of Directors as it transitions to private ownership. However, its existing management team will remain in place. Cumulus said the process followed its original timeline, and its stations continued operating without disruption to audiences, advertisers, or other partners.

What They Said: “I am grateful to our lenders and noteholders for their collaboration throughout this process, and to our employees, vendors, affiliates, customers, and partners for their continued trust and support. Emerging with a significantly stronger balance sheet, we are more committed than ever to providing engaging content across our national footprint, serving as a lifeline and voice for the local communities we serve, driving meaningful growth for our advertising partners, and delivering value for our new shareholders.” -Cumulus Media President/CEO Mary Berner

What Remains Unclear: Cumulus hasn’t detailed how its new ownership structure or Board of Directors will affect its long-term strategy. The company also hasn’t outlined any additional changes to its operations following the restructuring.

What It Means: The restructuring gives Cumulus a stronger financial foundation as it competes in an evolving media and advertising market. Eliminating substantial debt could provide greater flexibility to invest in its stations, programming, and digital businesses. Meanwhile, keeping the existing management team in place offers continuity as the company begins its next chapter under private ownership.

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.

National Lacrosse League Signs New Streaming Deal With FloSports Over ESPN

John Mamola
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National Lacrosse League Signs New Streaming Deal With FloSports Over ESPN

FloSports has landed a multiyear deal to stream the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The agreement also launches FloLacrosse, a new channel debuting Nov. 5.

What We Know: FloSports becomes the NLL’s exclusive global streaming home, starting with the league’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Season in November. The deal covers the full regular season, postseason and marquee league events. Additionally, the NLL Saturday Showcase and 2027 NLL Finals will air on the FloSports Channel via Prime Video, YouTube and LG Channels. In turn, FloSports gets presenting sponsorship of in-game highlights across 100-plus streams and at least 18 national broadcasts. Notably, the move comes as ESPN continues to invest in other professional lacrosse leagues, including the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).

What They Said: Mark Floreani, co-founder and CEO of FloSports: “We’ve been eyeing the NLL for some time because it’s one of the most attractive professional leagues operating in one of the fastest-growing sports in North America. Adding the league to the FloSports portfolio gives us the opportunity to launch a much-needed destination for the sport. FloLacrosse represents our long-term commitment to the NLL, its athletes and fans, and to growing lacrosse across North America and around the world.”

Brett Frood, NLL commissioner: “FloSports has a proven track record of building passionate communities around the sports it serves and is investing in lacrosse 365 days a year. Its content and storytelling will amplify our game and elevate our athletes, and FloLacrosse will deliver a premium experience for our fans, with every game in one place. FloSports’ FAST channel alliances will further broaden our distribution, giving tens of millions of viewers access to NLL lacrosse.”

What Remains Unclear: Neither side disclosed the deal’s length or financial terms. Also, the release doesn’t say which outlets will carry the 18 national broadcasts. Furthermore, FloSports will shift its existing lacrosse rights to FloLacrosse over several months without a firm timeline. Until then, some events stay on FloLive and FloFC.

What It Means: FloLacrosse is FloSports’ first new channel since FloCollege launched in 2024. Moreover, it gives fans one home for pro, college, high school and amateur lacrosse. The deal also deepens FloSports’ push into Canada, where FloHockey already carries major junior hockey. Notably, eight NLL clubs share arenas with FloHockey partner teams, which opens the door to cross-promotion.

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.

Sean Hannity Grills White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia on Lawyer Claims

Jason Barrett
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Sean Hannity Grills White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia on Lawyer Claims

Katie Zacharia’s rocky start as White House press secretary has turned into a debate over two words: lawyer and attorney. In fact, hosts on Fox News, CNN, NewsNation and other outlets have reached very different conclusions. She addressed the controversy on Thursday night during an appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News.

What We Know: Zacharia graduated from Pepperdine law school in 2011. She didn’t pass the California bar exam though. She told Sean Hannity that she took it once and never tried again. Despite that, Zacharia described herself as a lawyer and an attorney. Her LinkedIn profile says she worked as general counsel for the group Fix California. In addition, reviews of her social media posts found at least 15 posts identifying her as an attorney. President Trump also called her an attorney when he announced her hiring.

Zacharia defended herself during her Hannity interview. She agreed that advisers told her she could use “lawyer” but not “attorney.” She also said the posts in question were retweets. Meanwhile, a watchdog group has filed a complaint asking the State Bar of California to investigate.

On CNN, Zack Wolf noted that California prohibits presenting yourself as an attorney or lawyer without a license. One White House official told the network that there was “literally zero reason to put her out on her second day unprepared.”

Katie Pavlich on NewsNation pointed out that Zacharia misled the president and put him in position to repeat her prior claims. Elsewhere, former prosecutor Randy Zelin called the issue a crime under California law while others compared it to Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed calling himself a doctor without a medical license. Megyn Kelly took a different approach entirely urging patience and criticizing media critics for piling on.

What They Said: “Why not say I took the bar and didn’t pass it? Why get in this drawn out definition of an attorney and a lawyer?” – Sean Hannity to Katie Zacharia on Fox News

“Given the fact that I had been on the job less than maybe eight hours and had a briefing book in the morning, I feel like I did my very best to deliver for the American people that day.” – Katie Zacharia, White House Press Secretary

What Remains Unclear: Whether the State Bar of California acts on the complaint remains to be seen. Wolf noted the state’s privacy laws may keep any investigation’s results private. Likewise, the White House hasn’t directly answered whether Zacharia passed a bar exam. It also hasn’t addressed why she was rushed out to meet the press on Tuesday morning.

What It Means: For Zacharia, the controversy is a self-inflicted wound. A press secretary doesn’t need a law degree, as several hosts pointed out. Nevertheless, the story adds additional noise and distractions during the president’s midterm push. For cable news, the coverage shows how quickly a credentials question can spark appointment television. Critics see dishonesty. Defenders see piling on. Meanwhile, the audience tunes in and can’t look away. Zacharia’s next briefing may matter far more than her résumé. Networks are likely already anticipating the next ratings bump.

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.

Steven Crowder Plans Lawsuit Against CNN Over ‘Change My Mind’ in James Talarico Event

Garrett Searight
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Steven Crowder Plans Lawsuit Against CNN Over ‘Change My Mind’ in James Talarico Event

Steven Crowder says he plans to sue CNN over its use of his “Change My Mind” branding. The conservative commentator claims the network violated his registered trademark during a town hall event with James Talarico.

What We Know: Crowder has built a series of in-person debates around the “Change My Mind” branding, in which he invites people to discuss and challenge his positions on various topics. However, CNN used the same phrase to brand a segment of its town hall with Talarico earlier this week. Crowder subsequently argued that the network used his registered trademark without authorization. He now says he plans to take legal action over the segment.

What They Said: “Well, I guess we should officially announce: we’re suing. We need to find out who flagrantly disregarded the trademark, who flagrantly plagiarized, who profited off of it most, and for what degree of time. This, what you just saw, is what you would call legal nomenclature. I’m not a lawyer, so I don’t want to misspeak, but this is a slam dunk.” -Steven Crowder

What Remains Unclear: Crowder hasn’t publicly detailed the legal claims he intends to pursue or identified the specific individuals he believes are responsible. It also remains unclear whether he has formally filed a lawsuit against CNN. The outcome could depend on the scope of his trademark rights and whether CNN’s use of the phrase constitutes infringement.

What It Means: A potential lawsuit would put CNN’s use of a recognizable phrase associated with Crowder’s content under legal scrutiny. However, claiming a trademark violation doesn’t establish that infringement occurred. The dispute could ultimately turn on the protections afforded to Crowder’s registered mark and how the network used the phrase during its town hall.

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.

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