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The Harsh Truth About News/Talk Radio As 2026 Approaches

Pete Mundo
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The Harsh Truth About News/Talk Radio As 2026 Approaches

As we get set to put a bow on 2025 and look ahead to 2026, all of news/talk radio will look back on the year that was and ahead to the year that will be.

While it’s still early, there is evidence that the new Nielsen three-minute rule, along with a robust, rapidly advancing news cycle, made 2025 a positive year for the format.

Traditionally, there might be a hangover from an unprecedented election year in 2024, but many stories from stations around the country showcase an even stronger 2025 than 2024.

Many of these stations that turned in great 2025s did so not just with excellent news coverage of the top national stories, but also with engaging local content, effective promotions, events that created opportunities for audience engagement, and shows that were not stale, predictable, or hyper-national political.

Now, every station and market is going to have its own blueprint for success, but there are common themes that I’m noticing are starting to stand out for stations around the country. As the national political landscape gets saturated with content on YouTube, podcasts, and elsewhere, local stations won’t be able to win by trying to compete exclusively in that lane.

This doesn’t mean your local shows can’t, or shouldn’t, talk about a huge national political story of the day. In fact, the audience will likely want to hear your host’s take, with, when possible, some local spin and flair on these stories. But it can’t be wall-to-wall, and it can’t be everything.

As music stations continue to cut local talent, there are fewer options for broad-based conversations on local radio. If local News/Talk can continue to do what it does at its core, cover and discuss the big national and local news of the day, while blending in the wider range of topics that are no longer a part of most music stations in many markets, there can be a winning formula for local News/Talk.

A line stood out to me from WISN’s Jay Weber, who recently announced his retirement. He said, “No disrespect to the new generation of talkers, but I feel like my generation of talk radio is over.”

He’s right. It is over. And that’s no disrespect to anyone.

Sports trends change. Coaches develop new systems and schemes that succeed and get copied. Fashion trends shift as well. Any industry sees dramatic change when innovative minds analyze the landscape, identify opportunities, and take advantage of them.

Why would news/talk radio be doing the same thing it did in 1995, 2005, or 2015 when the local radio landscape is dramatically different and the national topics of the day are over-discussed, with far more competition on various digital platforms, where consumption is also more convenient for the audience?

As we turn the page to 2026, there remains massive upside and opportunity in the talk format on local radio. News and Sports can continue to grow in ways that music stations will have a hard time keeping up with. Local, strong, relatable personalities who can hold an audience can thrive.

But Jay Weber’s point is one that many programmers, hosts, and producers can take into the next year: His generation of talk radio is dead. What are you doing to make sure you’re not stuck planning the funeral of your own station in 2026?

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Netflix and YouTube Are Proving We All Want What We Don’t Have

Garrett Searight
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Netflix and YouTube Are Proving We All Want What We Don’t Have

Netflix and YouTube spent the past year reminding the media business of a simple truth: “We all want what we ain’t got.”

Netflix is chasing podcasts and creator culture. YouTube is chasing Hollywood legitimacy. Each move makes sense on paper. Together, they underline how restless success can be.

For Netflix, podcasts represent attention, loyalty, and time spent. Those are currencies the company understands. YouTube owns that space right now. Long-form talk shows, video podcasts, and creator-driven programming live there daily. Netflix wants a piece of that behavior. It wants people to linger without needing a scripted series.

That desire will not come cheap. Netflix is already spending heavily to lure top podcast brands and personalities. The final price tag could reach into the hundreds of millions. When infrastructure, marketing, and churn are considered, billions are not unrealistic. Competing with YouTube on creator gravity is a costly ambition.

YouTube, meanwhile, is flexing in the opposite direction. The platform has dominated user-generated video for two decades. It has become television for a generation. What it has never fully owned is Hollywood’s most guarded territory. Prestige movie culture still lives elsewhere.

Enter the Oscars. By reportedly taking the Academy Awards away from ABC, YouTube signals something bigger. It wants to be part of the movie business conversation. It wants the industry’s crown jewel on its stage. That validation has value beyond ratings.

The irony is hard to miss. Netflix grew by disrupting traditional film and television distribution. YouTube grew by ignoring Hollywood entirely. Now both want the other’s toys. Netflix wants creator intimacy. YouTube wants red carpet credibility.

Neither company lacks strength where it already plays. Netflix remains the leader in global subscription streaming. YouTube remains unmatched in scale, reach, and daily engagement. Each platform already dominates its lane. That dominance, however, no longer feels sufficient.

This is where the old adage hits home. We all want what we ain’t got. Success creates insecurity. When growth slows, expansion feels mandatory. New categories become tempting, even if the margins are uncertain.

Netflix chasing podcasts raises practical questions. Can it recreate YouTube’s frictionless creator ecosystem? Will audiences change habits for another app? Can authenticity be manufactured at scale? Those answers are far from guaranteed.

YouTube’s Oscars play carries its own risks. Prestige does not automatically convert to profit. Hollywood partnerships come with politics and expectations. Owning a broadcast event is different from hosting creators with webcams.

Sometimes, it is ok to be what you are. Media history is filled with companies that lost focus chasing adjacent glory. Expansion can dilute identity. It can also distract from core innovation.

That does not mean these moves will fail. Netflix has surprised skeptics before. YouTube has rewritten the rules of distribution. Both have the resources to experiment loudly and often.

Still, the pattern is revealing. When giants look sideways instead of forward, it says something about the moment. Attention is harder to hold. Growth is harder to find. Even the winners feel uneasy.

Netflix wants YouTube’s community. YouTube wants Hollywood’s stamp of approval. Each believes the other holds the missing piece. Whether that belief pays off remains to be seen.

For now, the message is clear. In media, confidence is fleeting. Ambition rarely rests. And no matter how much you already own, the temptation of what you do not have can be irresistible.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

How News/Talk Radio Professionals Handle Replacing a Show After the Death of a Host

Garrett Searight
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How News/Talk Radio Professionals Handle Replacing a Show After the Death of a Host

Scott Jennings and Alex Marlow have the unenviable task of replacing The Charlie Kirk Show in the daily lineup at the Salem Radio Network.

The network announced earlier this week that Jennings’ show would expand from one hour to two, taking up the 1-3 PM ET window, while Marlow’s podcast will expand to a daily one-hour radio show being heard from 12-1 PM ET.

Jennings won’t be a foreign name to the audience. His program joined the Salem Radio Network lineup in July, ironically, as a way to fill the slot vacated by the injury to Dennis Prager that left him unable to host his daily radio show.

Marlow, however, might be a more unfamiliar voice to listeners in the timeslot. A notable name in his own right in conservative media due to his work as the Editor-in-Chief of Breitbart News, Marlow will likely be viewed as the newcomer to Kirk’s former listeners.

The situation is obviously a sensitive one. Marlow and Jennings will assume the timeslot of someone who was assassinated, in public, with the video of their death widely viewed on social media platforms.

We spoke with two veteran news/talk radio professionals — one long-time nationally syndicated host, and one program director who has worked at the network level — to get their insight on how they would approach such a delicate situation. Anonymity was granted to both to speak more freely on the subject.

“I truly believe the succeeding host has to carry the legacy of the host before them,” the host shared. “Because it was a host that Charlie wouldn’t have approved of, I don’t think that would sit right with the audience. There’s also a business to keep going. But it just should never be somebody who would contradict the values, the ideology, and the presentation of the host before them.”

Replacing a host who died — whether expected or tragically unexpected — isn’t a new phenomenon. Perhaps the most famous news/talk radio show host of all-time — Rush Limbaugh — hosted his program until some of the final days of his life, before Clay Travis and Buck Sexton were tabbed by Premiere Networks to pick up his torch.

The longtime news/talk radio program director we spoke with said there’s a right way and a wrong way to address the situation for the incoming hosts.

“You have to address the elephant in the room. You have to,” they reiterated. “To just start a new show as if it was any other day, under any normal circumstances, is getting off on the wrong foot with the audience. The ‘delicate’ aspect of which you speak isn’t the death of the last host, it’s the tightrope of keeping the listeners of the old guy, and trying to build your own listener base at the same time. And the easiest way to drive away listeners from the old show is by not even talking about why you’re behind the mic in the first place. Address it, with reverence, and then begin your new show. That would be my advice.”

The nationally syndicated host agreed.

“I don’t think it ever goes away,” they said of the back-of-the-mind knowledge of why the new host is assuming the show in the first place. “I’ve never known anybody murdered. When a friend of yours or a colleague of yours is killed, you sort of go through weird actions.

“But in terms of the business side, it’s got to just be business as usual. Scott and Alex have to dive in. They can’t dwell on it. They can’t wallow in it,” they said. “But it’s certainly, I’m sure, in the back of their minds that the guy before that was taken from the world in such a spectacular, horrible fashion. And I don’t think that’s something they’ll ever forget. But they have a job to do. You have to keep your head down and do what the audience expects of you.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Annoying Habits Salespeople Should Avoid in 2026

Bob Lawrence
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Annoying Habits Salespeople Should Avoid in 2026

I have sold most of my life. In truth, we are all salespeople. Even as toddlers, we were all selling ourselves. You remember! Those times you wanted to go out and meet with friends and you mom or dad said, “No!” I frankly think I honed some serious sales skills when I turned 15. Well, maybe it wasn’t selling as much as it was begging! Whatever I was selling to my folks – I learned a lot.

I’m a bit savvier these days and I’ve developed more “solution oriented” skills. In the end though, we all want something and try to convince or persuade someone else to help us get it. I recall way too many real-world moments when a sales interaction made me cringe, shut down, or walk away in complete frustration. Whether in media sales, retail, B2B, or services, certain habits consistently irritate the heck out of customers and ultimately, cost sales. Here are some of the most annoying habits to eliminate in the new year.

Making It All About You Vs. Them

The classic misstep in my book is from sellers who tend to launch into long, rehearsed pitches before any discovery, or completely forgetting about the customer’s needs. It doesn’t matter what’s being purchased. When customers feel unheard, they disconnect quickly. You will rarely win a sale after that encounter.

Being Overly Aggressive and Pushy

Few things turn everyone on the planet off faster than a housefly’s wing flap is a salesperson who becomes aggressive and rude. I am a firm believer that the real selling starts when a customer says, “no” but using high pressure tactics or telling me how wrong I am will eliminate the chance of creating a real, long-term business relationship. A pitch created by intimidation is a failed sale.

Overpromising to Get the Deal Done

I have detested this ever since I was in programming. This practice annoyed most every program director I ever knew. The promises made by some sellers usually surrounded a promotion that was never created, discussed, vetted, had zero value or merit, and gave away far more inventory than available. Eventually, good managers come to the rescue and help solve the problem before any PD gets arrested for assault! Tell clients what they need to hear rather than what you want them to hear.
Overly annoying follow-up: We all agree that follow-up in sales is important, but calling daily, emailing constantly, showing up unannounced at a business, or reaching out after hours annoys customers more than a middle schooler cracking gum in class. It is not in any way impressing clients. Persistence is appreciated and valuable. Pestering is not.

Selling Beyond Available Dollars

Raising your ask is an important tactic. However, when you’ve already done so and the client has clearly stated their budget and available dollars, don’t push way outside that realm. It is viewed as disrespectful and makes you appear tone-deaf. Clients expect solutions that fit their financial reality. If you don’t believe their spend will be enough to succeed, then you owe it to your client to explain it them rather than push them. Remember – it’s their world versus your world – and their world is all that matters.

Don’t Focus on Features

A long list of features rarely excites anyone. Customers of any type of business care about how a product or service will improve their life. Nothing loses interest quicker than neglecting to connect features to real-world benefits. How will you address the issues creating their greatest pain, or the goals that offer them the most gains?

Assume Nothing

I learned very early on that to assume can often make an ass of u and me. Assumption is the mother of all screw ups and often leads to bad advice. When sales reps jump to conclusions before asking questions, customers feel misread, misunderstood, or treated like just another generic prospect. It makes them feel like you haven’t done your homework. Do your research beforehand and conduct your first meeting by asking questions. Each answer should simply be a path to another question.

The “Vanishing Act”

Once a contract is signed, some salespeople disappear. They leave customers with questions and no support. Post-sale service often matters more than the sale itself. Stay in touch with your customers. The goal is to build a relationship, and you can’t do that if you disappear.

Talking Techie or Using Media Jargon

Customers can tell when a salesperson is reciting a script or trying to impress with industry jargon. It is anything but authentic. Speak their language rather than your own. Clear, concise language builds stronger connections. Be interested in their story versus how much you know. You are there to find out all you can about them, not tell them all about yourself.

Being Late, Unprepared, or Taking Longer Than Promised

Respect their time. Leave early enough to be there at the agreed upon time. Do your homework and don’t ask them questions you should have researched in advance. Finally, don’t tell them it will be a quick 10-minute meeting and then keep them for 30 minutes. That all shows a lack of respect and professionalism. Time is money for you and them.

Closing Comments

We sometimes focus on the things a good seller should do and neglect to address those things that annoy potential clients. These poor habits have the same underlying issue; they make customers feel unheard and manipulated. The most successful salespeople don’t win by talking more, pushing harder, or promising more…they win by building confidence.

When the engagement and experience feel good, people buy. When it becomes annoying, they don’t.

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 Overlooked Case for the NBA Cup and Its Long-Term Value

John Lund
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The Overlooked Case for the NBA Cup and Its Long-Term Value

Let me start with some honesty. I don’t love the NBA Cup. I don’t wake up in November emotionally invested in a midseason trophy and understand why fans roll their eyes. Also I understand why traditionalists scoff and why Charles Barkley calls it embarrassing.

If this were about tradition, history, or championships, I’d be right there with them.

But this isn’t about that. The NBA Cup exists for three reasons, and three reasons only: Eyeballs, revenue, and buzz. From a sports media, social media, and television standpoint, that’s the only lens that actually matters.

The NBA season has two real checkpoints, and everyone knows it: Christmas Day, when the league finally owns the sports calendar, and after the All-Star break, when urgency returns and the NBA generally has the spotlight to itself. Everything before that — October and November — is the league’s dreaded dead zone.

The NBA knows the season feels long. Fans know it, and so does media. But the season isn’t getting shorter. Players are paid on an 82-game model. Owners aren’t giving back inventory. Media partners pay for volume, not vibes.

So if the league can’t shorten the season, it has to dress part of it up. That’s where the NBA Cup comes in and where the criticism usually misses the point.

An Injection of Interest

The NBA Cup was never meant to “mean” something in the way a championship does. It was meant to make certain November games feel different — and from a television standpoint, that matters. Early-season NBA games are notoriously difficult to sell: No urgency and no stakes. Heavy competition from the NFL and college football. Tons of inventory, very little identity.

The Cup gives broadcasters and streaming partners something they otherwise wouldn’t have: a hook. Branded games, and dedicated windows. Something to promote besides “another regular-season matchup.” And yes — the numbers suggest it works better than the alternative.

No, the NBA Cup isn’t pulling playoff ratings. That’s not the standard. What matters is how it performs relative to normal October–November NBA games. Here’s what’s been publicly reported and discussed across league and media circles:

NBA Cup group-play games in 2025 reached more than 40 million U.S. viewers, a sizable year-over-year increase from the inaugural tournament. On Amazon Prime Video, Cup semifinal games averaged roughly 1.6–1.7 million viewers, an increase from the prior season’s Cup semifinals.

Cup games have generally outperformed comparable early-season national windows, particularly in key advertising demos like 18–49. Social engagement around Cup nights has been noticeably higher than standard regular-season games in the same calendar window.

The Cup doesn’t need to be a monster hit. It just needs to be better than “meh.”

From a media sales standpoint, lifting the floor is valuable. Charles Barkley hates it. He’s called the NBA Cup “somewhat embarrassing,” criticizing the idea that players need extra incentives to care about regular-season games they’re already well paid to play. That critique resonates emotionally. It taps into authenticity and tradition. And it plays great on television.

Here’s the irony: Barkley blasting the Cup on Inside the NBA is exactly what the league wants.

The Cup is debated on Inside the NBA. It’s dissected on First Take and argued about on radio and social media. That doesn’t happen for random November games.

In today’s sports landscape, complaining is engagement, and that sells.

NBA Adapting for Change

Commissioner Adam Silver has been careful not to oversell the Cup as some sacred competition. Instead, he’s leaned into what matters to broadcasters and partners: reach, engagement, and growth. Silver has pointed to the Cup’s improved year-over-year viewership and its ability to attract younger, streaming-first audiences — the hardest viewers to reach and the most valuable to advertisers.

The NBA isn’t chasing nostalgia. It’s chasing habits. The NBA Cup isn’t just a concept — it’s a sellable property. It has a title sponsor, branded inventory, and dedicated national and streaming windows.

Also it has built-in promotion opportunities for partners. Even if the Cup itself isn’t yet a standalone revenue monster, it’s additive — layered onto games that already exist. That’s smart business. Especially in a media environment where leagues are under constant pressure to justify massive rights fees.

Of course it doesn’t mean what a championship means. Leagues experiment because media economics force them to.

So no — I don’t love the NBA Cup.

I get why it annoys people and understand why Barkley mocks it. I get why it feels manufactured, why the courts are loud, why the stakes feel forced. If this were about history or tradition, I’d be right there rolling my eyes. That’s not what this is.

This is the NBA staring at a long season it has no intention of shortening, a November calendar it struggles to own, and a media landscape that doesn’t reward patience or subtlety — and deciding it needs to do something.

From a sports media standpoint, the Cup does exactly what the league needs it to do. It gives broadcasters something to promote instead of apologizing for another random early-season game. Advertisers get a reason to buy November inventory. It gives streaming partners measurable engagement.

Does it “mean” anything? Not yet. Maybe never.

However, it creates buzz in a dead period. It performs better than the alternative and keeps the NBA part of the conversation at a time of year when it usually fades into the background behind the NFL, college football, and holiday noise.

That’s the part many critics miss.

The NBA Cup isn’t about tradition — it’s about attention. It’s not about crowning champions — it’s about selling inventory. And it’s not about whether everyone loves it — it’s about whether enough people notice it, talk about it, and tweet about it.

On those terms, the NBA Cup is working.

You don’t have to hang a banner for it, and don’t have to pretend it’s sacred. You just have to understand the business. Because in today’s sports economy, silence is the real enemy — and the NBA Cup makes sure November isn’t as quiet anymore.

Love it or hate it, that’s a win in the only language the league speaks.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

98.9 The Bull Morning Host Fitz to Exit

BMM Staff
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98.9 The Bull Morning Host Fitz to Exit

98.9 The Bull morning host Cory “Fitz” Fitzner is set to exit the Hubbard Radio Seattle country station later this month.

Fitz had previously hosted mornings on the station from 2019 to 2021 before departing. He returned to the brand last year when the company returned the station to country in April.

In a statement on social media, Fitz revealed he’d depart at the end of the year.

“After being limited to quick ramps and voice-tracked breaks, I’m ready for more,” he shared. “I will step away on December 31st and shift all my energy into a full show!”

The longtime country radio host will continue to host American Country Top 40. That show will remain on 98.9 The Bull.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Jade Jones, Tyler Frye to Take Over Westwood One’s CHR Evening Show

BMM Staff
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Jade Jones, Tyler Frye to Take Over Westwood One’s CHR Evening Show

Westwood One is set to pair Jade Jones and Tyler Frye for Nightly with Jade and Tyler beginning next month.

Affiliates of the show were notified that Westwood One will introduce a new show featuring Jade Jones — who hosts afternoons at Q99.7 in Atlanta — and Tyler Frye — who hosts mornings at 107.3 The Vibe in Kansas City.

In announcing the change, the Westwood One said, “This dynamic duo brings fresh energy, music expertise, and engaging personalities to keep your audience entertained and connected.”

Jones began her career as an intern on The Bert Show and has been with Q99.7 since 2018, first hosting nights before moving into the afternoon slot. Frye joined what was then 95.7 The Vibe in December 2021 as the station’s midday host and shifted to mornings following the move to 107.3 in October 2023. He previously worked in Houston, Raleigh, and Denver, among other stops.

The move follows the current program hosted by Elliott King, which launched as “Elliott and Nina” in January 2022. Nina Hajian exited the show at the start of 2023 and now serves as a co-host of the syndicated Jubal Show. There has been no announcement regarding King’s future.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Steve Rickman, Geoff Cole Announces Departure From Fox FM

BMM Staff
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Steve Rickman, Geoff Cole Announces Departure From Fox FM

After more than two years on the air, longtime radio personality “Southside Steve” Rickman and his co-host/producer Geoff Cole have departed Georgia Radio Alliance’s Classic Hits station, Fox-FM.

Rickman joined Fox-FM in May 2023, following a nearly 15-year tenure at Cumulus Media’s Rock 100.5 WNNX in Atlanta. At WNNX, he held various morning show roles. These included stints on The Regular Guys, Bailey & Southside, and Axel & Southside. He moved to afternoons in February 2022.

His radio career includes stops at 96 Rock from 1995 to 2006 and a brief period at 106.7 WYAY in 2006–07. Before co-hosting with Rickman, Fox worked as a morning show producer at WKLS and 94.9 The Bull. He also served as a weekend and fill-in host at 97.1 The River.

During his tenure at Fox-FM, Rickman brought a signature blend of humor, energy, and personality. He connected with listeners in Middle Georgia and Metro Atlanta.

Georgia Radio Alliance Vice President of Programming Kevin Steele praised Rickman’s contributions, saying, “During his tenure, Southside Steve brought his signature personality, humor, and high-energy broadcasts to listeners throughout Middle Georgia and Metro Atlanta. Fox-FM appreciates the commitment and effort he dedicated to the morning show during this time.”

Station President Chris Murray added that the departure is part of a strategic shift in programming. “As we move into 2026, FOX-FM is making strategic changes to strengthen our on-air presentation with a more music-focused morning show to better serve our growing audience. We are grateful for the work Steve and Geoff have done. We wish them both the very best in their future endeavors.”

Rickman addressed his exit in a Facebook post, noting that he was “rug pulled” from the station.

“I was told I was too expensive and the station couldn’t afford my show. Ownership wants to have a music morning DJ/show with very little talk. I won’t entertain that type of terrestrial radio,” he wrote. He also teased that he and Fox will update listeners on their next steps on social media.

Fox-FM plans to announce new morning programming in the coming weeks as it seeks to align its lineup with a music-forward approach.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Sal Licata: “I Don’t Blame Craig Carton for Coming Back” to WFAN

BSM Staff
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Sal Licata: “I Don’t Blame Craig Carton for Coming Back” to WFAN

Former WFAN host Sal Licata opened up about his departure from the sports radio powerhouse and shared his perspective on the return of Craig Carton during an appearance on the Stugotz and Company podcast.

Licata, who had been co-hosting shows on WFAN with Brandon Tierney following Carton’s earlier exit, said he always understood that Carton’s return was inevitable.

“We all knew what was going to happen. So my plan was never, I hope he doesn’t come back. I got to do the best job that I could do with the opportunity that I’ve been given. And I planned on doing that,” Licata said. “I feel like I did do that. So that’s when I factored Craig coming back, I did not factor in that no matter how well I performed, how much I put into this thing, how good we did as a show, or I did as an individual, it didn’t matter.”

Despite the setback, Licata expressed gratitude for his time at WFAN, calling it a key chapter in his career. “That part of my life and that part of my dream is over, and now I got to focus on a bigger dream, a different path,” he said. “I love the fan. I’ll always love the fan, but my future, definitively now, is no longer WFAN.”

WFAN officially announced Carton’s return last week with his destination being in afternoon drive. He’ll pair with Chris McMonigle for a new show that will begin after the turn of the calendar. Due to Carton’s return, the station is moving Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber to the 10 AM-2 PM window Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata previously occupied.

“I don’t blame Craig at all for coming back. He’s got to do what he got to do. The boss made their decision. All good, but yes, technically he didn’t take my spot. Evan and Tiki took my spot. I probably would have brought him back too. Just not at my expense,” said Licata.

The former host, who had gained a dedicated following during his tenure, highlighted the challenging dynamics of the sports radio landscape in New York, where decisions often hinge on ratings, management strategy, and long-standing relationships.

Licata’s remarks suggest a professional, measured response to a high-profile personnel change while also hinting at the emotional complexity of leaving a platform where he invested significant energy.

Licata and Tierney announced plans for a live stage show — set for January 22nd. Licata wrapped up his tenure with the station last week, with Tierney hosting solo for his final show tomorrow.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Brian Kilmeade, Tomi Lahren, Kat Timpf, Tyrus, Jimmy Failla to Lead New Year’s Eve Coverage for Fox News

BNM Staff
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Brian Kilmeade, Tomi Lahren, Kat Timpf, Tyrus, Jimmy Failla to Lead New Year’s Eve Coverage for Fox News

Fox News has announced its plans for New Year’s Eve, with the likes of Brian Kilmeade, Tomi Lahren, Kat Timpf, Tyrus, and Jimmy Failla leading one-hour specials before the ball drops.

Beginning at 9 PM ET, Tyrus and Timpf will host a look back at their favorite stories and videos of 2025. The pair will be joined by Kennedy, Guy Benson, Madison Alworth, and Joe Machi.

At 10 PM ET, Brian Kilmeade, Tomi Lahren, and Griff Jenkins will lead the one-hour Who Can Forget 2025?. That special will look back at the biggest news items and pop culture happenings of the calendar year.

Jimmy Failla will host All-American New Year’s Bash beginning at 11 PM ET. He’ll be joined by Lahren, reality TV star Jon Taffer, and comedians Aaron Berg and Charles McBee in the lead-up to the countdown to the year’s end.

Fox News Audio will also present New Year’s Eve specials, including shows from Fox News Rundown with guests like Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Fox News host Dana Perino, among others.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

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