Veteran media executive Scott Musgrave has been announced as the latest member of the RadioAnalyzer team, leading up operations in North America.
Most recently, Musgrave has served as the Senior Vice President of Client Solutions at Coleman Insights. He took that position after previously working as the Head of U.S. Radio for BDS Radio at Luminate, and 17 years with Arbitron and later Nielsen Audio, where he spent nine years as Vice President of Sales, Senior Vice President, and General Manager overseeing the company’s radio business.
“RadioAnalyzer have been successful with the biggest European broadcasters for more than a decade, helping them grow and thrive, so this feels like the perfect time for US and Canadian radio to take advantage of their tools and methods,” Musgrave said. “I honestly can’t wait to showcase them to the broadcasters here.”
“We’ve spent the last years growing audience share and engagement for successful stations around the world, and are excited to bring our suite of tools to even more broadcasters looking to grow, by optimizing content and music playlists using real-time behavioral data,” added RadioAnalyzer CEO and co-founder Mikkel Ottesen Lønstrup. “We are sure Scott’s expertise, paired with our unique methodology, will greatly benefit the radio industry in North America.”
Launched in 2013, RadioAnalyzer bills itself as a “next-generation analytics company built for radio professionals by radio professionals.”
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College football thrives on drama. Whether it’s coaches changing teams during the season, players racing to the transfer portal for gobs of cash, or conferences discarding long-standing traditions. This year, the biggest spectacle didn’t come from a sideline meltdown but from Notre Dame’s decision to forgo postseason play after a 10–2 campaign and a ten-game winning streak, even as the sport’s new 12-team College Football Playoff left them at the doorstep. The Irish, college football’s most storied independent, chose to pout and stay home rather than compete in a bowl, igniting debates about the consequences for bowl season as a whole.
To gauge the real impact of Notre Dame’s absence, it’s crucial to recognize the program’s stature. Valued at $1.85 billion—fourth only to Texas, Georgia, and Ohio State—and generating around $143 million in annual revenue, Notre Dame isn’t just a football team; it’s an institution with nationwide reach and its own longstanding NBC TV contract.
NBC’s coverage of Notre Dame, while not quite the juggernaut of decades past, still commands significant viewership:
Recent seasons averaged 3.49 million viewers—the best in years.
The 2025 Texas A&M–Notre Dame clash drew 6.2 million, peaking at 9.4 million.
On August 31, Miami–Notre Dame on ESPN pulled a robust 10.8 million viewers. (Miami won 27–24, which is why the Hurricanes are in and the Irish are out of the playoff.)
In short, Notre Dame still moves the needle—just not quite to the level they once did.
If the Irish were left out of the playoff party, most projections had Notre Dame meeting BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl—a prime-time holiday showcase one could only describe as the “Religious Super Bowl.” Headlines practically wrote themselves. Television producers were ready for the meme potential of “Mormons vs. Catholics.” But when Notre Dame was slotted as the “first team out” (No. 11 in a 12-team field), they opted out entirely, leaving the Pop-Tarts Bowl with a top-25 matchup of BYU vs. Georgia Tech.
While still a solid pairing, the game lost some of its made-for-TV sizzle. The question is: Did that really hurt bowl season?
In terms of viewership, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has been a strong performer regardless of participants. Last year’s Iowa State 42–41 thriller over Miami drew 6.8 million viewers—the bowl’s best number since 2008 and the highest non–New Year’s Six (NY6) bowl audience for ESPN in years. Most mid-tier bowls average between 2.7 and 4.4 million viewers, but the Pop-Tarts Bowl typically lands in the 6–7 million range.
Notre Dame’s recent mid-level bowl appearances have also been ratings wins. The 2022 Gator Bowl featuring the Irish drew 5.8 million viewers—the top non-NY6 figure in nearly a decade. Had Notre Dame played BYU, the game likely would have stretched to 7.5 or even 8 million viewers, especially with the “Mormons vs. Catholics” promotional push.
But even with the Irish absent, BYU–Georgia Tech is expected to attract 5–6 million viewers—a figure that surpasses every NBA game that week, every NHL contest for the year, and nearly any non-NFL sports broadcast. The takeaway: Notre Dame raises the ceiling but doesn’t set the floor. Bowl season doesn’t collapse without them; it simply misses out on a few extra memes and a modest ratings bump.
Some fans and columnists have speculated that ESPN, which holds the rights to both the SEC and the College Football Playoff, may have subtly influenced Notre Dame’s exclusion. After all:
The SEC landed five teams in the playoff.
Notre Dame’s home games air on NBC, not ESPN.
ESPN’s financial interests are intertwined with both the SEC and the playoff.
However, the reality isn’t as complicated or juicy:
Miami beat Notre Dame head-to-head, providing the selection committee with a clear tiebreaker.
ESPN has benefited from Notre Dame’s ratings, especially with last year’s 17.8 million–viewer Orange Bowl win over Penn State.
Several of Notre Dame’s road and neutral-site games still air on ESPN.
While ESPN certainly roots for the SEC—given its $300 million annual investment—it also values Notre Dame’s drawing power. The network isn’t trying to exclude the Irish; it’s trying to maximize the overall appeal of its football inventory. Sometimes what looks like conspiracy is simply a confluence of business interests and competitive outcomes.
Notre Dame skipping the Pop-Tarts Bowl is like Taylor Swift skipping the Grammys. It makes the event a bit less glitzy and dramatic, but the show goes on. The Irish’s absence may cost the bowl 10–20% of its potential audience and some marketing opportunities, but the overall bowl season remains robust.
From last bowl season:
Mid-tier bowls averaged over 2.7 million viewers.
Top non-NY6 matchups drew 4–7 million.
Nearly 200 million total bowl viewers tuned in across the season.
College football fans tune in for the bowls because they’re tradition, comfort food, and readily available entertainment—regardless of which teams participate.
Notre Dame’s bowl-season sit-out doesn’t upend the sport. It won’t crater ESPN’s ratings or financials. It doesn’t even “ruin” the Pop-Tarts Bowl; it just made the sugar rush a little less intense. The real legacy of Notre Dame’s absence is a reminder of what bowls have become: content, inventory, and football-themed television programming. In this case when the $1.85 billion brand chooses to abstain, it’s about protest and pride. But more teams in the future will opt out, like Iowa State, Kansas State and Baylor did this season. Key players have been doing it for years now, protecting their bodies for the NFL draft.
As long as there’s football on TV—and a dancing pastry mascot—the bowls will continue to draw viewers. That happens with or without Notre Dame’s blessing. The Irish can sulk, stay home, and overvalue their importance in this ever-evolving college football landscape. The rest of us will still be watching.
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.
I once had to coach a radio morning show — a good morning show — that wanted nothing to do with me. I eventually won them over, but it didn’t start great.
They had a daily benchmark called “Hilarious Theater.” It was often funny, but almost never hilarious. I told the main host it was a good concept, don’t lose it, but the setup/name did two things that could be problematic.
It creates an impossible expectation of constant hilarity. That’s a high bar to clear every morning.
Humor is subjective. What Jenny on the block finds hilarious may cause Sally in the alley to cringe.
I wasn’t being overly literal, even though the audience often is. The goal was to avoid situations where listeners expect one thing and get something different. Like when you’re promised amazing pasta and just get basic spaghetti.
The host disagreed and kept everything the same.
It wasn’t just the name of the benchmark. The bit itself had a big, long, overproduced intro that all but promised the second coming of all Comedy Gods were on the way.
Months later, the show got the chance to hear direct feedback from listeners in a focus group when I played “Hilarious Theater” (and other segments) for the room. I’ll paraphrase but not exaggerate — the general response from the room was:
“It’s OK, but not hilarious. They should call it ‘trying to be hilarious theater.’”
Focus group attendees are ruthless and never easily impressed. The point though stuck: don’t ruin a good payoff with an overzealous setup.
This isn’t just a morning show thing. It’s everywhere.
All programmers can relate to the uber-hyped setups they hear for a new single going for adds: “Amazing! Wait ‘til you hear it, I can’t stop listening — might be the song of the year!”
You’ve heard your friends rev you up: “OMG, you will NOT believe what JUST happened to me!” Followed by a story that’s both believable and kinda boring.
The problem here isn’t striving to be hilarious or being excited to share. It’s the approach. The moment we label something EPIC, MASSIVE, HILARIOUS, BEST, UNBELIVABLE, OMG — we’re writing checks that are hard to cash. Restraint is often better.
“Maybe Not Hilarious Theater” would be more likeable. It’s self-aware, disarming, honest and human. It still signals humor is coming without promising you’ll be ROTFLYAO.
Your friend simply saying, “I want to tell you what happened to me,” would get your attention but not make you expect you’re about to hear how he got stuck in an elevator with Sydney Sweeney.
Hyped set-ups are everywhere. Ad agencies and marketers are famous for creating their super amazing and super spectacular set-ups. Stopsets at Radio and TV are jammed with sensational setups:
• “Our biggest sale ever.” (But it’s the same sale from last month.) • “Two-For-One Blowout All Weekend.” (But it’s always Two-for-One.) • Football fans know “LAST CHANCE NFL DEALS” actually get better each week.
It’s natural to want to create excitement, urgency or to convey “bigness”. Just make sure it’s for the right moment and that the payoff meets the promise.
• Let’s not run the edgy “THIS IS ROCK” production piece going into “Under the Bridge.” • Let’s not say we’re Alternative going into the most mainstream song of the hour. • Let’s not shout “45 minutes non-stop” when there’s only one song left in the sweep. • How about we don’t call it “Hilarious Theater” when it’s likely not hilarious to many. • And maybe the circus promo shouldn’t sound like it’s Rush’s final tour.
In the end, “Hilarious Theater” disappeared, but the solid concept remained. By not trying so hard to be so funny, the show actually got funnier.
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.
Off-Mic is a special 5-part series, created by Corey Dylan for Barrett Media. This series examines how to adjust if faced with unexpected job loss. Corey becomes a radio free agent later this month and is exploring her new way forward. Interested groups are encouraged to reach out by email at Contact@CoreyDylan.com. To submit ideas to Barrett Media for future considerations, please contact Jason@BarrettMedia.com. We can’t promise we will publish what’s turned in but we do review all submissions.
You’ve taken the hit, done the work, and started to rebuild. Now comes the landing. It might not be where you expected, but somewhere that fits who you’ve become and it’s fulfilling in a way that surprises you.
Redefine “Success”
Careers today are nonlinear. You might juggle voiceover work, podcast consulting, and part-time radio. That’s not instability; it’s adaptability.
Interview With Confidence
Frame your layoff as a turning point, not a failure:
“Like many in our industry, I used that transition to reassess my skills and learn new ways to tell stories.”
That projects resilience and forward motion.
Stay Curious
The media landscape is changing fast with AI tools, social storytelling, social selling, niche podcasts, branded content. Stay plugged in, stay curious, and you’ll keep finding new ways to use your talent.
Takeaway
A layoff isn’t an ending. It’s a rewrite. The next chapter may look different, but it can be richer and more creative and fulfilling than ever.
Your radio background gave you the hardest skills to teach – communication, connection, adaptability, and performance under pressure in an oversaturated landscape. Those skills translate directly into the booming $400 billion-plus creator economythat is rewarding storytellers who can build trust and engagement.
You’ve been preparing for this era your entire career. You’re not “off-mic.” You’re just broadcasting on a new frequency.
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.
In 2025, my own media consumption followed the trends that took place throughout nation. We all experienced a steady shift from traditional media consumption to on-demand streaming and audio. By no means was it a complete swap out. It’s just that listeners and viewers changed how they use content. They balanced older platforms and habits with newer formats more than ever before. Don’t be mistaken though. Content created on traditional media is still the mega-giant player it has always been. So what shifts did we see in 2025 and how will they impact 2026?
Streaming Eclipses Traditional TV
One of the biggest milestones of the year was reached by streaming TV. For the first time ever, Nielsen reported that streaming services accounted for more total TV usage than the combined share of broadcast and cable. By May 2025, streaming accounted for about 45% of all viewing. Broadcast and cable together were slightly lower at 44%. The difference was almost negligible, but it must be noted. Again, the content of the traditional TV networks still has large viewership. It’s just that the delivery systems are more diverse.
TV viewers have seemed to move in favor of the flexibility streaming offers over the fixed schedules associated with broadcast and cable. Streaming platforms, from the major subscription-based companies to the FAST (free, ad-supported streaming television) and AVOD (advertising video-on-demand) made their way into more homes in 2025 and received more viewing every day. If you’re anything like me, this translated into much more binge-watching, watching shows on my own time, and choosing more diverse content.
Companies like CBS/Paramount+ and NBC/Peacock offer both platforms to viewers. My wife and I watch most any CBS program now on Paramount+ since those shows on the local CBS station run commercial free on Paramount+. Many Paramount+ shows like Landman, Lioness, and Tulsa King do not run on the CBS TV Network. 2025 often saw new, hybrid habits created with streaming occurring at times and old-school TV for news, sports, or habitual watching at other times.
Audio Remains Powerful
On the audio side, 2025 turned out to be a strong year. Digital audio listening hit record highs. According to a National Public Media survey, 79% of Americans listened monthly to digital audio (which includes streaming radio, podcasts, and music services), and 73% listened weekly. Podcasts also gained some ground. Roughly 55% of Americans said they listened to a podcast monthly and 40% said they listened weekly. Meanwhile, Nielsen reported that the typical American spent almost 4-hours a day listening to audio content across platforms including radio, streaming music, and podcasts.
Despite the digital audio growth, traditional AM/FM radio (including online streams) was a major audio source. In early 2025, Edison Research reported that radio accounted for about two-thirds of daily “ad-supported” time spent listening, with the remainder split among podcasts, streaming music, and satellite listening. Nielsen shows that even among younger 18-34 year-olds, radio still has a substantial share. Its podcast shares though are growing faster in that demo. AM/FM Radio controls even more usage in cars.
For most media consumers, 2025 meant more choice than ever before. As a result, people could switch among streaming platforms, enabling us all to watch a new show, binge-watch a library series, and then catch up on a live event. We have combined audio formats for music and podcasts and still tune in to AM/FM radio for local radio’s benefits. In 2025 we also mixed video and audio content with podcasts, adding more flexibility. We listened on our phones, watched on our TVs or tablets, or switched up depending on mood, location and content.
2026 Expectations
This newer menu style of media is reshaping our landscape. In 2025 many people began to think in terms of, “what do I want, when do I want it, and what fits my schedule best at the time.”
Looking ahead, what should we expect in 2026 and what trends will influence us? Streaming’s dominance will certainly increase as more viewers, especially younger ones, grow accustomed to on-demand and anytime viewing while traditional cable and broadcast will likely shrink further. New shows, movies, and live events will increasingly appear on streaming platforms, or simulcast both.
Audio continues to fragment but also expand. Podcasts and streaming music services will keep growing, especially among Zoomers and Millennials who seek out the flexibility of streaming. Radio will remain important, especially for local and regional content and in-car use. Its total share may have to give some space to other platforms, but in-car listening is still the big winner in the time spent listening game.
Hybrid consumption will certainly forge forward as people increasingly mix video-on-demand, live TV, podcasts, music streaming, and traditional radio depending on need and context. That means habits will evolve and old assumptions about “prime time” or “drive time” may matter less.
The role of live and local content shifts will continue for traditional providers. Staying relevant means broadcasters must emphasize our local communities including news, entertainment, and live events. That means a focus on all types of content that streaming and algorithms can’t easily replicate.
There’s no denying that 2025 was a watershed year. As we move into 2026, we should expect that hybrid, flexible, and on-demand consumption will continue. Convenience, technology, and variety will continue to drive it.
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.
There are several folk tales people love to tell in radio. When you ask for actual examples though the details are scarce. Things like how everyone, at least in Rock, once worked at a station where the morning host used to ride his motorcycle up and down the hallways. Everyone talks about it, not many people can say when or where it happened. Few even know how the motorcycle got through the front door.
Another tale often told is about the Program Director who goes to a bar or restaurant and meets someone so funny and talented they are just destined to be a radio star. They hire that person and the unsuspecting civilian blossoms into a successful personality. That always seemed like a myth told around the radio campfire, until Maria Palmer, co-host of The Morning Mosh Pit on Rock 95.5 in Chicago, came along.
Ten years ago when Palmer was studying acting, she worked at a dive bar in the Washington DC area. iHeartMedia Senior Regional Vice President James Howard came into the bar one night wearing a DC 101 hat. “I was already very familiar with the station. I guess he enjoyed my bartending, and probably the free shots of whiskey I gave him.” The rest, as they say, is Rock Radio history. “We exchanged contact information, he offered me a job, and I accepted.”
At that point, Palmer realized she had no idea what she had agreed to. “I started to wonder, ‘what am I doing?’ Yes, I’m here but I would love a little more definition.” Unlike the myth, which tells a story of the person coming in and instantly shining as a high profile personality, Howard started her off with the basics. They discussed the goal of Palmer having her own show. Howard then explained what steps needed to be taken to get there.
“I said great, let’s take those steps. I ran the board for the Bobby Bones syndicated show, literally learning how to flip the on switch. Then I took every shift I could from there on and here we are now.”
And to be clear, true to the myth, Palmer wasn’t trolling for radio jobs when she met Howard. She had always been creative. She was studying acting hoping to get into performing. But she wasn’t sure what that was going to look like. “I didn’t know exactly what lane that was going to take yet, and then the lane chose the car.”
Nearly a year ago she segued from night host to mornings on Rock 95.5 with co-hosts Marris and Michael Mason. She likens launching the show to having a blank coloring book and a set of crayons. “I’m just sort of coloring as I go,” shared Palmer.
While that may seem like a lot of freedom, she says the team has been given lines to color inside of. She explains how Howard has set the tone while allowing them to do things their way. “That’s not easy to do, and certainly not with me. I’m a weird individual. I can’t even manage myself.”
Palmer says the show has evolved so much over the course of their first year. It’s hard to distill it down in a way that can be easily explained. “I supposed you could say it has gone from chaos to a little more organized chaos.”
That may sound like a recipe for disaster to some people, but for Palmer it’s the perfect environment.
“What makes our show work, which we definitely want to keep, is that chaos. It’s the feeling that we don’t know what the hell is going on, but we know we’re going to have fun, and the audience is going to have fun listening to it.”
Unlike some shows that try to project chaos but script everything, Palmer says the team’s magic comes not from overly preparing but from knowing the listeners and each other. “We kind of know that the audience wants to hear and what we can speak upon.”
Palmer is also active in another chaotic world away from the studio – social media. She says it doesn’t necessarily line up cleanly with mornings. “Not all my morning show content works on social media. Some does but in many ways they are two completely different skill sets.”
As most content creators know, that is only complicated by the constantly changing algorithms of the different platforms. “What does work well might only work for six months and then you have to switch it up. Which is another reason I love my audience. I have an awesome core group that sticks with me, regardless of the algorithm. I’m incredibly grateful for it.”
They even stuck with Palmer when Meta banned her for videos she made for a personal injury law firm. The premise was that people can get hurt at work, which she illustrated. “Yeah, Zuckerberg did not like that. He was like, ‘hey, that’s self-harm.’ And I was like, ‘yeah, but it’s a joke.’” In the end Instagram didn’t find it funny. Palmer’s content wasn’t available for quite a while, but she only lost about one thousand followers over that time. To her it was a lesson in what matters in any media, not just social. “It’s the nature of show business in general. What works is connecting with your audience on a real level.”
But to have any discussion of Palmer’s social media requires talking about Thirstday, a weekly Thursday staple that has gone through several iterations dating back to when she was hosting nights. It started with doing short interviews with representatives from local bars and breweries, but she started to run out of people to talk with.
“I thought we were losing the plot here. It’s a whole day all about drinking.” She wanted to turn it into a weekly remote. “I wanted to go out to the bars partially because I was bored sitting by myself in the studio at night.” But, as with many radio ideas, the budget wouldn’t support it.
The following week, with nothing planned for Thirstday she hit on an idea. “I am a little sister, so I thought I’m going to make this a whole thing where I annoy my way out of the studio. They’ll be forced to send me to a bar because it’ll be better than me being on air.”
That’s when the Thirstday jingle was created. “I found a really annoying piano track in the music library. Then I added a very annoyingly vocal, ’It’s Rock 95-5 Thirstday’ over it.”
That was only supposed to last a couple of weeks. However, it caught on to the point where listeners started sending instruments to the studio for her to play as part of the jingle each week. Now, Palmer has finally gotten her wish. Thirstday Live has been born with the morning show going out to bars and meeting people.
But not everything about her social media efforts has been as positive. There is a downside to being a woman on the internet. Palmer faces a large amount of general creepiness from men in her social feeds. “I like my job and understand the need to have a social media presence, but it does mean I have to subject myself to a level of sexual harassment.”
She has, however, found a way to turn it into great content with the invention of purge month. Each day for a month Palmer spotlights a creepy, awful comment she has received on her social feeds. “The beauty is it takes away the predatory nature of those comments because a lot of them are trying to catch me off guard or make me feel uncomfortable. But if I’m expecting it, and even egging it on, that kind of takes the fun out of it for the guys really trying to be hurtful.”
She thinks of it as holding up a mirror to show them how ridiculous their behavior is. “It says you can’t be disrespecting me like that every day but also, some of this is phenomenal creative writing and I can’t hate on it.”
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NBC Nightly News is a program that has traditionally thrived on stability. 2025 has been a year of change for the nightly newscast. Longtime anchor Lester Holt departed the program, being replaced by Tom Llamas. That also led to a new Executive Producer — Matt Frucci — entering the picture.
The transition has been an incredibly smooth one, however. Lester Holt routinely ranked as the “most trusted man in news”, according to polling. So, when Tom Llamas was set to take over, there were certainly worries about what the falloff might be.
The network had recently seen what an anchor change can do to the ratings. In early 2025, Norah O’Donnell exited the CBS Evening News anchor chair, leaving behind an average of roughly 5 million nightly viewers. After her departure, the ratings slid. And continued to slide for months, falling to where the newscast struggled to average 3.5 million viewers at times.
But those worries for NBC News largely came and went. In the immediate aftermath of Holt’s departure, NBC Nightly News retained almost all of its audience in the process, seeing just a 5% decline in the Llamas’ first week, before bouncing back to equalling and in some weeks surpassing what Lester Holt had previously set.
That’s something Frucci is proud of.
“Obviously, Lester is really, really respected inside and outside of the network,” Frucci said. “The audience loves him. The staff loves him. He really set the standard. I think we succeeded because Tom is trying to meet that standard each and every night. We’re not trying to vary from what Lester was doing. We’re not trying to shake up the format in any sort of dramatic way. We are obviously putting Tom’s stamp on the broadcast where we can, but it’s not going to be a drastic change for someone who is watching eight months ago to someone who’s watching right now.
“It’s a legacy broadcast that exists in and of itself, and our job is to be the shepherds of it for the period that we have control over it, and not to dramatically shake it up or change it,” continued Frucci. “I think the audience recognizes that. They recognize that Tom, like Lester, cares deeply about the people he’s covering and the stories we’re telling. And it’s a great respect for the audience. So they stuck around with us, and we’re deeply grateful that they did.”
Frucci wasn’t walking in blind. Before taking the reins of the weekday broadcast, he spent six years running the weekend edition of Nightly News, and later executive-produced Top Story with Tom Llamas, NBC News’ flagship streaming newscast. That meant stepping into the Nightly control room full-time wasn’t a shock to the system.
“I had a very good feel for it,” Frucci said. “Before I took over both Top Story and weekday Nightly News, I was also just the EP of Top Story, so I got a good handle on Tom and how he operates. It wasn’t like I was coming in cold.”
Still, there’s no “easing in” when you’re in the big chair.
“In television news, there is no not hitting the ground running,” Frucci said. “There is no training. It’s just, you’ve got to get in and do it on day one. Your job is to program a broadcast and get it on air.”
In his view, what made those first days manageable was familiarity — with the newsroom, with the format, and most importantly, with Llamas.
“Understanding our strengths, knowing Tom and what he’s so good at, what he wants to achieve with the broadcast, really gave me a leg up,” he said.
Tom Llamas is deeply involved with Frucci in creating NBC Nightly News each weeknight. And Frucci believes that’s part of the reason the program has seen the immediate success it’s had.
“His name is on the broadcast,” said Frucci. “He has a real distinct vision for what he wants the show to be. So my job is to really work with Tom, to work with the staff, to make sure that we are bringing Tom’s vision, which really is one of serving the audience.
“It’s really about ‘How do we make sure this broadcast is giving the audience exactly what they need, day in and day out?’ It’s my job to make that happen. So I work with him, I work with the staff, I work with our bureaus and reporters across the world to bring that vision to life.”
It’s not unheard of for a news anchor to be deeply involved with the editorial and decision-making when it comes to the nightly newscast. But Frucci admits Tom Llamas is more involved than others.
“I can tell you Tom is really, really passionate about the work he does,” the NBC Nightly News Executive Producer said. “He cares deeply about the stories he covers. He really wants to make sure we get it right each and every night. And he’s involved in every decision we make. He really wants to make sure we are putting on the best broadcast possible for our audience. He really wants to make sure that we’re putting on the best show each and every night.”
And while the newscast still trails behind ABC News’ World News Tonight with David Muir, Nightly News has closed the gap inside the key demographic between the two to its closest margin in six years. That momentum is paramount, as 2026 will be a year of opportunities for the NBC News program.
As the calendar flips, the network will be the television home of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8th. That comes two days after the Opening Ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan, Italy, which will stretch until the final days of February.
Furthermore, NBC also is now one of the broadcast partners of the NBA, broadcasting the league’s All-Star Game on February 15th, in addition to recently securing the rights to MLB’s Sunday Night Baseball package. Plus, the mid-term elections of Donald Trump’s second administration are slated for November 2026.
So, there will be plenty of chances for NBC Nightly News and Tom Llamas to earn new viewers.
“We’re going to go on the road,” Frucci said of the newscast’s 2026 plans. “We obviously very much like to take the broadcast on the road when there are big breaking news events. Tom has been to Israel already. He’s been down to the flooding in Texas. He was in Alaska when there was that Putin summit there as well. We are not shy about taking the show on the road when it matters for big news events. And we’re not going to be shy about it either when there are big cultural events that are dominating as well.”
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It’s the time of year when radio stations are trying to wrap up 2025, find fill-in bodies, schedule out the rest of the year, and reset for a few days before it’s full steam ahead into 2026. And as we look ahead to 2026, much has been written on this site and elsewhere about digital strategies for radio brands, which is a long-overdue conversation that needs more attention. But if you need some data to back it up, I’ll bring it to you here.
Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study, in its 11th year, surveyed 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio. The good news is that AM/FM radio dominates ad-supported audio with a 64% share, followed by podcasts (20%). Radio remains undervalued, but it’s indisputable that listeners continue to shift toward time-shifted listening and podcasts.
As older demographics flock to podcasts, the median age of the podcast audience has aged sharply from 29 in 2017 to 39 in 2025. As noted in the study, in 2017, podcasts’ daily reach was greatest among 18–24s. Eight years later, podcasts’ daily reach has grown significantly, particularly among older demographics. The older the age group, the greater the growth in the podcast daily audience. Today, podcasts’ greatest reach centers on 25–44s, with significant growth among 45–64s.
That means the 35–64 crowd, the core of many News/Talk audiences, is also leaning in on more podcast listening. And while we aren’t going to lose them on the radio overnight, making sure they know you have available podcasts of your local shows is critical.
In fact, this may be the most important time in the history of podcasts to let your listeners know they can find you on any podcast platform. A few years ago, the podcast concept was still likely foreign to many news/talk radio listeners. The data shows it no longer is, so it’s time to move on your digital strategy.
As the Edison Research shows, in the 25–54 demographic, AM/FM radio share of ear is 60%, while podcast listening is 25%. For 35–64, it’s 68% on AM/FM radio and 19% on podcasts. That percentage is only going to grow.
And while AM/FM continues to dominate in-car listening at an 84% share of ear, it’s our job, just like with an active social media presence, to be top of mind for our audiences wherever they are. If we can drive them to our content in the home, in the gym, and at the office via time-shifted listening options, we’re keeping the brand of our shows and stations at the forefront for our audience, not just being the thing they listen to when they’re driving to and from work or running errands.
In a media environment that is more crowded than ever before, we have to compete everywhere and anywhere we can. You’ll be amazed at how many people don’t realize your radio show is available on a podcast. In our bubble, it may seem obvious, but to many, podcasts and radio shows are different things. They’re not. We are all competing in the same places. Use your huge radio audience to promote this now as much as possible.
So as we close out the year and look ahead, embracing digital strategies and promoting podcast availability are no longer optional — they’re essential for staying connected with audiences across all age groups. By meeting listeners where they are and offering flexible, on-demand content, radio brands can maintain their relevance and continue to thrive in a shifting media environment. Good luck in 2026.
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Megyn Kelly and the Golden Globes make for an unlikely pairing in any conversation about awards and merit.
Yet that’s exactly the crossroads where Kelly found herself this week when she announced that The Megyn Kelly Show was withdrawn from consideration in the Best Podcast category of the newly minted Golden Globe Awards.
Instead of pursuing the honor, her team pulled the show — not because she wasn’t worthy, but because she saw something in the process that didn’t resemble an honor at all.
According to Kelly, the podcast was initially included on the list of 25 eligible shows for the inaugural award. However, she insists the show was never truly in the running because she refused to play along with the “dog and pony show” of campaigning for the attention of Golden Globes voters.
The process, as she described it, sounded less like recognition and more like begging for approval from a room full of decision-makers whose primary interest was spectacle over substance.
Kelly’s take on awards culture isn’t new — she grew up in broadcast under the old Roger Ailes ethos that awards, whether Pulitzers or Hollywood accolades, were largely a vanity exercise. She explained that participating would force her into self-promotion that felt antithetical to everything her audience tunes in for. Instead of chasing a trophy, she walked away.
Here’s where the debate gets interesting. Awards are supposed to celebrate excellence, not act as popularity contests for those willing to make the rounds on the so-called circuit to win votes. Yet that seems closer to the truth in this case, especially given the entertainment industry’s long history of self-referential back-slapping. If securing a nomination means engaging in social events, press rounds, and foot-kissing rituals designed to curry favor with an elite few, it begs the question: is it still an award for achievement or merely an accolade for networking?
Kelly’s critique taps into something many in media quietly feel but seldom articulate so bluntly. A distinction exists between earning recognition for quality work and hustling for praise from a crowd that may not even have listened to your show. The moment “look at me” becomes an unspoken requirement for legitimacy, the awards themselves lose their claim to honor.
Critics might argue that all awards require some degree of campaigning, that it’s part of the ecosystem. That may be true in Hollywood, where studios spend millions lobbying for statuettes. Still, that doesn’t make it right for a medium rooted in ideas, conversation, and substance — a medium that millions of listeners choose because it feels authentic. If podcasting becomes another space where winners are those with the best press strategy rather than the best content, we’ve lost something essential.
For many, Kelly’s withdrawal will look like sour grapes after a perceived snub. But what she’s really rejecting isn’t the Golden Globe itself; it’s the underlying assumption that podcasts must conform to Hollywood’s award-season playbook to be validated. Her stance pushes back against the idea that legitimacy is granted by institutions whose values don’t align with the ethos of independent, thoughtful media.
Awards should shine a spotlight on those deserving of it. They should uplift creators and their work. They shouldn’t transform into popularity contests where bending the knee to the culture that confers them is part of the entry fee. If that’s what the Golden Globes’ podcast prize devolves into, then Kelly walked away from something that never had real honor to begin with.
That’s not defeat. That’s clarity of purpose — and in an age of hollow accolades, it’s something worth defending.
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The Megyn Kelly Show was one of the 25 podcasts nominated for the Best Podcast category at the Golden Globes. Kelly’s program wasn’t one of the finalists for the inaugural honor, however, and she’s now explaining why.
On her SiriusXM program, Kelly revealed that she withdrew the program from consideration for the honor.
“It was brought to my attention by someone connected with this whole system that if you want to actually be considered, you have to go talk to the Golden Globes people,” Kelly shared. “Like, some voters out there, who will determine whether you actually get the nomination. And then, of course, whether you win.
“So, you’d have to go out there and do a little dog and pony show, like, ‘Choose me! Choose me!’ The whole thing was so bizarre,” she said. “I had zero interest in their stupid awards.”
Kelly noted that she came up in the business a product of the Roger Ailes school of thinking that awards are farces and that conservatives can’t win the awards because the system was “run by leftists” or it signaled you were making inroads with the other side of the political aisle.
“We’ve never, literally never, submitted for an award in any context, and have no desire to get one,” Kelly continued. “So there was obviously zero chance I was going to be doing the dog and pony show or doing anything to get this Golden Globe. We had our producers withdraw our name from consideration … We refused. So it was no mystery to us that we would be not actually nominated, because we told them, ‘thanks, but no thanks.'”
The finalists for the award are:
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Call Her Daddy
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
Smartless
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Up Next
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.
