The June podcast rankings from Triton Digital have been released, and there’s positive news for The Charlie Kirk Show from the Salem Podcast Network.
In the Top Podcasts By Weekly Average Downloads category, the program from Charlie Kirk rose three places to finish the month in the fifth position in the rankings. The Charlie Kirk Show was the highest mover inside the top 10, while NPR’s Fresh Air was the biggest faller, dropping three positions.
The top four positions — held by NPR News Now, Up First from NPR, Stuff You Should Know, and 48 Hours — all remain unchanged from the previous month.
VINCE, the podcast hosted by Vince Coglianese, moved back into the top 10 as it moved up one position from its May ranking to finish 10th overall.
Other news-focused or news/talk podcasts seeing strong finishes were the Shawn Ryan Show (7th), Global News Podcast (11th), The NPR Politics Podcast (13th), Consider This from NPR (15th), The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show (16th), and Armstrong & Getty On Demand (22nd).
In the Top Sales Networks By Weekly Average Download category, iHeartAudience Network help the top spot, followed by NPR, Audacy, Audioboom, and Cumulus Podcast Network rounding out the top five. Paramount earned the sixth position, marking the top six places unchanged from the previous month.
BBC and Salem Podcast Network each rose one position on the overall chart, good for seventh and eighth, respectively. Meanwhile, Soundrise dropped two positions to ninth, while American Public Media Group took home the final spot in the top 10 podcast publishers list.
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Former NFL executive and longtime analyst Scott Pioli announced Thursday he is stepping away from NFL Network, ending a six-season run with the league’s media arm. The veteran front office executive made the announcement via a heartfelt message on his personal X account, reflecting on his time with the network and outlining his intentions moving forward.
“It has been a wonderful 6-year/season run with the NFL Network, NFL Media, and Good Morning Football and sadly it is coming to an end,” Pioli wrote. “It was an incredible experience and there are so many people to thank – there just isn’t enough time/space!”
Pioli, 60, joined NFL Network in 2020 following a decades-long career as an NFL executive, including front office leadership roles with the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons. In his statement, Pioli expressed gratitude to his on-air colleagues and, notably, to the many behind-the-scenes staffers who helped shape the programming that made NFL Network a destination for fans.
“So many people that viewers and readers never see or hear about – to all of those folks & teammates, a HUGE thank you!” Piloi added.
Prior to joining the NFL Network, Pioli’s media experience includes roles as an NFL analyst for NBC Sports’ Football Night in America, NFL Network, CBS Sports, and Sirius XM NFL Radio. Pioli’s approach to broadcasting was rooted in experience and empathy, a style that set him apart in a crowded football media space. According to his post, when he first joined the network, he pitched a different approach to commentary — one that favored explanation and context over speculation and criticism.
“In 2019, I asked the bosses if I could spend more time discussing experiences, telling stories and elevating the game I love… to share ‘WHY’ people might be making decisions rather than blindly criticize,” Piloi wrote. “I told them, my goal was ‘to educate, not speculate’ through personal experiences – because, I certainly experienced a lot.”
Throughout his tenure, Pioli often leaned into his 27 seasons of NFL front office experience. He used that background to help viewers understand not just what happened on the field or in the front office — but why it happened. Pioli was a part of various NFL Network programs such as NFL Total Access, Good Morning Football, and NFL Now, and the network’s coverage of such events as the NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft.
Looking ahead, Pioli said he will remain active as a guest and contributor across multiple platforms, hinting that appearances on NFL Network are still possible. Additionally, he plans to expand his role in his consulting business, taking on new leadership opportunities outside of traditional broadcasting.
“Again, thank you to all of my on-air and behind-the-scenes teammates… And Godspeed,” he closed.
It has been a wonderful 6-year/season run with @nflnetwork / @NFLMedia / @gmfb and sadly it is coming to an end. It was an incredible experience and there are so many people to thank – there just isn't enough time/space! So many people that viewers and readers never see or hear…
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Barstool Sports and FOX Sports are officially entering into a partnership. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy made the announcement via The Unnamed Show featuring Ryan Whitney and Kirk Minihane, as the digital sports giant is teaming up with its second national television network on a three-year agreement. This follows their short-lived 2017 partnership with ESPN.
Portnoy expressed his satisfaction with the deal, saying FOX Sports is “embracing” the Barstool Sports brand. He referenced FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks flying to meet him in Nantucket to discuss the collaboration as a sign of the network’s desire to team with the Barstool Sports.
“The Fox Sports deal is official. Been in the works for a long time,” said Portnoy. “This has the potential to be really good for both parties. They want our audience, but they know what audience we have. We’re going to try to come up with a bunch of things with them, but it’s a wide ranging relationship.”
As part of the partnership, Portnoy will appear on FOX Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff as a regular contributor. According to a FOX Sports release, Big Noon Kickoff will also feature appearances from a variety of Barstool personalities – including Dan Katz, widely known as “Big Cat.”
Additionally, Barstool College Football Show, the Barstool-produced program will join Big Noon Kickoff on-location for select games throughout the college football season. Barstool College Football Show is set to air across Barstool-owned channels from 9:00-9:45 AM ET as well as across FOX platforms including Tubi, the FOX Sports App and Foxsports.com, and will feature appearances from FOX Sports Big Noon Kickoff talent.
In addition, Portnoy announced that Barstool Sports will debut a two-hour daily program on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. However, no official start date or talent lineup has been confirmed but Portnoy referenced the show “could” start near the beginning of the college football season in late August.
Portnoy stated that FOX Sports will be building a set for the show at the Barstool Sports headquarters in Chicago where the show will air from. According to FOX, the program will be produced and delivered by Barstool Sports and will feature popular Barstool personalities and FOX Sports talent guest appearances.
“We are going to do an 8am-10am daily show on Fox Sports One. It’ll be like a Barstool Breakfast Show. Barstool Wake Up,” said Portnoy. “I’m going to do Mondays. We’ll have an office in Chicago. It’ll be different characters. They want a taste of the Barstool world.”
Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks shared his excitement about the new partnership.
“We’re excited to welcome Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports to the FOX Sports family. Dave has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans – authentic, bold, and original. Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Barstool Sports is also set to contribute to FOX Sports’ college basketball coverage, including the College Basketball Crown – a postseason tournament launched by the network last year, coming off its successful debut in April 2025.
Portnoy emphasized that he’s extremely happy to work with FOX Sports, highlighting their understanding of the Barstool brand—something he felt was missing during the previous ESPN partnership in 2017.
He added that discussions around this new partnership have been ongoing for the past six to seven months.
Finally, the announcement from Barstool and FOX Sports comes just days after the network shook up FS1’s weekday lineup. Earlier this week, FOX Sports canceled three programs—Breakfast Ball, The Facility, and Speak—with no word yet from the netwok on what will replace The Facility or Speak.
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Dan Endom has been named Regional Market President for Townsquare Media’s Lubbock and Amarillo markets, effective August 4.
Endom spent the past 14 years in Nashville, including 13 years as Regional President for iHeartMedia, where he managed more than 15 markets. Before his tenure in Nashville, he worked for nearly two decades in Houston with Clear Channel.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Townsquare Media, a company with a stellar reputation in helping businesses grow by connecting them with folks at all phases of the consumer journey,” Endom said.
Townsquare COO Erik Hellum stated, “Dan is a great fit for our company and our local teams in Lubbock and Amarillo, and we are excited to have him join our company.”
Townsquare operates six stations in Lubbock: Kiss FM 102.5 (KZII), FMX 94.5 (KFMX), Awesome 98 (KKCL), Lonestar 99.5 (KQBR), NewsTalk 95.1 & 790 (KFYO-AM), and Talk 1340 (KKAM-AM). Its Amarillo cluster includes Kiss FM 96.9 (KXSS), 101.9 The Bull (KATP), 98.7 The Bomb (KPRF), Mix 94.1 (KMXJ), and News/Talk 940 (KIXZ-AM).
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Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is laying the groundwork for a transformative shift in how the league handles its broadcast rights, suggesting the current model could be overhauled by the time new rights deals are negotiated in 2028.
Speaking candidly this week about the league’s media future coming potentially in 2028 with CNBC’s Alex Sherman, Manfred acknowledged the growing instability of local television deals and emphasized the need for a more streamlined and fan-friendly approach to how games are delivered.
“The media environment has changed,” Manfred said. “Of all the challenges, the most serious is local broadcasting. Most of the new entrants, the competitors in the media market, are interested in at least national, if not international, rights. Our goal would be to accumulate all of our rights, national and local. Go to the table and develop in concert with the potential buyers, packages that are most valuable to them.”
The commissioner outlined a hypothetical future in which MLB would consolidate both national and local rights under a single umbrella, allowing the league to repackage and sell media rights in a way that creates broader reach and value. In essence, the goal is to simplify how fans access games and eliminate the long-standing blackout issues that have plagued the sport for decades.
“There’s a lot of places you have to go right now if you’re a fan,” Manfred explained. “We should create a more fan friendly environment, where people understand better where the games are… Absolutely have to end the blackouts that have plagued us for a really long time.”
Central to making this model work is getting team owners on board, especially those in larger markets who currently benefit from more lucrative local TV arrangements. But Manfred hinted that the league is already considering mechanisms to balance those interests — including changes to revenue sharing that could appeal to both large and small market teams.
“If you centralize your media and the revenue from those media streams are shared 1/30, there’s much less need for the kind of local revenue sharing system that we have today,” he said. “For the large markets whose payments into that system escalate as disparity grows. That’s very appealing. It’s also very appealing from an incentive perspective, because you get rid of what is essentially a 48% marginal tax rate.”
In the short term, MLB is still making key broadcast decisions. Manfred confirmed that NBC, Apple, and ESPN are the three bidders for the league’s “Sunday Night Baseball” package, which ESPN and MLB mutually opted out of earlier this year. He added that a decision is expected within the month and left open the possibility of the rights being split between two outlets.
While no formal decisions have been made on the larger 2028 framework, the tone and detail of Manfred’s comments suggest MLB is seriously exploring a centralized broadcast future. With RSNs crumbling and digital platforms hungry for content, the timing may be right for the league to take greater control of how its product is distributed.
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Scott Hanson is returning to host NFL RedZone this fall after signing a multi-year contract with NFL Network in May. The longtime RedZone host made the announcement via his personal X account after much speculation about whether the network would come to terms with the veteran.
Additionally, Hanson discussed the recent negotiations during an appearance on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina, saying the discussions didn’t go exactly as he had expected.
“We started talking before last season. Once the season hit and we hadn’t reached the deal, I said I got to focus on the football here. I’m confident we’ll get something done. I’ve been the host of the show for 16 years now. I’ve been with the NFL for 18 seasons. They’ve been good for me. I’d like to think I’ve been good for them. A reasonable mind should be able to come to an agreement here. However, the NFL as they want to do, they are very tough negotiators,” said Hanson.
Furthermore, Hanson revealed that the league and his representatives considered his responsibilities outside of RedZone as part of the broader contract discussions. Ultimately, he expressed satisfaction in returning to the place he has called home for nearly two decades.
“There was quite a knockdown drag out negotiation, but I’m thrilled to be back. Thrilled that we were able to come to an agreement,” said Hanson. “To think that I would be on the show for 20 years, and have it be as successful as it has been, as it most likely will be, is extraordinary. I’m very blessed.”
At one point, however, Hanson admitted he thought he might not return to the network, likening the experience to being a free agent in the NFL.
“There was a time when I thought, I don’t know if this is going to happen,” said Hanson. “It was not my intention to kind of go that direction, but you have to be willing for that eventuality or that possibility.”
Moreover, during the spring, Hanson was reportedly in discussions with other networks, including NBC. He assisted with Peacock’s coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games via Gold Zone. He later clarified that there was misinformation regarding those talks, which created a somewhat confusing narrative.
“My contract was up, that was reported in public. It was coming up, and we were negotiation. That was true,” explained Hanson. “There was a feel I was going to leave for NBC. Well, it was conflated with what I did with Gold Zone for the Paris Olympics last summer, and the fact that I was and we were in the middle of a negotiation with NBC to come back and do future Gold Zones. I think some people got part of the truth and reported that NBC was going to pull Scott Hanson away. Ultimately, we were able to do deals with both because they don’t directly conflict with football season. I’m very glad that the kind of best of both worlds happened.”
Looking ahead, Hanson is eager to return to the studio this football season and continue delivering every touchdown to fans around the globe.
“I love my job. I love hosting RedZone, and I hope that comes across,” said Hanson. “I love serving the football public, and that’s why I look at myself as a servant. I’m not doing it to glorify myself. I’m not doing it to try and make my platform greater. That is a byproduct of plenty of millions of people on NFL Sundays. I’m trying to serve the viewer as I want to be served.”
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In an early morning Thursday vote, the Senate passed $9 billion in federal spending cuts, including more than $1 billion in cuts to NPR and PBS. NPR CEO Katherine Maher is urging the House of Representatives to reject the cuts.
In a statement, Maher shared her displeasure with the funding cut, which amounted to $1.1 billion. That figure represents what the CPB was slated to receive over the next two budget years.
“Public radio is a lifeline, connecting rural communities to the rest of the nation, and providing life-saving emergency broadcasting and weather alerts,” Maher wrote. “It cannot be replaced, so it is essential that its funding be sustained. We call on the House of Representatives to reject this elimination of public media funding, which directly harms their communities and constituents, and could very well place lives at risk.”
Maher pointed to a situation earlier this week, when staff KUCB — the public radio station in Unalaska, Alaska — remained at the station at sea level as a tsunami warning was issued after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the state’s coast.
“When the tsunami sirens started to blare, the voice message in the warning instructed community members to tune in to local radio,” Maher shared, noting that the station is the only radio station serving the Aleutian Island community. “There are no alternatives, commercial or otherwise.”
Katherine Maher noted that the cuts to NPR and PBS come after a new Harris Poll survey shows that 66% of Americans believe that public radio should receive federal funding. The support isn’t limited to only one side of the political aisle. 77% of self-identified Democrats responded favorably to federal funding continuing to NPR. Meanwhile, 58% of Republicans responded similarly.
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Jason Taylor, OM and PD at 103.1 The Wolf Tallahassee, has left his position. Taylor joined the cluster in November 2020.
In his role, he oversaw programming for Country 103.1, the Wolf, Top 40 Hot 104.9, Yacht Rock Tally 99.9, and Rhythmic AC Vibe 106.1. He also hosted afternoons on 103.1 The Wolf.
According to his LinkedIn, he previously spent just over 16 years cross-town at iHeartMedia.
Adams Radio Group is seeking his replacement. Vibe 106.1 PD Twiggins is in the position until a replacement is found.
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In an early morning Thursday vote, the Senate passed $9 billion in federal spending cuts, including more than $1 billion in cuts to NPR and PBS.
The passed legislation would remove $1.1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That figure represents what the CPB was slated to receive over the next two budget years.
The vote to pass the cuts was split largely along party lines. Those voting against the move included all Senate Democrats, who were joined by Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK).
Murkowski’s vote against the cuts came after NPR stations served as a lifeline to Alaska residents about an impending tsunami after a 7.3 earthquake struck roughly 50 miles off the coast of Alaska. She called the situation “a reminder that when we hear people rant about how public broadcasting is nothing more than this radical, liberal effort to pollute people’s minds, I think they need to look at what some of the basic services are to communities.”
Cuts to NPR and PBS come after a new Harris Poll survey shows that 66% of Americans believe that public radio should receive federal funding. The support isn’t limited to only one side of the political aisle. 77% of self-identified Democrats responded favorably to federal funding continuing to NPR. Meanwhile, 58% of Republicans responded similarly.
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In a heartfelt moment during Wednesday night’s ESPYs broadcast, legendary ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso was honored for his near four-decade run on the network and his impact on sports television.
Corso, 89, took the stage to a rousing ovation, joined by his College GameDay co-hosts Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, and Desmond Howard. With his signature warmth and humility, the longtime College GameDay fixture offered gratitude for a career defined by passion, personality, and purpose.
“I want to thank ESPN for this tribute and an opportunity to do a job that I’ve loved for 38 years,” Corso said. “My goal on TV was to bring a smile to everybody’s face. I hope I have done that.”
Corso has been a central figure on College GameDay, helping build the Saturday morning preview show into a cultural institution for college football fans. Known for his good-natured energy, memorable catchphrases, and his famous headgear mascot picks, Corso became one of the most beloved voices in all of sports television.
Yet on this night, it was the man behind the personality who took center stage.
In an emotional show of appreciation, Corso turned his attention to his wife, Betsy, who was seated in the front row. The couple, who met in college and married in 1956, have long been admired for their enduring relationship.
“My wife Betsy and I have been married for 69 years,” Corso said with a pause. “And I just wanted to thank her for loving me and allowing me to love her for all those years.”
The tribute served as a reminder not only of Corso’s longevity and dedication to the craft, but also of his deep personal integrity. Even as health issues have limited his travel in recent seasons, ESPN has continued to include him remotely and honor his contributions.
The network has announced his final episode of College GameDay will air on August 30 in Columbus, OH. Corso, who turns 90 in August, has been a fixture on College GameDay since its debut in 1987. Although he became a full-time analyst in 1989, he contributed from the show’s start and remains the only original member still on air.
The tradition that defined his legacy—wearing a mascot head to predict the winner of the day’s biggest game—began in 1996 in Columbus, Ohio. That day, Corso picked Ohio State by donning Brutus Buckeye’s head. Since then, he has made 430 headgear picks, choosing the Buckeyes a record 45 times.
“Thank you very much ESPN for this honor and tribute,” Corso closed. “I appreciate everybody here. Thank you very much.”
Corso’s farewell broadcast will air live from 9 a.m. to noon ET on ESPN and ESPNU on August 30.
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