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The College Football Playoff Got It Right On ESPN With No Change Needed Anytime Soon

John Mamola
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The College Football Playoff Got It Right On ESPN With No Change Needed Anytime Soon

College football has always had issues with its postseason slate. How do you properly determine a national champion when you have more than 100 teams spread across ten major FBS conferences? It’s a formula the sport has wrestled with for decades in an effort to crown the best team each season. The College Football Playoff was the latest solution, yet the formula remains flawed.

One key difference between the College Football Playoff and previous methods of determining a national champion stands out. The Walt Disney Company and ESPN have owned the broadcast rights since the Playoff’s inception in 2015. For the past decade, ESPN has been the exclusive home of everything the College Football Playoff has become. That exclusivity is a sticking point for FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt.

Klatt argues that the College Football Playoff should not have a single television partner when it comes to presentation. However, in an era of fragmented sports viewership and a postseason format that continues to evolve, the fact that fans have one clear place to watch the Playoff may be the smartest decision the sport has made.

Klatt, who has worked for FOX Sports since 2013, is the latest voice to find fault with the College Football Playoff. Many critics have long suggested ESPN’s coverage carries a bias because of its ties to the SEC and other conferences. There is no fact-based evidence to support claims of bias in team selection or broadcast presentation. Instead, those arguments have become background noise for sports talk shows nationwide.

What makes Klatt’s latest critique different is that it targets ESPN directly rather than the Playoff itself. He argues that the Playoff, which has partnered exclusively with ESPN since 2015, chose “the wrong path when it comes to the presentation of the playoff.”

He continued, “There is no playoff that should be a single television partner. It just shouldn’t. Because the presentation is important, in particular, when you’re down to this point in the sport where you’re trying to showcase games.”

Presentation does matter. Klatt should understand that as FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst alongside Gus Johnson. But applying that logic to this season’s Playoff reveals some inconvenient truths.

The opening round featured one game on Friday night and three games scheduled back-to-back on Saturday. Alabama/Oklahoma and Miami (FL)/Texas A&M aired on ABC/ESPN, while Tulane/Ole Miss and James Madison/Oregon aired on TNT Sports. The TNT Sports games were part of a sublicense agreement between ESPN and TNT Sports.

At the same time, Klatt’s own network carried an NFL doubleheader that went head-to-head with the two Playoff games on TNT. Would FOX Sports really sideline NFL programming from a longstanding rights deal to air College Football Playoff games instead? Based on NFL viewership versus Playoff viewership, that’s an unrealistic expectation.

Yes, the NFL rotates the Super Bowl among networks. CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC all share the biggest annual telecast in American television.

The College Football Playoff is different.

ESPN offers multiple viewing experiences tailored to different audiences. It leans into next-generation statistics, alternative commentary feeds and personality-driven presentations. Can FOX Sports provide that same depth? CBS? NBC?

Have those networks built the infrastructure that allows massive audiences to easily find and access those options?

Modern sports fans have made one thing clear. They want variety, choice, and don’t want a single, rigid broadcast experience. In that sense, Klatt is right about the importance of presentation, just not in the way he suggests. ESPN’s creativity and roster depth across its platforms make it uniquely equipped to deliver those choices under one umbrella.

To defend his stance, Klatt leaned on a familiar argument often used when criticizing ESPN.

“Let’s face it; it’d be better if every network was giving an A-level broadcast versus a single presenter, in particular when that single presenter has a deep relationship with just one conference within college football,” Klatt said.

Klatt followed that by saying he wasn’t trying to make this a FOX Sports-versus-ESPN issue. In practice, that’s exactly what it became. You can’t criticize a system for its ties and then claim those singular ties are irrelevant.

Every network has conference relationships. FOX Sports works closely with the Big Ten and Big 12. ESPN has ties to the SEC and ACC, along with the Big 12 and Big Ten. CBS Sports also maintains a relationship with the Big Ten.

ESPN is not an SEC-only network. It has carried the SEC, ACC, American, Big 12, Big Ten and, of course, MACtion. More importantly, when fans think about where to watch college football, ESPN remains the default destination.

That’s why the College Football Playoff, despite ongoing debates about its format, doesn’t need to alter its broadcast structure. In most sports, fans are now forced to search across platforms, channels and streaming services just to find a game. That fragmentation will only worsen as more bidders enter the marketplace.

Fans want consistency, and the numbers prove it.

Alabama/Oklahoma averaged 14.9 million viewers on ABC/ESPN, the highest-rated first-round Playoff game in the two years of the expanded 12-team format and the fifth-most watched game of the season. Miami (FL)/Texas A&M drew 14.8 million viewers to open Saturday’s slate, ranking sixth overall for the season. Seven of the ten most-watched college football games this year aired on ABC/ESPN.

At a time when sports media is splintering across cable channels, streaming apps and subscription tiers, the Playoff’s greatest strength may be its simplest one: clarity. Fans know where to go. Casual viewers know exactly what button to press. The data confirms that simplicity still wins.

The Playoff will continue to be tweaked, debated and occasionally broken. That’s part of college football’s DNA. But the argument that more broadcast partners would improve presentation misses what modern audiences actually value.

Fans don’t want to hunt for the biggest games. They want them delivered consistently and at scale. ESPN has done that and continues to do so. Its Super Bowl-level approach is why the partnership remains secure, while other networks may not treat the Playoff with the same priority.

For all its flaws, the College Football Playoff got this part right. Until viewership tells a different story, there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

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 Salem Radio Network’s Mike Gallagher Has Seen Talk Radio Change During 40-Year Career

Garrett Searight
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How Salem Radio Network’s Mike Gallagher Has Seen Talk Radio Change During 40-Year Career

Few hosts in the news/talk genre are as experienced as Salem Radio Network host Mike Gallagher.

The Ohio native has spent decades in the format, honing his craft at both the local level — in markets like Greenville/Spartanburg to New York City — and at the national level with Salem Radio Network.

And in that long career, Mike Gallagher said as much as things change in the format, they stay the same.

“Oddly enough, there’s such a constant that hasn’t changed — and I know it’s cliche — but content is everything,” said Gallagher. “So the only thing that has changed is the platforms and the environments where we are heard.”

Gallagher did note, however, that show prep and topic selection have changed dramatically during his career.

“With the advent of social media, it’s a lot easier to develop program content than it used to be,” he shared. “Back in the day, we used to have to find topics. We’d scour the newspapers and magazines to come up with a good talk topic. Now, all the talk topics find us. And these days it’s a matter of just getting all of it into a three-hour show.

“But it’s still the same formula. It’s still the same process. We still have to deliver exceptional content. Not only has that not changed, but it never will.”

The advent of social media, when it comes to the news/talk radio format, hasn’t been all positive, Mike Gallagher admitted.

“It helps the genre but hurts our mental well-being,” he said. “It’s the proverbial firehose coming at you 24/7. You never can get a break. It’s relentless. You go to bed glued to your phone or laptop. You wake up — my routine is to get up at 6:30 and go through all the sites that I use to prepare the show. It didn’t used to be that way.”

Despite the feeling of needing to be “on” at all times, Mike Gallagher said the expanded interaction opportunities have been great for getting a feel for what the audience expects from his Salem Radio Network show.

“It’s definitely helped,” he said. “It gives the audience way more variety, much more of a content-rich environment than it used to be. We just have to utilize all the tools. There’s just so much coming at you that you have to decide what works for your show and what doesn’t. I’m sure my formula isn’t the same as everybody else’s, but we all have to utilize the resources the best we can.”

Social and digital media now make news virtually instantaneous. Gone are the days of waiting for the morning newspaper and reading about the headlines from across the globe. That was put on display over the weekend with photos of U.S. military leaders circulated, showing the group had searched the term “Venezuela” on the X platform to see if the surprise nature of their mission to capture the nation’s president — Nicolas Maduro — had been compromised.

And while Gallagher said he didn’t prefer the current state of having all of the information in the world available at your fingertips, he did note the sheer difference in how the facet has changed since he first signed on the air.

“You had to see good talk topics. Now, we’re all pretty much talking about the same stuff,” he said of his fellow news/talk radio hosts. “There isn’t any discernment anymore. So, there’s these different challenges. Back then, you had to be creative. You had to find platforms that gave you good, compelling content. Now it’s just, how much can you absorb at one time? So, it’s just different. It’s a different skill set. It’s a different process.”

He admitted, however, that the process can be grating.

“I will say that I’m more tired than I’ve ever been,” The Mike Gallagher Show host shared. “I get worn out. And I find myself when I get off the air sometimes — in the early afternoon or even early evening — staring at the wall, just kind of decompressing, because I’m exhausted. It’s a nice problem to have. It beats digging ditches. But it’s certainly a challenge. It’s depressing because you can’t ever escape it. But look, it’s definitely a first-world problem.” 

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.

The Major Problem with CBS Evening News’ New Strategy Under Tony Dokoupil

Garrett Searight
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The Major Problem with CBS Evening News’ New Strategy Under Tony Dokoupil

Tony Dokoupil steps into the anchor chair of the CBS Evening News at a moment when the nightly broadcasts are searching for relevance as much as ratings.

In a video outlining how he plans to approach the job, Dokoupil offered a diagnosis many viewers will recognize. He argued the press too often listens to advocates, academics, and elites instead of the “average American,” and he pledged to re-center the broadcast on questions that matter to regular people.

It is an appealing sentiment. It is also where the first problem appears.

Dokoupil says he knows the disconnect because he has “been you.” He has felt the frustration of watching the news and not seeing his own life reflected back. That may be true on an emotional level. On a literal one, it strains credibility. Tony Dokoupil is not an average American, and neither is almost anyone working inside the walls of CBS News. That includes high-profile hires, star correspondents, and influential voices who help shape editorial culture (read: Bari Weiss).

Most people in national newsrooms live in major media markets. They earn well above the median income. They move in professional circles dominated by other journalists, executives, academics, and political actors, often with degrees from schools that the “average American” could only dream of attending — let alone afford.

That reality does not make them bad people or bad reporters. It does mean their lived experience diverges sharply from the audience they are now pledging to prioritize.

The term “average American” gets tossed around easily because it sounds virtuous. In practice, it is slippery. Who is that person? A factory worker in Ohio? A single mom in Montana? A small business owner in Georgia? A retiree in Arizona? The answers vary widely, and so do their concerns. If you do not regularly interact with those people, the risk is obvious. You end up guessing what matters to them, or worse, projecting your own assumptions onto them.

That makes designing a newscast for the “average American” a tall task. It is not impossible, but it requires more than good intentions. It demands deep listening, sustained engagement, and humility about what you do not know. Also, it requires a newsroom culture willing to admit that proximity to power can dull perspective. That is a hard admission for any outlet to make, let alone one with the history and prestige of CBS News.

There is another wrinkle worth considering. The cynic in me hears Dokoupil’s pledge and wonders how easily it could be interpreted as something else entirely. “Tell us what you want to hear, and we’ll tell that to you.” That may not be what he means. It is how the promise can sound in an era defined by intensely personalized content.

This is not a restaurant. News is not a menu where viewers pick only what tastes good. The job of a nightly newscast is not to serve as an echochamber or reinforce confirmation biases. Oftentimes, the most important stories are the ones audiences would rather skip. They are complex, unsettling, or inconvenient. Covering them anyway is not elitism. It is the core responsibility.

Balancing that responsibility with accessibility is the real challenge. Explaining issues clearly is different from avoiding them. Asking sharper questions is different from narrowing the scope. Serving viewers does not mean surrendering editorial judgment to focus groups or social media sentiment. When that line blurs, trust erodes rather than grows.

None of this is to suggest Tony Dokoupil lacks sincerity. I have no reason to think he doesn’t believe what he is saying. His frustration with media blind spots mirrors what many Americans feel. Acknowledging that gap is a necessary first step. Closing it is far more complicated than a mission statement or a launch video.

I am rooting for Tony Dokoupil and the CBS Evening News. A ratings resurgence would be good for the broadcast, the industry, and the country. Strong network news remains a civic good, even in a fractured media environment. Competition sharpens standards and expands reach.

Still, when the North Star guiding the program is flawed from the beginning, the journey becomes harder. If the premise rests on an incomplete understanding of who the “average American” is, the execution will suffer. That makes it unlikely this iteration of the CBS Evening News will be the one that returns CBS to dominance in the nightly news race.

Hope is warranted. Skepticism is, too.

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.

Jay Guyther Shares How Worldwide Audio Measurement Is Evolving Faster Than Ever

Dr. Ed Cohen
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Jay Guyther Shares How Worldwide Audio Measurement Is Evolving Faster Than Ever

Last month, this column covered a presentation at November’s asi conference in Copenhagen about Swiss broadcasters demanding a less expensive measurement system. It included how the local supplier, Mediapulse, is developing a new version that will cost clients around half as much as they currently pay. I couldn’t attend the conference, but know others that did, so I had a conversation with one.

A few people have been around the audio measurement world for a while, yours truly included. When I use the word “world”, it typically means the United States, or perhaps the US and Canada. A smaller group has the background to discuss what’s happening in the true definition of the word “world” meaning measurement in other countries as well as the US. Jay Guyther is a member of that group.

Jay spent many years at Arbitron traveling the world spreading the gospel of PPM. Later he worked as a consultant. He’s still connected with many radio measurement people in other countries and attended this year’s asi conference. I spoke with him to get his impressions of what was presented and what is happening in radio and audio measurement outside the United States.

Jay took good notes at the conference. One overarching impression of the presentations was that companies were publicizing actual results from tests. In previous years, it was “here’s what we’re planning to do”. 2025 was the year of “let us show you some results of our implementation”.

Some other headlines that stood out:

  • Things are moving far more quickly outside the US in terms of an integrated audio service.
  • There is great interest in embracing new technologies. Some have moved past the limitations of the cell phone, such as problems with the iPhone and privacy issues. The phone is more affordable than a purpose-built device.
  • There is interest in big data, like what Xperi and their DTS AutoStage product are doing in the US.

Two countries he mentioned specifically were The Netherlands and Australia. In The Netherlands, the Joint Industry Committee (JIC) is using the Ipsos MediaCell technology (essentially a phone app) to produce minute-by-minute data on a weekly basis for both radio and TV. Jay said TV has had this for some time in the country. However, this is a new level of granularity for radio. MediaCell was initially a matching technology, but now uses “fingerprinting”, essentially encoding, as well.

The system also tries to identify listening location by looking at Wi-Fi networks. It can identify home Wi-Fi and make a reasonable guess at whether you’re at work by looking at how often you log into a different network, claiming an 85% accuracy level.

Jay told me that Australia’s system has been updated, too. GfK, which is now part of NIQ, the spinoff of Nielsen’s non-audience measurement business, has a system in place that uses an anonymized ID code capable of tracking individual behaviors across platforms. It’s used on the GfK watch that I discussed last month in my column about what’s happening in Switzerland. Data is merged with a large number of diaries, both paper and online, to create estimates. This system is also being used now or in the near future in New Zealand, Malaysia, Ireland, and South Africa.

What you have is essentially a single source audio measure, which caused a renaming of the service from Radio 360 to Audio 360. One report gives a subscriber a view of the full audio landscape, something that requires multiple sources here.

A major market difference between the US and many other countries is the presence of a JIC. I mentioned to Jay that JICs have more trouble with advancing new methods and technologies because of the need to get up-front buy-in from JIC members. He said, “One of the knocks against JICs is that it depresses or stifles innovation because it has to be supported. I used to believe that. I don’t so much anymore. The whole Arbitron Methods Research group usually didn’t move ahead with something unless there was a balance of a cost savings in there.”

Click this video to see the asi presentations online. While audience measurement isn’t the most riveting material for conference presentations (I’ve done my share and endorse that view from first-hand experience), there seems to be a lot happening beyond our borders. Perhaps some of these ideas will make their way to the United States soon. Our current system could use both some competition and improvement.

Let’s meet again next week.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Band Custody in Rock: What Three Days Grace Got Right—and Others Still Can’t

Terrie Carr
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Band Custody in Rock: What Three Days Grace Got Right—and Others Still Can’t

Who gets custody of the band when the original singer departs and the band carries on? Is it the singer, whose voice is behind the emotion and connection of every song in the catalog? Or is it the rest of the guys, who recruited a new singer and played an equal part in crafting the sound but aren’t the face of the band? 

It’s a tough question and can boil quite a bit of bad blood. Unless, you figure it out and conquer the rock world like “Three Days Grace” did. They made room for both beloved singers and took a highly successful radio band to another level. 

I haven’t seen two lead singers together since the “Sam and Dave” 2002 romp with both Van Halen singers (Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth). That didn’t count though because they weren’t singing together and reportedly couldn’t stand each other. 

But the highly successful late 2024 return of Three Days Grace’s original vocalist Adam Gontier was not only unique, but authentic. Adam came back to the band, but did not replace the band’s current singer Matt Walst. Both singers were responsible for the bands twenty #1 songs on the rock radio charts, concert success and loyal fan following.  

Adam rejoined 3DG in 2024 after an eleven year absence. With two vocalists in place, they enjoyed their most successful year to date, headlining shows, festivals and releasing the smash album “Alienation”. More importantly, a spirit of brotherhood and family was created. Not just for the band, but for the fans too. Connection and Community in rock and roll is what it’s all about.

I saw 3DG twice on this tour with duel vocalists. To call it an “event” would be an understatement. 

But why is this not the case for more bands in rock music, when clearly it works? 

I recently spoke with two “Original Vocalists” and crafters of the active rock sound of the late 90’s and 2000’s on my Carr Stereo Podcast about “band custody”. One is a bit closer to a “merger” and the other is far apart. 

First up is Jared Weeks, the original voice of Saving Abel. He’s the man behind the band’s biggest hits “Drowning” (Face Down), “Addicted” and “The Sex Is Good” (all top 5 charting rock tracks).

Jared fronted Saving Abel from the beginning with stints in and out of the band (2004–2013, 2021–2025). He’s recently taken to social media to create a motivating and positive platform. I wasn’t really that surprised when he teamed up with Saving Abel forever vocalist Scotty Austin (who fronted Saving Abel from 2013 to 2021) for a mending of the fences and teaming up for 2026 shows billed as the “One Time At Band Camp Bash” with select dates. When I spoke with Jared in late 2025 he told me this about mending fences:

Jared Weeks of Saving Abel on Mending Fences

JW: “I looked at all the things that I was guilty of, ashamed of, afraid of, and I sat down with those things. Time after time, I healed with them. I slowly started seeing my life and that hole being filled with peace. I started loving myself more, which in return, started setting up more boundaries. In return, it helped me decide who to surround myself with.

So, making a full circle back to the point, you can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people around you, you know? So that’s kind of how I took it. It is such a great mantra for people to empower themselves. You empowered yourself. I think in life these days, that’s all we have.” 

That was great advice by Jared. As we head into the unknown of 2026, Jared and Scotty are posting together on social media, and the fans love it! 

The situation for 90’s-2000’s rock radio hit makers SALIVA has been quite different though.

I spoke with original vocalist and Saliva founder Josey Scott a few weeks ago. He started the Grammy nominated band in 1996. Josey has suffered through the loss of his son in 2021. He also lost his friend and Saliva’s co-founder Wayne Swinny in 2023 due to a brain hemorrhage. 

Saliva had massive radio success with the songs “Click Click Boom”, “Your Disease”, “Rest In Pieces”, “Ladies and Gentleman”, and “Always”. Josey will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Saliva’s highly successful album “Every Six Seconds” by hitting the road to perform the album. However, the “new” Saliva is pissed. The two camps have been in a war of words.  

Josey Scott, Saliva Founder

TC: You guys were supposed to reunite but the waters got muddied. 

JS: To have those waters muddied by somebody who wasn’t even in the picture in the beginning, who was a child — this guy was a child when we were releasing ‘Click Click Boom’. This guy was a kid. He was still trying to kiss a girl and go on a date. He was 15, 16 years old. So to have those waters muddied by that person, it’s just heartbreaking.

TC: But you will be going out and performing Saliva tunes and your new solo stuff. That’s exciting.

JS: Terrie, songwriting has never been a choice for me. It’s just the radio in my brain that comes on and the ideas come out. If I don’t have a pen and a piece of paper, or nowadays my phone to record these ideas, they will go away.

I think Edgar Allan Poe said one time, the greatest poetry he ever wrote, he forgot because he didn’t have a writing implement. So I’ve learned to sort of respect that conduit or that antenna that’s up towards the universe when those ideas come in. I quickly at least jot down a sketch of what I’m hearing in my head, and I’ll sing it into my phone just like I did “Click, Click, Boom” back in the day with my big red brick phone I had at the time.

I’m excited to celebrate the catalog and play new songs live. We’re just going to tour, tour, tour. I love it. We’re going to celebrate the anniversary of Every Six Seconds by playing every song on the album and along with some new stuff for the fans.

So who gets actual band custody? Clearly, every band is different. 

Hats off to Three Days Grace for showing us the gold star standard on how to do it. I’m hoping for the opportunity to see Jared and Scotty together banging out Saving Abel tunes soon. I’d love to see Josey perform “Every Six Seconds” top to bottom in the new year as well. 

Take me back boys…take me back!

My Interviews with both Jared Weeks and Josey Scott are on my YouTube Channel and all podcasting platforms at TerrieCarr.com.

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.

Cam Newton: SEC Football Is Still the Top Conference Because of Viewership

BSM Staff
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Cam Newton: SEC Football Is Still the Top Conference Because of Viewership

ESPN analyst Cam Newton argued Friday that the Southeastern Conference remains the dominant force in college football—not on the field, necessarily, but in the eyes of fans and television viewers. Speaking on First Take, Newton credited the SEC’s consistent television ratings and national appeal for its continued prominence.

“The SEC is not and has not went anywhere,” Newton said. “Why? Because every team in the SEC does more numbers than every team in the Big Ten, and every team in the ACC.”

Newton’s comments come amid ongoing debates over parity in college football. The expansion of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities has allowed programs across conferences to compete more directly for top talent. The comments also follow the conference only having one team remaining from the conference alive in the college football playoff. Plus an overall bowl record for the conference at 4-8 while the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC hold winning records in bowl games this winter.

While the SEC may no longer hold an unchallenged grip on recruiting and on-field dominance, Newton emphasized that the conference still reigns supreme in fan engagement and television viewership.

“At the end of the day, everybody knows that if you want to go and get put on [television] you still go to the SEC,” Newton said. He contrasted the conference’s draw with programs from the Big Ten and ACC. He referenced teams such as LSU, Alabama, and Georgia as fan favorites.

“However great [Indiana University] Coach Cignetti is, you still know I’m not about to go watch Indiana football. I prefer to go watch LSU, Ole Miss, the great Auburn, Alabama, UGA, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi State. Way before I watch a Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa State, man, come on.”

Newton also addressed the impact of NIL on the SEC’s dominance. He noted that while paying players has leveled the playing field somewhat, the conference’s influence over viewership remains strong.

“Is the dominance over? Yes? Why? Is because the ability to pay players now, but they still don’t do the numbers that the SEC does,” Newton said. “The mantra of the SEC might not remind you—it’s just different. You and I both know that.”

Viewership data for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal round is not yet available, but Nielsen data released showed Alabama was the most-watched team this season, averaging around 8.5 million viewers. That was followed by Texas (7.5 million), Georgia (7.5 million). All three teams are in the SEC.

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.

Newsmax Formally Asks FCC to Block Nexstar Media Group Merger with TEGNA

BNM Staff
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Newsmax Formally Asks FCC to Block Nexstar Media Group Merger with TEGNA

After publicly sharing its opposition, Newsmax has officially asked the FCC to block the merger between Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA.

The company formally filed a petition with the FCC on New Year’s Eve, arguing that the proposed merger “violates the law and creates an unprecedented concentration of power in the hands of one broadcaster.”

Newsmax’s focus on its opposition is that the current ownership limits make a single entity owning enough stations to reach more than 39% of the U.S. TV households illegal. Should the proposed merger with TEGNA go through, Nexstar Media Group would reach nearly 80% of all households.

“This merger would create an unprecedented and dangerous consolidation within the broadcast TV industry, giving them immense control over local news and political news coverage,” Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy — who signed the filing with the FCC for the network — said in a statement.

“This merger is no better than others the FCC has already blocked,” the filing from Newsmax concludes. “The Commission should reject the proposed transaction because it violates the law, will harm competition, and will damage the public interest.”

Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy has not been shy about his opposition to the merger. In August, Ruddy shared that he was against the proposed merger, further arguing that the FCC “lacks authority and a compelling reason to change” the ownership caps put in place in 2004. Ruddy’s comments and opposition to the move have been labeled as “misleading” by the National Association of Broadcasters.

His sentiments appear to be shared by President Donald Trump, who in November said he “would not be happy” if the ownership cap were to be removed.

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.

CBS News Radio Ends World News Roundup Late Edition, Weekend Roundup

BNM Staff
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CBS News Radio Ends World News Roundup Late Edition, Weekend Roundup

After nearly 60 years, CBS News Radio has ended the World News Roundup Late Edition broadcast and has also ended the Weekend Roundup version of the newscast.

On Friday, December 19th, during the World News Roundup Late Edition at 7 PM ET, anchor Jennifer Kuiper said, “This is the final broadcast of the World News Roundup Late Edition … But CBS will continue our mission of bringing you the latest breaking news,” before airing lockouts from Bill Whitney, Dave Barrett, Jim Chenevey, Pam Coulter, Peter King, and her own for the final time.

The broadcast was launched in 1966 as a 15-minute newscast before later being shortened and rebranded to its current iteration in 1999.

CBS News Radio has continued providing evening newscasts, which are shorter in length than their predecessor and do not utilize the World News Roundup branding.

On Saturday, December 20th, CBS News Weekend Roundup host Allison Keyes revealed that the episode was the final edition of the program.

“This is the final CBS News Weekend Roundup,” she said to begin the episode. “We want to thank you for listening and for your support of this award-winning show over the years. We appreciate it.”

The changes at CBS News Radio come after the company moved its distribution and advertising sales operations from Skyview Networks to Audacy and its Infinity Networks in October 2025.

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.

Gary Danielson Emotional Farewell From CBS Sports Cut Off

BSM Staff
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Gary Danielson Emotional Farewell From CBS Sports Cut Off

Veteran analyst Gary Danielson ended his 36-year run in college football broadcasting with CBS in an emotional Sun Bowl broadcast Wednesday, leaving viewers and colleagues reflecting on his lasting impact on the sport.

As the game wound down, Danielson appeared to search for the right words to close out his final broadcast. “How are we going to get off the air?” he asked rhetorically, moments before CBS cut to a commercial. A countdown appeared in the corner of the screen by the on-site producer, signaling the abrupt conclusion to a career highlighted by decades of insight, humor, and storytelling.

Danielson, a former Purdue standout and NFL quarterback with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, took the interruption in stride. He smiled and pointed to his producer, joking, “This guy right here,” acknowledging the realities of live television. While hard breaks are standard, the sudden cutoff contrasted with the heartfelt tribute unfolding moments earlier.

Prior to the broadcast’s conclusion, Danielson joined play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler and sideline reporter Jenny Dell to reflect on the career-defining moments he’s shared with CBS. Nessler praised Danielson’s work ethic and the camaraderie he brought to the broadcast booth. “It’s been a privilege working alongside someone unmatched at what they do,” Nessler said. “CBS is going to miss you. Our crew is going to miss you, and college football is going to miss you, buddy.”

Danielson has been a central figure in CBS’ college football coverage since 2006, earning six Emmy nominations along the way. While primarily known for his work in the SEC, he has also contributed to Big Ten broadcasts in recent years, solidifying his reputation as one of the sport’s most trusted voices.

During his farewell segment, a slideshow highlighted Danielson’s decades-long tenure, featuring images of memorable game-day moments, colleagues, and behind-the-scenes snapshots.

“Everybody asks, ‘What do you want to be remembered as?’” Danielson said. “That’s fine, but for me, it’s about what I want to remember. These are the moments that stick.”

Fans, colleagues, and former players alike have shared their admiration for Danielson’s contributions to the game, citing his blend of technical knowledge and approachable storytelling. Though his on-air sign-off ended unexpectedly, the legacy he leaves behind resonates far beyond a single broadcast.

As CBS transitions to its next chapter of college football coverage, Charles Davis was named as Danielson’s successor last year.

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CNN’s Abby Phillip Clashes With Erick Erickson Over Scott Jennings Commentary

BNM Staff
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CNN’s Abby Phillip Clashes With Erick Erickson Over Scott Jennings Commentary

Erick Erickson has never been shy in his criticism of CNN. But Abby Phillip is fighting back against comments made by the nationally syndicated radio host.

On social media, Erickson stated that CNN needed to air a disclaimer before it utilizes regular contributor Scott Jennings, stating that whatever he said in his last appearance was correct and that Abby Phillip and her primetime panel were incorrect.

“CNN needs to start each Scott Jennings appearance with a fact check where Scott said something previously, Abby and the panel insisted it was not so, and we start the next show with the video showing Scott was right the whole time,” Erickson wrote.

Phillip didn’t respond kindly to the comments from Erickson.

She fired back by arguing that Erick Erickson had taken the comments and video clip he shared out of context.

“Give me a break Eric (sic),” Phillip said. “He was not referring to the fraud investigations in that clip. He was talking about Trump and Vance denigrating the Somali community. There plenty (sic) to criticize Walz for but he did not say that investigating fraud was akin to white supremacy.”

It isn’t the first time Abby Phillip and Erick Erickson have clashed over his criticism of her program.

In 2024, Erickson revealed he had been asked to appear on the program, but scheduling conflicts had kept him from appearing. However, he said at that time that he was happy he had never appeared because the show was “an embarrassment” and that CNN should be “embarrassed to air it.”

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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