Earlier this week, Nexstar Media Group announced plans to acquire TV rival TEGNA in a $6.2 billion deal. Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy is sharing his opposition to the proposed deal.
Nexstar is set to acquire all of the outstanding shares of TEGNA for $22 per share, which is a 31% premium compared to the company’s 30-day average stock price. The transaction has already been approved by the Board of Directors at TEGNA.
Once the deal is closed, Nexstar Media Group will then have 265 TV stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, it will feature outlets in 132 of the country’s 210 markets.
In addition to being the largest local TV broadcaster, Nexstar Media Group also owns NewsNation, the upstart cable news channel. That network is a competitor to Newsmax, and its CEO — Chris Ruddy — is sharing his stance that he’s against the merger.
In a filing with the FCC, Ruddy said, “The only thing the (FCC) will get if it alters the national television multiple ownership limit is a permanent injunction. The (FCC) lacks authority and a compelling reason to change the rule.”
The Newsmax CEO isn’t the only person at the network opposed to the multi-billion-dollar acquisition. Analyst Tom Basile said on the network that he believes the acquisition by Nexstar would be a danger to competition in the marketplace.
“If they control that much of the broadcast market, how will conservative outlets compete?” Basile asked. “This isn’t just about politics,” Basile added. “It’s about whether communities will still have independent voices covering school boards, local corruption, and small-town issues that the national networks ignore.”
Basile noted that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has insinuated he’d be open to lifting the current ownership cap that could prevent Nexstar Media Group — which says it expects the deal to be closed in the second half of 2026 — from acquiring TEGNA. However, he believes there will be legal challenges should the deal go through.
“This may be far from over,” Basile said. “It could end up in the courts. The American people need to pay attention to this. It’s not just an inside-the-Beltway fight. It’s about whether you still have a choice in what you watch and who tells your news.”
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WSM-AM Nashville is welcoming Amber Anderson to its team in an undisclosed on-air role.
Anderson posted on Instagram, “Full. Circle. (pun intended!) officially adding RADIO personality to my resume! BEYOND honored to be a part of the team at @wsmradio!! Today marks 13 years TO THE DAY that I moved to Nashville, and it’s been 9 years since I worked as a marketing coordinator at the @opry.
Adding, “I’m so thrilled to be re-joining the family, especially during year 100! This opportunity still feels so surreal for many, many reasons, but all I can say is that I am SO grateful to the team for believing in me and welcoming me in to this HISTORIC station.”
Anderson and WSM-AM’s Kelly Sutton host Amazon Music’s “Country Heat Weekly”
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FS1’s First Things First is getting a new look and a longer runway. Beginning Monday, the daily afternoon debate show will expand to three hours, while adding familiar voices to its rotating cast as Danny Parkins will join the program for the third hour alongside rotating commentators Eric Mangini, and Greg Jennings.
The move comes as FS1 is shuffling its weekday lineup following the cancellation of Breakfast Ball, The Facility, and Speak in July. The First Things First crew made the announcement via social media Friday morning.
“Starting predictions week. August 25, it’s going to be 3pm-6pm. 3-5pm totally unchanged,” said Wright. “5pm-6pm we’ll be a part of it. Danny Parkins will be a part of it. Coach will be a part of it. Greg will be a part of it. Maybe new friends of the First Things First family. That’s what’s happening.”
Parkins has been a regular fill-in contributor to the First Things First program for some time. Following the cancellation of Breakfast Ball, he filled in for host Nick Wright for a couple of days while Wright was on commentary for the World Series of Poker Final table broadcast.
Lats month, Parkins told Barrett Media of his excitement to be joining the First Things First crew.
“I think that Nick [Wright], Kevin Wildes, and Chris Broussard have the best chemistry and the best show on sports television today. When I have filled in for any of them or as a guest, I’d like to think that the chemistry hasn’t skipped a beat. That’s because of my chemistry with Nick,” said Parkins. “I think when they were trying to expand the best show on TV, the thing that everybody says they love about First Things First is ‘we love the chemistry.’ I was in a unique position to be able to ensure that nothing would get messed up with that chemistry.”
The announcement of the third hour of the program came a month ago, but exact details and a start date were not announced until today.
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Taylor Swift’s guest appearance on the New Heights podcast, hosted by brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, has catapulted the show to the top of YouTube’s latest weekly podcast charts, marking a transformative moment for the NFL-rooted series. The podcast did not appear in the top 100 YouTube podcast chart the week prior, but Swift’s record-setting appearance was the secret to the sauce of this week’s results.
Swift’s two-hour installment premiered on Aug. 13, instantly shattering prior records for live viewership. The livestream drew an unprecedented peak of 1.3 million concurrent viewers, briefly overwhelming the platform’s capacity before the stream was restored. Within roughly 16 hours, the episode had already surpassed 10 million views, making it the most-watched episode in the podcast’s history
Since it’s debut, the podcast has amassed more than 20 million views leading New Heights to soar to the top on Apple’s podcast charts, while Spotify saw a remarkable uptick in engagement—female listenership surged more than 600 percent, according to MarketWatch.
Simultaneously, short-form clips from the episode exploded across social media, racking up hundreds of millions of views on platforms including TikTok and Instagram.
The Kelce brothers signed a reported three-year deal with Amazon’s Wondery in 2024, valued at more than $100 million—a move that now appears to be paying exponential returns. Moreover, Swift used the forum to break news of her upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, set for release on October. The 35-year-old also discussed reclaiming control over her master recordings, the Eras Tour, her newfound love in football and more.
The surprise announcement, coupled with candid glimpses into her relationship with Travis Kelce, delivered a rare, high-emotion hook that engaged listeners far beyond the usual sports audience.
In sum, Taylor Swift’s appearance didn’t just top charts—it redefined the trajectory of New Heights.
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Central Ohio sports radio listeners of 97.1 The Fan will soon have a new option on the dial. On Tuesday, September 2, The Fan 2 officially debuts in Columbus, OH with a mix of sports talk, comedy, and sports wagering programming designed to capture fans looking for more than the traditional lineup.
The new station, available on 1460 AM, 97.1 The Fan’s HD2 channel, and The Fan App, will feature two of the most recognizable names in syndicated radio. The Bob and Tom Show anchors mornings from 6–10 a.m., while The Jim RomeShow takes over afternoons from 3–6 p.m. The two national shows bookend a schedule that also includes BetSweats from BetMGM, a midday encore of Morning Juice with Bobby Carpenter and Jeff “Tito” Thitoff, and the betting-focused You Better, You Bet in early evenings.
Programming is provided through a new partnership with Westwood One, which delivers The Bob and Tom Show, The Jim Rome Show, and additional BetMGM and Infinity Sports Radio content.
“With The Fan 2, we’re bringing Columbus something you can’t get anywhere else — a lineup that’s smart, funny, and flat-out entertaining,” said Matt Fishman, Director of Local Sports Content. “Mornings kick off with The Bob and Tom Show, middays give you great Ohio State conversation with Morning Juice, and afternoons bring the fire with Jim Rome. The Fan 2 is built to keep Columbus engaged, laughing, and talking.”
The weekday schedule also ensures Ohio State fans won’t miss out. Morning Juice, which normally airs on 97.1 The Fan’s YouTube channel, will replay from 1–3 p.m., giving Buckeye fans another chance to catch Carpenter and Thitoff’s take on the latest news.
Beyond the daily lineup, The Fan 2 is also positioning itself as a hub for Ohio State athletics. The station will broadcast the Ryan Day Show weekly, along with Buckeye football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s hockey, and baseball.
In Columbus, The Fan 97.1 FM has long been the primary destination for Buckeye coverage and sports talk. By adding The Fan 2, management is betting on the appeal of a hybrid approach that blends traditional sports content with national voices and the rising popularity of sports wagering talk.
The launch reflects a broader trend of sports radio operators experimenting with additional signals and digital streams to diversify content offerings. With HD2 channels and streaming platforms expanding reach, stations are finding opportunities to serve niche audiences without overhauling established flagship brands.
97.1 The Fan announced a slew of lineup changes in April which included splitting up both their afternoon drive and morning drive programs into different talent combos, including the Morning Juice program moving to a YouTube stream live while the T-Bone and Tyvus morning show aired on the radio signal.
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CBS News has named Draggan Mihailovich as the next executive editor of 60 Minutes.
The announcement came from executive producer Tanya Simon, who called Mihailovich “a first-rate journalist and storyteller whose pieces have been among the most memorable to air on 60 Minutes since he joined the broadcast nearly three decades ago. Whether he’s producing investigations, features or profiles of legendary athletes, he thinks big and has the highest standards. I can’t think of a better partner.”
Mihailovich has worked as a producer for 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes II since 1998. Over the course of 27 years with CBS, he has earned seven Emmy Awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards. He described the promotion as “the honor of my career,” adding, “I’ve had the privilege to work with many legends inside 60 Minutes and it means a great deal to me to help usher in a new era of the broadcast under Tanya.”
Throughout his career, Mihailovich has produced stories from war zones, investigations that influenced U.S. policy, and profiles of prominent athletes and cultural figures. His reporting on the Sudanese “lost boys,” Iraqi defector Rafid Ahmed Alwan (known as “Curve Ball”), and Islamic extremism in Pakistan all earned Emmy recognition.
He has also reported from New Guinea’s Foja Mountains, the Aleutian Islands, and Yemen. Mihailovich has interviewed subjects ranging from Elian Gonzalez to Osama bin Laden’s former bodyguard, while profiling athletes including Novak Djokovic, Nick Saban, Roger Goodell, Albert Pujols, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Michael Phelps.
Mihailovich began his career at 60 Minutes, working alongside correspondents Steve Kroft and Bob Simon. In recent years, he has produced stories for Jon Wertheim and Sharyn Alfonsi.
Before joining CBS News, Mihailovich worked in Olympic coverage for CBS Sports and ABC Sports, where his reporting earned four Emmy Awards.
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Our final award to be given out at this year’s BNM Summit during the Premiere Networks awards ceremony is the brand new, Lifetime Achievement award. The recipient of this award will join John Catsimatidis, Julie Talbott, and Julia Ziegler as one of our four 2025 honorees.
The motivation for this award was to make sure on-air talent who have made a significant impact for a sustained period of time are recognized for their contributions. From radio to television to podcasting, audiences spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and even decades with some of our top talent. Those who inform, entertain, and challenge audiences for an extended period of time deserve to have their life’s work acknowledged in front of their peers, friends, and competitors.
With this year’s event taking place in the big apple, it just felt right to recognize a man who has poured his heart and soul on to the airwaves for thirty five years. His red beret and love, passion, and connection to New York City is impossible to ignore. His commitment to making it better is reflected in his pursuit to become the city’s next mayor. For his body of work and years of on-air impact, it is my pleasure to announce the inaugural recipient of the News Media Lifetime Achievement Award, Curtis Sliwa.
Curtis Sliwa‘s radio career began in 1990. He has been a mainstay on WABC for most of his career, adding a few stops at WNYC and AM 970 The Answer along the way. While working with longtime broadcast partner Ron Kuby on the “Curtis & Kuby” show, Sliwa enjoyed great success in both middays and mornings. He has worked locally most of his career, but did add national syndication in 2008-2009.
In addition to his radio work, Curtis created the “Magnificent 13” in 1977, a civilian group dedicated to combating violence and crime on the New York City Subway. The group was later renamed the Guardian Angels. Sliwa remains CEO of the nonprofit crime prevention organization. To learn more about Curtis and his quest to become New York City’s next mayor, click here.
The Premiere Networks awards ceremony takes place inside the Ailey Theater at the BNM Summit on Thursday September 4th between 11:30am-12:30pm. To attend the show, visit BNMSummit.com to get your tickets. All Summit ticket holders receive an invite to The Barrett Bash on Thursday September 4th in New York City. We hope to see you there!
RAMP is reporting that Laura Duncan has resigned as Brand Manager of Triple A 93 XRT WXRT Chicago. Duncan had been in the position for the past four years. She has indicated that she will spend more time with family while pursuing new passions.
Duncan said, “Working at WXRT was a lifelong goal for me, and I’ve been awed at the caliber of talent at 93XRT during my tenure. Lin Brehmer, Terri Hemmert, Frank E. Lee, Marty Lennartz, Johnny Mars. They’re all heroes who really lived up to my expectations. And, I’m very proud to have added to their legacy by introducing Annalisa and Andy Chanley, who sound like they’ve always been part of the fabric of XRT. These personalities and music curators have introduced Chicago and America to some of the most iconic artists of the last 50-plus years.”
“My challenge when accepting the position was to further strengthen an iconic brand and its groundbreaking role in radio, while fiercely protecting its integrity. I believe we have achieved that and accomplished many goals along the way, including many innovative promotions, outstanding ratings and events. Now, it’s time for me to meet new challenges and opportunities, and do what I’ve loved doing since I was 14 years old: enjoy listening to XRT.”
Other stops include Indianapolis, San Diego, Fort Wayne, IN and Bloomington, IL.
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Plenty was made on Wednesday about “National Radio Day”. I didn’t have an official post on my social media channels because I’ve never been one of those “acknowledge a random day” guys. Did you know Wednesday was also National Lemonade Day? Yeah, no one cares about that either.
Those of us employed in radio need to treat every day as National Radio Day. It’s our job to hype up and be the biggest cheerleaders for our industry. If you’re not doing that every single day, you don’t get to make up for it with a social media post one day per year. It’s like the husband who only shows affection for his wife on her birthday, their anniversary, and Valentine’s Day. You do that, and your marriage will crash and burn. If radio folks take that approach, this industry will crash and burn.
As Garrett Searight noted in a column this week, “The [radio] story is good. Radio is still the most consumed audio platform. Millions of people rely on it daily for news, entertainment, and music. When disasters strike, radio is often the first line of communication for communities. Sports fans rely on play-by-play broadcasts when they can’t be in front of a TV.”
That is entirely true, and radio remains the best medium for forming intimate connections with an audience in a way that other platforms, such as writing and video, simply can’t match. And these are the stories radio needs to brag about as well.
Earlier this week, I learned on my KCMO Talk Radio morning show that a loyal listener had passed away. He was not a caller. Not a texter, to the best of my knowledge. Brett Bacon was 38 years old and died in a tragic accident, leaving behind five children. I learned about this because several listeners reached out, saying that his 13-year-old daughter delivered a speech at his Celebration of Life and talked about how he would listen to my show while driving her to school every morning. She wasn’t always engaged with it, but the show was part of her routine with her father. And it stuck with her enough that she chose to address this in front of hundreds of people.
Those stories, even in a competitive and oversaturated media environment, will always set spoken-word content, still led by radio, apart from any other medium. And there isn’t a close second. It’s part of the intimacy of the format that is largely unmatched.
And these are the stories that radio needs to continue to be proud of. Every on-air personality likely has a similar story they can tell or share. Some will have several similar stories. But listeners hear these stories and realize these shows connect. And they matter. Whether it’s a local show, regional show, or national show, they can all connect with the audience in a one-on-one manner that can’t be topped by any other platform.
The voices, the characters, the live element to the product, and the way that these are reliable, relatable voices there every single day on a drive to work or a drive home, or late at night, is an important part of the job that too often gets overlooked, even by those on the inside of the industry.
As we reflect on National Radio Day, rather than thinking of it as a one-day selfie and hashtag, let’s be a daily champion and share and promote regular examples that prove the value of this medium is strong, despite facing headwinds.
It’s filled with talented people who are making life-long connections with listeners and are creating connections that will keep the platform competitive for years to come. The only thing that will sink radio as a viable platform for high-quality content distribution and engaging advertising opportunities is the industry itself. But that column can be saved for another week.
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On Friday, September 5, the NFL will host a game in São Paulo between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. It’s not just any game, and it’s not unique because the NFL is in Brazil—they did that last year. This time, they’ll premiere what might be a glimpse into the future of live game broadcasting. It’s streaming exclusively on YouTube, free and global.
You’ll get Rich Eisen calling the plays with his usual insight and humor, Hall of Famer Kurt Warner breaking down coverages, Stacy Dales will handle sideline hits and Terry McAulay sorting flags: the familiar style booth of play-by-play, analyst, on-field reports and rules guy. The YouTube addition wraps around a creator-led show, fronted by YouTuber Deestroying, a rotating cast of athletes and personalities—and yes, a live chat feed where thousands of fans will scream, cheer, and meme in real time.
This blend of traditional broadcast, real-time energy, and group text interactivity isn’t a random stunt. It’s the NFL asking: do fans still want play-by-play voices—or do they want to help create the experience?
For most of football’s history, the answer would’ve been obvious. Give me the broadcast pro and the former player behind the mic. When the NFL hit radio in the 1930s, fans crowded around to hear voices describe what they couldn’t see.
Fast forward to Curt Gowdy calling the Immaculate Reception, Howard Cosell’s bluster on Monday Night Football, and Summerall’s cool with Madden’s “BOOM” defining fall Sundays. The booth wasn’t background noise—it was the soundtrack of the game.
What Has Been Tried Before
But technology has been poking holes in that tradition lately. NFL RedZone basically said, “Forget storytelling—here are the touchdowns.” Millions watched, hooked on the whip-around adrenaline.
Out of the box hasn’t always worked. Joe Six-Pack needed a dictionary to keep up with Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football. Quirky Tony Kornheiser bombed as an everyman analyst. NBC tried a no-announcer, game-noise-only broadcast in 1980—it flopped.
Fans were lost without the guiding voices.
College football has been a lab for this too. ESPN has offered up to half a dozen alternate title game feeds: one with coaches breaking down film, another with celebrity superfans, it’s the same game, sliced and served to whatever taste you want.
Then there’s Nickelodeon’s kid-focused broadcasts—SpongeBob in the uprights, slime cannons in the end zone. Never too early to hook the next generation of face painters and tailgaters.
Everyone’s chasing eyeballs, and no one’s afraid to get weird. You can see the pattern: the industry is throwing darts, hoping one hits the bullseye of how fans really want to consume games.
Meeting the Demands of the Future
Here’s the hook. For every younger fan who wants a screen full of fantasy stats, betting odds, and 10 different magnified angles, there’s another who wants Mike Tirico to tell them it’s a simple third-and-eight without a full graphic on wind patterns, success rates, and probable win percentage.
Traditional play-by-play does matter to most. Sports are messy. You need someone to frame the picture, to anchor the action, to call the big moments in a way that feels historic. Summerall’s cool restraint, Madden’s explosions, Michaels’ gravitas, Joe Buck’s experience. Those voices are stitched into the sport.
Nobody’s remembering a Twitch chat the way they remember, “He could. Go. All. The. Way!”
The flip side for the YouTube and social media generation, those fans demand more. They want their bets tracked live, their fantasy scores updating in real time, their Twitter/X feed running alongside the screen, every highlight and touchdown on demand. They want to hear the coach’s headset, the huddle mic, the raw field audio.
NASCAR has been doing this for years—why not football?
More Options Coming?
Which brings us to the next step: customization. The day is coming when no two broadcasts will look the same. Your fantasy team’s stats front and center, your prop bets in the corner, your choice of announcers, your college buddies patched in over Zoom, your DoorDash timer for when your nachos and wings arrive or even AI-generated Summerall and Madden brought back from the broadcasting afterlife.
Yes, that’s a real possibility.
NBC is already using an AI voiceover for the return of NBA coverage on the network. Jim Fagan, who narrated their coverage in the 1990s, passed away in 2017—but with his family’s blessing, his voice lives on digitally. What’s stopping a future where you scroll a menu and pick Summerall and Madden with the original telestrator, Howard Cosell showing his disgust for the modern athletes, a Keith Jackson classic college battle, or a Dick Enberg “Oh My”?
Creepy? Sure. But you’d try it. Admit it.
One problem? Cost.
Producing just one NFL broadcast costs millions in rights, crews, trucks, and talent. Layering on extra versions is expensive. That’s why ESPN saves multi-feed madness for the national title game. That’s for bean counters to figure out—give me football my way.
Traditional play-by-play still matters. Big moments need big voices. But thanks to tech, streaming, and alt-casts, we’re evolving so you will watch football exactly how you want it. Your fantasy players highlighted, your bets tracked, watching and chatting with friends and foes like a live sports bar miles away from your couch, maybe even AI voices from the past.
The game itself hasn’t changed that much—but your full football experience? That will be all yours.
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