FCC Chair Brendan Carr is pushing back against claims that he is threatening broadcasters over unfavorable election polling, insisting the agency is only reminding stations of their legal obligations when reporting on fabricated polls. Commissioner Anna Gomez, meanwhile, says the warning itself risks intimidating broadcasters into self-censorship, even as neither commissioner identified a specific station that has violated FCC rules. The dispute resurfaced Thursday (Oct. 29)

The weekday commute home may be tough, but radio’s afternoon drive hosts work hard to make it easier, not to mention entertaining and informative. According to Inside Radio’s TOP 10 ranking of PM drive hosts – based on weekly cume delivery of persons 6+ Mon.-Fri. 3-7pm, during Nielsen’s Q3 2026 wave (Jul.-Sep. three-month average) –iHeartMedia adult contemporary “106.7 Lite FM” WLTW New York’s 20-year PM drive host Rich Kaminski places first with a 1.4 million cume. Among the

iHeartRadio is adding a simplified listening option to its mobile app, giving users a way to switch between its full functionality and a streamlined interface focused on favorite stations and recently played content. The new Lite Mode is available on iOS and Android, with a toggle at the top of the app's homepage. The feature provides quick access to Presets, Recently Played and Local Radio without requiring listeners to leave the screen. The new option emphasizes currently p

On Air Fest is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a lineup of prominent podcast personalities and live recordings when the audio and storytelling festival returns to Brooklyn Feb. 23–25, 2027. Megan Rapinoe, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro and Dan Harris are among the first wave of talent announced for the three-day event, which will also host the Podcast Business Summit and the Ambies awards. The 2027 festival will operate under the theme “10 Years On,” revis

The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) is expanding its needs-based College Scholarship Program to include more students pursuing careers in radio and television, regardless of whether they come from a broadcasting family. Less than six months after launching the program, the foundation has revised its eligibility requirements to broaden access to students who meet its academic and financial criteria. The changes increase the number of scholarships available and the to

The Supreme Court has set a date to consider whether to take up Nielsen’s antitrust battle with Cumulus Media, putting the radio ratings dispute on the justices’ calendar for a conference next month among the nine justices. The case centers on a lower court ruling that blocked Nielsen from requiring broadcasters to purchase its local radio ratings to gain access to its complete national ratings service. The court’s docket now lists Nielsen’s petition as “distributed for confe

iHeartMedia is promoting new advertising opportunities around “TikTok Radio Presents: Social Club,” a live weeknight program that combines broadcast radio, streaming, social media and live video to connect brands with younger audiences. The company positions the show as a way for marketers to associate their products with trending music, viral moments, emerging artists and conversations about popular culture. The program airs Monday through Friday from 7 to 11pm ET, with a co

The religion format — including stations featuring religious teaching, hymns and other related content — just keeps on growing, according to Inside Radio/PrecisionTrak’s station counts for October 2026. A year ago, the format ranked second in total U.S. stations behind then-usual leader country, but what a difference a year makes. Over the past 12 months, religion went from being 28 stations behind country to, for October 2026, 98 ahead, with a year-over-year gain of 68 outle

The next audio advertising deal may be negotiated and booked without a human ever touching the transaction. Triton Digital says it has completed its first fully automated audio advertising buy, using artificial intelligence agents to handle everything from identifying available inventory and negotiating terms to booking the campaign in an ad server. The transaction, involving Dutch media company Talpa Media, digital agency Draft Digital and fashion retailer Otrium, took minut

Spanish Broadcasting System is warning that efforts to delay its post-bankruptcy restructuring could threaten the very stations that Hispanic media advocates are trying to protect. Pushing back against calls for programming guarantees, SBS argues the court-approved plan to slash its debt load offers the best path to preserving its stations and their service to Hispanic audiences. In a new filing, SBS urges the Federal Communications Commission to reject objections from the Hi