The political advertising market is entering its most lucrative stretch of the election cycle with spending already running well ahead of previous elections and another $1.5 billion in advertising already reserved through Election Day. The ad tracking firm AdImpact says $5.75 billion in political advertising had aired through Aug. 31, putting the 2026 cycle 37% ahead of the comparable point in the 2022 midterms. Perhaps more striking for media companies, spending is also runn

The fight over which political advertisers are entitled to broadcasters’ lowest unit rates has reached the Supreme Court, with Republican campaign committees seeking emergency relief and the FCC and Justice Department backing their effort to restore the agency’s policy before the general election advertising window opens Friday. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) filed an emergency application with the Su

The Last Conclave has released the final schedule for its Sept. 15-17 conference at the Crowne Plaza Aire Hotel in Bloomington, MN. The three-day gathering will bring broadcasters, programmers, talent, managers and industry leaders together for education, networking and a final celebration of nearly 50 years of Conclave history. The conference opens Wednesday with “Ask Me Almost Anything,” featuring Bob Leighton, Dennis Corbett, Dan Cash, Dave Ryan, Joe Knapp and Harv Blain i

RCS Worldwide will showcase a slate of new radio technology at IBC2026, led by RCSAI, an artificial intelligence-powered scheduling tool being introduced in SelectorCloud. RCSAI is the first application of RCS Intelligence, the company’s new AI engine for its cloud platform. It allows programmers to use natural-language requests to complete tasks in SelectorCloud, reducing the need to navigate multiple screens and menus. RCS says additional RCS Intelligence capabilities are i

Former NFL Pro Bowler Richie Incognito is moving deeper into sports media, launching a new company and a video podcast that will pair former players with the production experience behind some of ESPN and Fox Sports’ biggest studio shows. Incognito and sports television producer Tyler Korn have launched Point of Attack Media, with “Initial Contact” serving as the company’s flagship show. The twice-weekly video podcast will be hosted by Incognito and two-time Super Bowl champio

Cumulus Media’s access to Nielsen’s national radio ratings is on course to end Sept. 10, with Nielsen telling a federal judge that extending the current arrangement is not commercially workable even as the companies remain locked in a court fight over a new deal. “Nielsen considered in good faith whether it could extend Cumulus access to Nielsen’s current Nationwide report beyond September 10, 2026,” the ratings company tells a federal court. “Unfortunately, it is not commerc

Based on several research studies, including a new one from Google and brand tracking firm Tracksuit, increasing brand awareness can drive share of search, which can in turn increase market share. “The earlier you invest in brand, the greater the return,” the Google/Tracksuit report says. “That’s not a feeling. That’s return on awareness.” In the new global study, which analyzed 31 brands across 15 categories, Tracksuit conducted always-on tracking of awareness, consideratio

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez says she wants to remain on the commission, despite spending much of her tenure as its lone Democrat publicly challenging some of the agency’s most consequential decisions. Gomez’s term expired at the end of June, but she remains under a carryover provision that could allow her to serve through the end of 2027 unless another commissioner is nominated and confirmed by the Senate. “I’d love to be reconfirmed, and I have supporters in the Senate, whic

Podcast advertisers that remain focused on reach and low CPMs may be missing the medium’s biggest advantage, says Earmax Media co-founder Andy Maxwell. He argues that podcast campaigns should instead be built around conversions, well-defined communities, and creative that gives listeners a reason to act. Appearing on the podcast “PodBiz,” Maxwell says some brands continue to approach podcast inventory as part of a broader digital audio buy, emphasizing how many people they ca

Ideastream Public Media Chief Content Officer Mark A. Rosenberger and General Manager Jenny Northern will retire Oct. 1 after decades of service to public media in Northeast Ohio. The two longtime executives have played key roles in shaping Ideastream’s content and broadcast operations as the organization expanded across television, radio and digital platforms. “Mark and Jenny have dedicated many years of extraordinary service to public media and have had a lasting impact on