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

Political advertising has crossed the $10 billion mark in aired spending for the 2025-26 election cycle, a milestone that underscores the extraordinary amount of money flowing into advertising as the midterm elections approach. And with Election Day still ahead, the spending surge is setting records not only in congressional contests but also in statewide races. AdImpact reports that $10.12 billion in political advertising has aired through Oct. 24 vs. $7.04 billion at the sa

Consumers planning to purchase technology this holiday season are balancing their interest in the latest devices with tighter budgets, creating an opportunity for retailers to use radio to promote competitive pricing, product selection and quality, according to an RAB blog post. Citing CNET research, the RAB says 32% of holiday shoppers plan to begin shopping before November, while 27% expect to shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Another 11% plan to put off their holiday p

Advertisers may get better results from mid-sized podcasts with loyal audiences than from celebrity-led shows with larger reach, according to an analysis published by Audacy. The article cites data showing that mid-sized podcasts generate lower customer acquisition costs and stronger audience engagement, challenging the assumption that programs with the largest audiences necessarily deliver the best advertising results. According to Podscribe’s Benchmark Report, advertisers o

A new documentary revisits KBLT, an unlicensed, low-power radio station that became a gathering place for musicians and independent music fans in Los Angeles during the 1990s. “40 Watts From Nowhere,” directed by KBLT founder Sue Carpenter and executive produced by actor Jack Black, chronicles the station’s operation from 1995 to 1998, when it broadcast from Carpenter’s one-bedroom apartment in the Silver Lake neighborhood. The film features archival footage of the station an

Eastlan Ratings has added radio industry veterans Jay Kelly and Tommy Ehrman to its client training and support team as the company prepares for continued market expansion into 2027. Kelly joins Eastlan as a broadcast and digital consultant with decades of media experience. He spent years as a major-market radio drive-time personality and program director in Seattle, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Kansas City. He’ll focus on helping radio sales teams develop strategies for s