Buffalo has the nation’s most avid NFL fans, while radio ranks as the medium with the highest concentration of sports superfans, according to new research from Audacy. The company’s NFL Attention Index examines football fandom across three dimensions — avidity, engagement and performance — to measure where NFL fandom is strongest, how fans follow the sport and how effectively brands can reach them. Buffalo ranked first among the 10 markets measured for NFL fandom, with an ind

Podcast ad loads are moving in an unusual direction. After years of generally increasing as more advertising dollars entered the medium, Podscribe says the average ad load declined for a second consecutive quarter, with signs that advertisers may be spreading their spending across more shows. The latest Podscribe Performance Benchmark Report puts the average podcast ad load at 10.3% in Q2 2026, down 4.6% from the previous quarter. While ad loads remain above the 8.5% recorded

NAB Show New York will return to the Javits Center Oct. 21-22 with more than 150 speakers across 60-plus educational sessions focused on the business and technology shaping broadcast, audio, sports, streaming, creators and AI. The 2026 event puts greater emphasis on the intersection of technology and business strategy, with sessions examining consolidation, investment, monetization, creator-led businesses and the changing economics of sports and media. More than 225 companies

McDonald’s is expanding its digital strategy beyond ordering and loyalty programs, testing third-party advertising on digital menu boards as the fast-food giant looks to create new revenue while overhauling its broader restaurant business. The company said this week that it has begun piloting a McDonald’s Media Network at 450 company-owned U.S. restaurants. The initiative allows advertisers to reach customers through digital menu boards, kiosks, the McDonald’s app and other d

Kinetiq Political Insights has trimmed its outlook for radio’s share of this year’s political advertising windfall, but broadcasters are already running well ahead of the past two election cycles as the industry heads into what could be its biggest political sales weeks of the year. The firm’s September forecast now calls for $230 million in radio political advertising tied to 2026 races, down from roughly $300 million in its April forecast. Broadcast television is projected

Nielsen’s latest ranking of radio markets served includes three fewer in its total, soon to be four with the earlier-announced discontinuing of Puerto Rico in December 2026. For this year, what used to be 243 measured markets is now 240, with the recently-announced cancellation of market 161, Bowling Green, KY, effective with the Fall 2026 survey, along with earlier cancellations of market 78, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL and 144, Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY. Among the top 50

One of true crime podcasting’s established investigative franchises is adding subscriptions to its revenue mix, as Bonneville’s KSL Podcasts-produced “Cold” launches its first premium membership offering through Red Seat Ventures’ Supercast. The “Cold Insider Club” gives paying members ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, exclusive bonus content and direct access to investigative journalist and host Dave Cawley through subscriber Q&As and a monthly live hangout. T

The Alliance for Women in Media has announced the honorees for the 2026 Gracies Leadership Awards, set for Nov. 16 at Tribeca 360° in New York City. Zenia Mucha, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at TikTok, will receive the inaugural Gracies Vanguard Award. The new honor recognizes individuals whose foresight and ability to anticipate change help shape the future of media and its audiences. Kristen Welch, Chief Financial and Operations Officer at Illustrative Mathematics

U.S. retail sales are expected to increase 5.5% year over year during the 2026 holiday shopping season, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute, which is forecasting the strongest holiday growth since 2022. The forecast covers the period from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 and excludes automobile and gasoline sales. It’s based on Mastercard SpendingPulse data, which measures in-store and online retail spending across all forms of payment. Online sales are projected to increas

Nielsen is taking its antitrust fight with Cumulus Media to the U.S. Supreme Court, even as it wins a reprieve in the parallel battle over what Westwood One should pay for its Nationwide ratings. The Second Circuit has put a judge’s enforcement order — and the threat of $50,000-a-day penalties — on hold while Nielsen pursues a separate appeal. The increasingly complex web of legal maneuvers has seen Nielsen file a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the Second Circuit