Speaking to reporters during the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, President Donald Trump declared himself “No. 1 on Tic Tac.”
We can assume he meant TikTok. But then again, maybe he was talking about everyone’s favorite freshmint?
Anyway, on Wednesday, while talking about his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said, “And the numbers came out yesterday. You know who’s No. 1 on Tic Tac? I am. I’m No. 1 on TikTok. And all I talk about is how bad communism is. … I have like 4 billion views or something like that.”
Mediaite’s Tom Durante: “Even though Trump quickly corrected himself in that quote, that this is the second time this week that Trump has claimed to be No. 1 on “Tic Tac.” On Monday, he said, “It was announced about two days ago, the new numbers just came out, you know who the No. 1 person in Tic Tac is by far? Trump. Me. I’m No. 1.”
It’s unclear what ‘numbers’ Trump has been referring to, but a recent ranking of top TikTok personalities doesn’t even have Trump in its top 10.
The Washington State Association of Broadcasters posted:
AM Radio ensures the public stays informed when it matters most.
The Washington State Association of Broadcasters, together with 30 other state broadcasters associations, will join the National Association of Broadcasters in DC to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
AM Radio in vehicles remains a critical source of breaking news, emergency alerts, and potentially life-saving information and we’re seeing it in real time with the Chelan Hills Fire.
We stand with broadcasters across the country to help ensure every driver has access to this essential public safety resource.
Such a loss for Vancouver/NW Washington listeners this week. On July 7, Rogers Sports & Media shut down CKWX (along with Sportsnet 650/CISL) amid declining audiences and revenue, affecting multiple stations across Canada. Local news/traffic continues on other Rogers music stations, and the CityNews website persists.
This marked the end of dedicated all-news AM radio from this historic call sign.
CKWX (1130 AM) was a long-running commercial radio station in Vancouver, BC., first aired on April 1, 1923, as CFDC in Nanaimo, BC, owned by Arthur “Sparks” Holstead (of an automotive battery/electronics business). It started with low power (10 watts, later 50 watts) on 430 metres (around 670 kHz).
In 1925, it moved to Vancouver (initially without full authorization, but reinstated due to public demand) and shared frequencies with other local stations. It adopted the CKWX call letters on August 1, 1927, with new studios (officially opened August 19). Early operations involved sharing time on frequencies like 730 kHz, with studios at locations such as the Hotel Georgia and Seymour Street. Power gradually increased, and it featured local programming, advertisers, and personalities.
Holstead formed Western Broadcasting Company Ltd. in the early 1930s. Taylor, Pearson & Carson took a stake and management in the 1940s, boosting power (to 1,000 watts by ~1940–41, then 5,000 watts by 1947) and moving the transmitter to Lulu Island (Richmond). It affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System and expanded news/special events coverage.
24-hour operation starting January 1, 1954.
New studios at 1275 Burrard Street in 1956.
Frequency switch to 1130 kHz on August 15, 1957 (from 980 kHz).
In 1957, with DJ Red Robinson joining, CKWX became Vancouver’s first full-time Top 40 (all-hit) station. It was a major player in the rock ‘n’ roll era, with surveys, personalities, and events like bringing Elvis Presley to Vancouver. (The Top 40 music died in 1962 for CKWX.)
In 1958, it became the first non-CBC station in Western Canada with 50,000 watts (Class A clear-channel power), enhancing its reach. In 1962, CKWX shifted toward MOR (middle-of-the-road) music with talk elements. Ownership transitioned to Selkirk Holdings (full control by 1966).
On March 7, 1973, CKWX flipped to a country music format, which it maintained for about 23 years. Studios moved to 2440 Ash Street in 1988. Ownership changed via Maclean-Hunter’s purchase of Selkirk (then to Rogers Communications).
On February 8, 1996 (at 8 a.m.), it ended country music (with Ray Price’s “For the Good Times” as the last song) and launched as News1130 (all-news/talk format), inspired by Rogers’ success with 680 News in Toronto. It focused on local news, traffic, and weather (often every 10 minutes), becoming a key source for Vancouver listeners.
The station rebranded over time (e.g., to CityNews 1130, then 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver in 2024) while maintaining its news focus. It celebrated 30 years of all-news operation in early 2026. It simulcast on CJAX-FM HD2 and maintained a strong signal across the region. Until it all ended earlier this week.
Veteran broadcaster Linda Kenyon has joined NPR following the shutdown of CBS News Radio. She brings decades of experience in radio news to the network.
Kenyon will anchor newscasts at NPR after departing CBS News Radio where she had worked since 2020 and spent the past several years delivering national news coverage. Prior to that, she worked for Salem Radio Network and Westwood One. CBS News Radio ceased operations in May after nearly 100 years on air, resulting in the departure of its entire staff.
ABC (Disney) filed reply comments with the FCC on July 6, (the deadline for replies), in an ongoing proceeding about whether its daytime talk show The View qualifies as a “bona fide news interview program.” This would exempt it from the FCC’s equal opportunities (“equal time”) rules for political candidates.
ABC maintains that The View has not materially changed since the FCC granted it this exemption in 2002. It combines entertainment, interviews (including with politicians), and commentary but qualifies as news/interview programming. Denying the exemption would let the government override broadcasters’ editorial judgments on guests, violating the First Amendment.
It addresses counterpoints from public comments opposing the exemption (e.g., claims the show is “opinion-driven” or imbalanced in guests). ABC calls viewpoint-based restrictions or government-imposed “ideological quotas” unconstitutional and warns against a “surveillance regime” over content.
Radio Insight reports: Nathan Hale High School Dance “C89.5” KNHC Seattle relaunched this morning as “Dance 89.5“.
The rebrand also comes with a new positioner of “Seattle’s Party Radio”, which the station states “more clearly reflects the station’s role as the soundtrack to Seattle’s dance music community”. The station says that its rebrand is part of their long-term vision to become a global leader in electronic dance music while continuing to serve the Seattle community that has been at the heart of the station since 1971. The station intends to grow its live events, artist partnerships, digital content, and listener experiences.
230 job cuts – Vancouver among cities affected…
Rogers Sports and Media is shutting down its Sportsnet 650 radio station in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 station in Calgary, as well as four other stations.
Calgary’s 660 NewsRadio is also being closed, along with Vancouver’s 1130 AM, Halifax’s 95.7 NewsRadio, and Kitchener’s 570 NewsRadio.
The company said the station closures will result in 80 employees losing their jobs. Those are among 230 total job losses at Rogers Sports and Media from these and other organizational changes announced Tuesday.
Rogers cited declining audience numbers and lower advertisement revenue for the decision.
Rogers told Broadcast Dialogue that the licenses for the six stations will be returned to the CRTC. The report notes that Vancouver Canucks hockey will move to another Rogers owned station in Vancouver, but the company will stop producing Calgary Flames games.
LIZ DUEWEKE posts — I believe it was Al Pacino in the third Godfather movie who said, “just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!!”
When Chicago calls though, you answer the call.
Grateful to be living and working in one of the most incredible cities in the nation with the talented team at @fox32chicago. Life is a wild adventure that just keeps getting more exciting.
Fox News continues to dominate cable news ratings, while CNN and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) trail but show some year-over-year gains in spots.
Ratings Overview-Q2 2026 and June: Fox News averaged ~1.58 million total-day viewers and ~2.49 million primetime, holding ~60% of the cable news audience and outperforming CNN + MS NOW combined. Shows like The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, and Special Report ranked high.
Bowing to BLM, the George Floyd/Karmelo Anthony supporters and the bleeding-heart liberal mindset, the winner of the Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest in Philadelphia this year was Kya Burgess.
CNN reporters Laura Coates, Brianna Keilar, and Danny Freeman were in awe of a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest winner’s DIY costume on July 4th.
Coates and Keilar checked in with reporter Danny Freeman in Philadelphia during their Saturday July 4th coverage from the National Mall. Freeman brought out Kiya Burgess, the winner of a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest held that day. Burgess said her costume was pieced together herself and originally made as cosplay for the Hamilton Broadway play.
A large segment of America has lost it’s fucking mind!
(Reuters) President Donald Trump earned over $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, according to his mandatory annual financial disclosure (a 927-page filing with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics).
This made crypto his largest income source by far. His total reported income for the year was at least $2.2 billion, a sharp rise from prior years.
Breakdown of Crypto Earnings
World Liberty Financial (WLFI): A decentralized finance (DeFi) project co-founded by Trump’s sons (and partners like the Witkoff family). Trump is listed as “co-founder emeritus.” He reported over $500 million (some estimates near $800 million including equity sales) from token sales and related deals. The family gets a large cut (e.g., 75% of net proceeds from governance token sales).
Meme coins (e.g., $TRUMP via Celebration Coins / CIC Digital): ~$635 million in royalties/licensing income. Trump launched the $TRUMP coin shortly before taking office; its value later dropped sharply.
These figures come from token sales, licensing, and equity stakes. Broader Reuters analysis estimated the Trump family has gained ~$2.3 billion from crypto ventures since he retook office, with little personal downside risk.
Oldies Preservation Society has filed its purchase of 89.5 KEWU-FM from Eastern Washington University. The deal was revised from the original $510,000 to $360,000 at closing plus four $25,000 payments, keeping the $300,000 in advertising credits. Programming shifted to “Kool 89.5” from KPKL last October.
mixed feelings on this one. KEWC-AM/FM were my very first radio experiences…1969-1970.
Happy for Bob Anthony (who, BTW was a classmate at North Central High…class of 68.
RadioInsight reports — Izzy Nunnelly Movin From Joplin To Seattle
Lance Venta
Izzy Nunnelly Movin 92.5 KQMV
Hubbard Radio CHR “Movin 92.5” KQMV has appointed Israel ‘Izzy’ Nunnelly as its new afternoon host starting Monday, July 20.
Izzy joins KQMV from nights at American Media Investments’ “104.3 The Rewind” KCAR-FM. His father, Howie Nunnelly also works at the AMI cluster, is Owner/GM of Classic Hits “100.9 The Island“ KGLC and Classic Country “99.3 The Bridge” KGVE Grove OK and years ago worked at CHR “Wild 100” KRBV Dallas.
Females take offense to compliments if unwanted. Used to be, a guy could drive by, honk his car horn, and using his Mr. Microphone which connected to his car radio, yell out words of kindness, like “Hey, good looking! I’ll be back later to pick you up.” Not these days. Women are so damn touchy, easily offended.
Paula Reid, the network’s chief legal affairs correspondent, is leaving to join MS NOW.
Variety: “Reid is leaving CNN in part due to the uncertainty of its future as its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is acquired by Paramount Skydance. Reid turned down a chance to renew her current contract at CNN, according to two people familiar with the situation, in part because CNN’s next era appears chaotic.”
Status: “Reid was expected to leave CNN. Her contract is set to expire this summer. CNN made a ‘strong push’ to retain Reid because executives viewed her as a rising on-air talent. Reid has, indeed, filled in as an anchor during her time at CNN. Despite all that, she wanted to move on.”
If and when Paramount gains control, we do not know for sure if Weiss will eventually oversee CNN, as she does now with CBS News.
But that uncertainty, apparently, was enough for Reid, 43, to see MS NOW as a better option for her career. Reid joined CNN from CBS News in 2021.
Reid will be the first major on-air talent to leave CNN ahead of the impending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, but there are other names worth keeping an eye on — Anderson Cooper, for one. Also, CNN contributor Kara Swisher has flat-out said she would leave CNN once Paramount takes over.
At an awards ceremony at Syracuse University back in March, Swisher said, “I don’t think they’ll be good owners. I don’t. I think they’ve already shown several times, including editorial choices … that they have no interest in journalism. And I refuse to work for an organization that doesn’t respect journalists.”
What does it say about the political leaning of Reid and others like her? With new management coming in, they would likely be weeded out over time. Anderson Cooper is not making friends with his negative attitude. Everyone is expendable.
The latest chapter in the Defense Department’s ongoing battle with the press:
A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to end a policy requiring reporters to be escorted by government officials while working in the building.
Judge Paul L. Friedman, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the policy violated the First Amendment. He wrote, “This court has spoken at several points about the critical importance of protecting the freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment, and that evergreen message bears repeating.”
And from The New York Times: “Today’s well-reasoned decision reaffirms the First Amendment rights of the press to cover the Pentagon without restrictions designed to prevent the public from knowing what the military is doing. The court recognized that the Pentagon’s hastily implemented new policy was a clear violation of the Constitution.”
This will continue to play out in court, but Tuesday’s ruling was another victory for the press.
There is a proposal to turn the waterfront building that once housed KGY radio, into a historic site, using it as a community center or possibly a cafe and bar. (???)
Read more at: https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article316274311.html
Ken Carson posted on Facebook that KRXY FM-Olympia is going out of business
And this post:
Heyyyyyyyyyyyy! Tomorrow is my last day on-air with 100.3 Olympia’s Classic Rock!!! I would like to say thank you to my boss, Mr. Mike Marohn, and his beautiful wife Clare for having me here. What a blessing it has been. Thank you to the entire staff as well. We are shutting down the business like various other small businesses have recently done in the South Sound. We do keep the faith that things will get better for us all soon. 👍The music will continue to play on OCR for as long as the music plays, but there will be no personnel in the office or on staff. I do want to say thank YOU for letting me be a part of your days. Real People ROCK!
FYI: I was thinking out loud last night and thought of a name for a website that could be super cool (see below). To be continued; Wishful thinking. ~Jes Wes, OCR Mornings https://southsoundclassicrock.com/
Media Research Center President David Bozell has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to deny the early renewal of broadcast licenses for ABC’s eight owned television stations, citing partisan bias, electioneering, misinformation, and failure to serve the public interest.
The petition, filed Monday, targets ABC Owned Stations properties in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. It argues that the Disney-owned network abuses its access to public airwaves by operating like a “partisan cable network” rather than fulfilling broadcaster obligations.
Bozell stated: “We finally have an FCC willing to hold Disney and ABC accountable. Broadcast licenses are a privilege, not an entitlement. In exchange for free use of the public airwaves, broadcasters agree to serve the public interest. If ABC wants to operate like a partisan cable network, it should give up the benefits reserved for broadcast licensees.”
So much for that new 5-Year Price Guarantee !!!
Some T-Mobile customers who’ve held onto old phone plans are being notified that their accounts will soon be automatically upgraded to the company’s current lineup of plans, which in some cases will mean an increase in their mobile phone bills.
A representative of T-Mobile chose to not share which plans are being retired, but said some of them stretch back 10 to 15 years. That could include Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, One Plus and Magenta family of plans, as well as grandfathered Sprint plans that carried over when T-Mobile and Sprint merged in 2020.
The change affects thousands of customers and will apply within the next few weeks, to be reflected on the next billing cycles. (CNET)
We just switched to Cricket on 3 lines. Price: $15 less than T-Mobile rate plan that is going away. $27 less than new rates T-Mobile would have charged per month.
ONLINE CHATTER: Historically, T-Mobile has wanted everyone available ahead of customer-facing announcements, such as a price hike. This has led to speculation that T-Mobile is planning a rate increase and prepping for the inevitable customer backlash.
The company is even offering incentives to employees for putting in overtime and a $2 per call bonus to keep staff motivated.
There’s an update happening on monday thats customer facing, care has ot opening up due to said fact and incentives for each call you take. Whatever is coming thats customer facing, I dont think it will be pleasant
(https://www.phonearena.com/)
T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS) moved down by 3.24%. The Telecommunications Services sector is up by 1.85%. The company underperformed the industry.
Affected plans include Magenta, ONE, Simple Choice, and older 4G smartphone lines — not Go5G or data-only accounts.
New plans bundle satellite text connectivity, 250 GB high-speed hotspot, Netflix, Hulu, and expanded international roaming. Whether you wanted any of that is apparently beside the point.
The five-year guarantee covers base talk, text, and data charges only. Fees and taxes remain fair game, and T-Mobile has already demonstrated a willingness to raise them.
Opting out reportedly is not an option. The migration notice arrives; your billing cycle changes.
Everyone’s Doing It, but T-Mobile Has the Most to Lose
AT&T and Verizon are running the same playbook, but neither staked its entire identity on never pulling this move. (Yahoo! Tech)
Whenever you see a change in your billing, get an explanation first. Then, if you feel it is an unfair rate hike, consider threatening to switch carriers. You would be surprised at the rate cut you could get as the company attempts to retain your business.
Comcast announced on Monday that it is spinning off NBCUniversal—which includes Universal Studios, NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, Bravo, and Sky—into a fully independent, publicly traded company.
Why are local media folks so eager to welcome the mental cases and perverted queers during these public displays of debauchery? Seattle business and government promote naked bike riders in downtown streets, and there are parents watching the parade with their young children as if it were the daffodil festival.
It is a minority of the population that sets aside a month to advertise their sexual perversion. Yet, major food corporations, sportswear manufacturers and national sports teams throw millions of dollars in ad money to promote and support it.
Kelly O’Connell left Seattle TV news in 2015 and returned to her hometown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where she has been a longtime morning news anchor at FOX 9 (KMSP-TV) ever since.
She previously anchored and reported mornings at Q13 FOX (KCPQ) for about three years (around 2012–2015). When she departed, the station aired a tribute video highlighting her work both in the studio and in the field.
She now anchors the FOX 9 Morning News (starting at 4:30 a.m.) and hosts FOX 9 Good Day (a news/pop culture show at 9 a.m.).
MS NOW is moving away from live, hosted programming after 6 p.m. on weekends. Instead, the network will fill those weekend evening hours with taped video podcasts. As a result, Alex Witt, one of the network’s longest-serving anchors, is leaving MS NOW. Witt joined MSNBC in 1999 and has been a consistent weekend host for nearly 15 years. Witt’s weekend afternoon slot will be filled by Antonia Hylton starting later this summer.
“A beloved longtime member of our MS NOW family, Alex has been a continued, trusted and steady presence for our audiences. … Having anchored more hours on MS NOW than any other anchor in our network’s history, Alex has guided our viewers through many of the most significant stories that have defined a generation, including the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, reporting from Ground Zero immediately following the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and more.”
— Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW
Money matters. Viewership decrease could have an effect on what will be programmed on weekends. A loss for long-time die-hards, but MStv will continue to make cuts like this, and citizen “influencers” will be all the rage. Maybe the network is trying to attract furries.
I can’t disagree with anything stated here. Can you?
Radio Doesn’t Have a Staffing Problem. It Has an Ownership Problem.
Another week. Another round of layoffs.
This time, iHeartMedia announced another reduction in force, explaining the move as a way to streamline operations and better serve listeners. It’s a familiar message, and no one doubts the financial pressures facing today’s radio industry.
But after years of workforce reductions, perhaps we’re asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking whether companies have too many employees, maybe we should ask whether they own too many stations.
For more than three decades, radio’s growth strategy centered on consolidation. Companies acquired hundreds of stations, promising greater efficiency through centralized programming, shared resources and lower operating costs.
From a financial perspective, consolidation achieved many of those goals.
From a listener’s perspective, the results have been harder to celebrate.
Every round of layoffs removes another piece of what listeners actually notice. Fewer local air personalities. Less community involvement. Fewer live shifts. Slower responses to local events. Stations may still broadcast locally, but many no longer feel deeply connected to the communities they serve.
And ownership doesn’t think it matters.
That’s the contradiction.
Layoffs are often described as improving service, yet listeners frequently experience less of the very things that once made radio special.
There comes a point where size stops being an advantage and starts becoming a burden. Managing hundreds of stations across the country naturally shifts attention toward efficiency instead of engagement. Radio isn’t a factory producing identical products. Every market has its own culture, personalities and expectations.
Great local radio has always reflected those differences.
That raises a question the industry rarely discusses.
Should divestiture become part of radio’s future?
Not because radio is failing.
Because focus often creates better products.
Imagine owning fewer stations—but investing more deeply in each one. More local air talent. More local decision-making. More community involvement. More live programming. More freedom to create memorable moments instead of simply maintaining efficient operations.
Would listeners notice?
I believe they would.
Consolidation helped stabilize the business side of radio. But if the cost of that efficiency is gradually reducing the listener experience, the strategy deserves another look.
The goal shouldn’t simply be operating more stations with fewer people.
The goal should be creating stations people genuinely want to spend time with.
Instead of operating 800 stations poorly – give 400 stations the attention they deserve.
If maintaining massive station portfolios makes listener relationships harder to create, then perhaps the industry’s next chapter isn’t about owning more stations.
It may be about owning the right stations.
CNN star Anderson Cooper has reportedly made his feelings clear about working with CBS boss Bari Weiss in a merger that would put CNN and CBS under the same ownership.
Paramount, which owns CBS, is poised to acquire CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, in a massive $111 billion consolidation.
According to The New York Times, Cooper, has told colleagues at CNN that he does not want to work for Weiss.
Cooper overlapped with Weiss when he worked as a correspondent for the CBS flagship program 60 Minutes, but he left the show this spring after 20 years.
There are exceptions to the rule. KGY/Olympia has maintained a local on-air crew for most dayparts. Unfortunately, morning drive is a syndicated team from Los Angeles.
KYYO FM (KAYO Country) has a syndicated morning show and a weather service from a national organization.
KBRC, Mt. Vernon sounds local. Glen Harris, live and local in morning drive, local news and sports coverage with Local Radio Network’s crew filling out other dayparts.
Small town local — serving the community often better than major market stations.
Below was my final report to the team at KBTC, the KBTC Association and the Board of Trustees at Bates Technical College. My on-air farewell is on my Facebook page – scroll down into May.
*****
Season 17 of Northwest Now is in the rear-view mirror with 30 more programs in the book.
In seventeen seasons there have been 475 Northwest Now programs on the air with 435 done by yours truly. Within those 475 programs, 1,055 guests came to the station to appear on set, and another 597 participated within the 218 stories we told from the field. That’s a total of 1,652 local voices heard during the program’s nearly 18-year run.
So yes, season seventeen is finished, and as you know, I am as well. After forty-two years of work, fourteen of which were happily spent at KBTC, I’m retiring.
A new general manager always poses a risk to a TV station and the staff people working there, but DeAnne deserves a great deal of thanks for her steady hand at the helm, and as a part of that, strongly supporting and advocating for Northwest Now. I am grateful for her leadership, and friendship.
Next, a special thanks goes out to Chris Anderson who has been toiling away in the Northwest Now salt mine for going on twelve years now. He helped the program run and continues to serve our online platforms with his Digital First content.
Thanks also to the late Steve Kiggins. In his three and a half years with us, Steve produced more than fifty NWN stories and participated in three specials that won SPJ first place awards. His passing in February was a hard pill to swallow. Storyteller Phillip Townsend also deserves special recognition for being part of a team that won two SPJ first place awards. Additionally, my thanks also go out to the half-dozen or so other extremely talented freelancers who engaged with Northwest Now over the years. I think we provided a platform that encouraged outstanding work and gave people who knew what they were doing the freedom to do it well.
Since the spring of 2012 when I started as a freelancer, 22 Emmy nominations came our way. How many wins? Wait for it: one. I’m glad I wasn’t paid based on wins. With that said, we’ve received nine first place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. All of you on the KBTC team can claim a slice of that recognition because of the role you played in amplifying the program or maintaining and operating the vital infrastructure supporting it.
Northwest Now worked tirelessly highlighting the work of several local organizations every year, but the Washington Coalition for open Government stands above the rest for recognizing our efforts to amplify the importance of government transparency with the organization’s Andersen Award. We produced fourteen annual open government programs which generally included field pieces we shot all across the state. My thanks to WashCOG.
This past season I’m also particularly proud of our Emmy-nominated and SPJ winning special, Fire on the Horizon that was shot in six counties across the state last summer highlighting the very real possibility of landscape-scale catastrophic wildfires sweeping through Western Washington. Fire on the Horizon joins a collection of award-winning specials including the six-part Saving the Salmon series.
My most sincere thanks to all of you who made Northwest Now possible, from the administrative team to the KBTC Association, to Dr. Zhou and Bates Technical College and again, to the KBTC staffers who in one way or another helped support and amplify Northwest Now. I especially appreciate those of you who became good friends over the years.
I am amazed at the fact I never missed a studio session despite traveling about 72,000 miles across 60 mostly driving round trips from Helena starting with season 13 in September of 2021 when I started working remote. We never had to opt out due to illness or weather, we never had shoot days cancel, and that we never failed to make our slots despite covid, sometimes wonky technology, hacks and phishing, social unrest, frequent road closures, bridge(s) damage, construction, forest fire air drops (barely missed me), sniper attacks (Idaho last year), government shutdowns, car problems, plane problems, remodeling, fire drills, and all the hundred other things that could have gone sideways or that did go sideways that we overcame.
In that vein, a special thanks also goes to Jeff and Jaimie and everyone who pitched in on production days. Programming and engineering were vital too. The team’s reliability facilitated and sustained my reliability about which I am very proud – because I know the blood, sweat and tears it took to deliver it. I hope it stands as an example to whatever comes next.
Finally, as I said when reporting out on season sixteen at this time last year, I continue to believe that KBTC’s future success ultimately rests in producing well told local stories and convening important conversations. I think there will always be room for relevant, independent, and well executed local programming and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
So that’s it for me. Picture me either entertaining my four crazy grandchildren, annoying Shari, missing another four-foot putt, or fishing on a quiet river.
Thank you for great stories and interviews for nearly two decades on KBTC. Hopefully, the station can put something in place that comes close. The loss of Steve Kiggins was a shock. We enjoyed his reports.
KGMI runs a lot of conservative talk shows from the satellite weekdays. However, they also run local news, interviews and features so it still sounds pretty local in mornings and afternoons. Mid-day is dependent on syndication. The talk show at 4pm is local and they beef up local news again later in afternoons. Weekends they have local shows on various topics, mainly interviews and some call in, that are clearly paid for by those appearing on the shows.
Thanks for the counterpoint regarding KGMI. Things may be bad, but they are not that bad. There is some local programming, as you state, but not very much compared with what was available in the past.
The day the layoffs were announced kzok was off the air for about three hours. Day before yesterday I tuned in to it around 3:30pm or so. Just silence with no music or anything. Then it went static transmitter shut off. This was a couple hours later. Then it came back at a lower audio level and signal was poor. Can’t believe a radio station in a big market like Seattle could possibly be off the air that long. They must not have enough people on staff to fix this sort of thing. Or at least have a backup system that’s regularly maintained or checked frequently enough to make sure this doesn’t happen. Sad state of affairs.
It happens, but is more obvious in the middle of the afternoon. It happens on overnight shifts as well. I was on the air at KMTT – The Mountain/Seattle when the station went off the air at around 2:30 a.m. I immediately called the Chief Engineer. From his home, using his laptop computer, he got the station back on the air. Not all technical issues can be solved that way — we got lucky.
September 1968 – Dan Coughlin/Seattle Post-Intelligencer
If you owned both a television set and investments, you might be a J. Elroy McCaw right now. For the past seven years this Seattle businessman and stock market investor has been a pioneer in the potentially profitable, if sometimes frustrating, business of owning and operating television stations. THE STORY may be apocryphal but it’s being spread around Channel 13 here that he last October made the station his business from a TV “white elephant” into a viable station in the country to devote so much time to the market. The only station in the country to do so, it is perhaps isn’t so startling when you consider the recent growth in the number of people who count the stock market as their number one hobby, and that fact doubtless contributed to the station in the first place. THE STATION claims to have some 20,000 viewers at any one time, many of them businessmen who keep one eye on their office desks to watch the “Big Board” projections from time to time on the television monitor. It’s a bit of a responsive group, too, Mr. Below likes to point out. Whenever he announces a new investment or a stock pick, he says, the station went dark for a few minutes. If he were to announce that he had sold a stock, or salvage at least something. The station gets 68 calls within a few minutes. Some of the callers, doubtless, felt they had somehow come into money. If the viewer feels he should buy or sell or at least something, he can place a telephone order at a desk set up in the studio and may or may not exactly enthuse all of those back in television. Below says, without pretense, “the idea’s catching on.” When the new Seattle-First National Bank finally decided to go into television, the bank’s trust department will have a set on his desk to keep quick track of the market’s up and downs. EXCEPT for the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the picture follows action on the big board by 15 minutes but doesn’t bother to be bothered by the delays. The time delay isn’t enough to give many investors, even the quick traders, many heartaches. They’re almost as up-to-date as an insider on the floor. For his part, Mr. Below handles many a handicap shared by persons in either the print media or broadcast brokerage or investment field. He’s a pretty good man, because of a Securities and Exchange Commission ruling prohibiting him from owning stock in a company.“ A voice inflection could, probably, cause a price runup,” he says. Below sees the idea of a market-oriented station spreading throughout the country in the future.
(March 18, 1962) Harry Holland will take over the 7 p.m. to midnight show on Radio KVI starting Monday. The new station manager plans a nighttime show partially directed to college students in Western Washington. He will report on all collegiate sports activities, interview campus correspondents at colleges and junior colleges. MOST RECENTLY Holland was manager of KXLY in Spokane. He also worked at stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Omaha, New Orleans and San Antonio. A Marine Corps veteran of World War II, he ended up as a member of the Armed Forces Radio in China. He has served in the Marines during the Korean War. A former band singer, he has recorded several records. Seattle-Tacoma radio announcer turned tv talk show host in the 1960s. KTVW 13 tv host: Stairway to the Stars talent show (1964) host and his own late night tv program (1967). In 1968, Holland became the newsman for KTVW’s 7-hour daily stock market coverage, which was hosted by Merrill Mael.
Terrestrial radio has become a real shit show. This week, iHeart Media has begun another round of layoffs. Few radio stations have LOCAL deejays in major dayparts. Reasons to listen to local radio? Your input is welcome. Because I can’t think of reasons to listen any longer. Sorry, I’m out!
1955 NBC TV ad
Jason Remington • July 9, 2026
Saturday Evening Post – January 1955
Saturday Evening Post NBC ad
Jason Remington • July 9, 2026
January 1955 Saturday Evening Post ad for NBC Radio programs
Nobel Shmobel
Reader Submission • July 9, 2026
Speaking to reporters during the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, President Donald Trump declared himself “No. 1 on Tic Tac.”
We can assume he meant TikTok. But then again, maybe he was talking about everyone’s favorite freshmint?
Anyway, on Wednesday, while talking about his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said, “And the numbers came out yesterday. You know who’s No. 1 on Tic Tac? I am. I’m No. 1 on TikTok. And all I talk about is how bad communism is. … I have like 4 billion views or something like that.”
Mediaite’s Tom Durante: “Even though Trump quickly corrected himself in that quote, that this is the second time this week that Trump has claimed to be No. 1 on “Tic Tac.” On Monday, he said, “It was announced about two days ago, the new numbers just came out, you know who the No. 1 person in Tic Tac is by far? Trump. Me. I’m No. 1.”
It’s unclear what ‘numbers’ Trump has been referring to, but a recent ranking of top TikTok personalities doesn’t even have Trump in its top 10.
A Message from the WSAB
Brookbank • July 9, 2026
The Washington State Association of Broadcasters posted:
AM Radio ensures the public stays informed when it matters most.
The Washington State Association of Broadcasters, together with 30 other state broadcasters associations, will join the National Association of Broadcasters in DC to support the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act.
AM Radio in vehicles remains a critical source of breaking news, emergency alerts, and potentially life-saving information and we’re seeing it in real time with the Chelan Hills Fire.
We stand with broadcasters across the country to help ensure every driver has access to this essential public safety resource.
Dead Air 1130 CKWX
Brookbank • July 9, 2026
Such a loss for Vancouver/NW Washington listeners this week. On July 7, Rogers Sports & Media shut down CKWX (along with Sportsnet 650/CISL) amid declining audiences and revenue, affecting multiple stations across Canada. Local news/traffic continues on other Rogers music stations, and the CityNews website persists.
This marked the end of dedicated all-news AM radio from this historic call sign.
CKWX (1130 AM) was a long-running commercial radio station in Vancouver, BC., first aired on April 1, 1923, as CFDC in Nanaimo, BC, owned by Arthur “Sparks” Holstead (of an automotive battery/electronics business). It started with low power (10 watts, later 50 watts) on 430 metres (around 670 kHz).
In 1925, it moved to Vancouver (initially without full authorization, but reinstated due to public demand) and shared frequencies with other local stations. It adopted the CKWX call letters on August 1, 1927, with new studios (officially opened August 19). Early operations involved sharing time on frequencies like 730 kHz, with studios at locations such as the Hotel Georgia and Seymour Street. Power gradually increased, and it featured local programming, advertisers, and personalities.
Holstead formed Western Broadcasting Company Ltd. in the early 1930s. Taylor, Pearson & Carson took a stake and management in the 1940s, boosting power (to 1,000 watts by ~1940–41, then 5,000 watts by 1947) and moving the transmitter to Lulu Island (Richmond). It affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System and expanded news/special events coverage.
24-hour operation starting January 1, 1954.
New studios at 1275 Burrard Street in 1956.
Frequency switch to 1130 kHz on August 15, 1957 (from 980 kHz).
In 1957, with DJ Red Robinson joining, CKWX became Vancouver’s first full-time Top 40 (all-hit) station. It was a major player in the rock ‘n’ roll era, with surveys, personalities, and events like bringing Elvis Presley to Vancouver. (The Top 40 music died in 1962 for CKWX.)
In 1958, it became the first non-CBC station in Western Canada with 50,000 watts (Class A clear-channel power), enhancing its reach. In 1962, CKWX shifted toward MOR (middle-of-the-road) music with talk elements. Ownership transitioned to Selkirk Holdings (full control by 1966).
On March 7, 1973, CKWX flipped to a country music format, which it maintained for about 23 years. Studios moved to 2440 Ash Street in 1988. Ownership changed via Maclean-Hunter’s purchase of Selkirk (then to Rogers Communications).
On February 8, 1996 (at 8 a.m.), it ended country music (with Ray Price’s “For the Good Times” as the last song) and launched as News1130 (all-news/talk format), inspired by Rogers’ success with 680 News in Toronto. It focused on local news, traffic, and weather (often every 10 minutes), becoming a key source for Vancouver listeners.
The station rebranded over time (e.g., to CityNews 1130, then 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver in 2024) while maintaining its news focus. It celebrated 30 years of all-news operation in early 2026. It simulcast on CJAX-FM HD2 and maintained a strong signal across the region. Until it all ended earlier this week.
Linda Kenyon moves to NPR
Jason Remington • July 9, 2026
Veteran broadcaster Linda Kenyon has joined NPR following the shutdown of CBS News Radio. She brings decades of experience in radio news to the network.
Kenyon will anchor newscasts at NPR after departing CBS News Radio where she had worked since 2020 and spent the past several years delivering national news coverage. Prior to that, she worked for Salem Radio Network and Westwood One. CBS News Radio ceased operations in May after nearly 100 years on air, resulting in the departure of its entire staff.
ABC files answer to FCC
Jason Remington • July 8, 2026
ABC (Disney) filed reply comments with the FCC on July 6, (the deadline for replies), in an ongoing proceeding about whether its daytime talk show The View qualifies as a “bona fide news interview program.” This would exempt it from the FCC’s equal opportunities (“equal time”) rules for political candidates.
ABC maintains that The View has not materially changed since the FCC granted it this exemption in 2002. It combines entertainment, interviews (including with politicians), and commentary but qualifies as news/interview programming. Denying the exemption would let the government override broadcasters’ editorial judgments on guests, violating the First Amendment.
It addresses counterpoints from public comments opposing the exemption (e.g., claims the show is “opinion-driven” or imbalanced in guests). ABC calls viewpoint-based restrictions or government-imposed “ideological quotas” unconstitutional and warns against a “surveillance regime” over content.
“C89.5” KNHC Seattle relaunched this morning as “Dance 89.5“
Jason Remington • July 7, 2026
Radio Insight reports: Nathan Hale High School Dance “C89.5” KNHC Seattle relaunched this morning as “Dance 89.5“.
The rebrand also comes with a new positioner of “Seattle’s Party Radio”, which the station states “more clearly reflects the station’s role as the soundtrack to Seattle’s dance music community”. The station says that its rebrand is part of their long-term vision to become a global leader in electronic dance music while continuing to serve the Seattle community that has been at the heart of the station since 1971. The station intends to grow its live events, artist partnerships, digital content, and listener experiences.
Rogers Layoffs Close Several Canadian Radio Stations
Jason Remington • July 7, 2026
230 job cuts – Vancouver among cities affected…
Rogers Sports and Media is shutting down its Sportsnet 650 radio station in Vancouver and Sportsnet 960 station in Calgary, as well as four other stations.
Calgary’s 660 NewsRadio is also being closed, along with Vancouver’s 1130 AM, Halifax’s 95.7 NewsRadio, and Kitchener’s 570 NewsRadio.
The company said the station closures will result in 80 employees losing their jobs. Those are among 230 total job losses at Rogers Sports and Media from these and other organizational changes announced Tuesday.
Rogers cited declining audience numbers and lower advertisement revenue for the decision.
Turning in the licenses
Jason Remington • July 7, 2026
Rogers told Broadcast Dialogue that the licenses for the six stations will be returned to the CRTC. The report notes that Vancouver Canucks hockey will move to another Rogers owned station in Vancouver, but the company will stop producing Calgary Flames games.
Dueweke on Chicago TV now
Jason Remington • July 7, 2026
LIZ DUEWEKE posts — I believe it was Al Pacino in the third Godfather movie who said, “just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!!”
When Chicago calls though, you answer the call.
Grateful to be living and working in one of the most incredible cities in the nation with the talented team at @fox32chicago. Life is a wild adventure that just keeps getting more exciting.
More details later but for now, tune in!
CNBC Oops!
Jason Remington • July 7, 2026
CNBC folks should know better. Clearly, the location of this picture is not a theme park, but actually 30 Rock in New York.
FOX News DOMINATING!
Jason Remington • July 5, 2026
Fox News continues to dominate cable news ratings, while CNN and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) trail but show some year-over-year gains in spots.
Ratings Overview-Q2 2026 and June: Fox News averaged ~1.58 million total-day viewers and ~2.49 million primetime, holding ~60% of the cable news audience and outperforming CNN + MS NOW combined. Shows like The Five, Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, and Special Report ranked high.
MS Now
Mike B Barer • July 9, 2026
If the media has a Liberal bias, as you would certainly say that it does, why would you need MS Now?
Black woman wins Ben Franklin look-alike contest
Duke Stern • July 4, 2026
Bowing to BLM, the George Floyd/Karmelo Anthony supporters and the bleeding-heart liberal mindset, the winner of the Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest in Philadelphia this year was Kya Burgess.
CNN reporters Laura Coates, Brianna Keilar, and Danny Freeman were in awe of a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest winner’s DIY costume on July 4th.
Coates and Keilar checked in with reporter Danny Freeman in Philadelphia during their Saturday July 4th coverage from the National Mall. Freeman brought out Kiya Burgess, the winner of a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest held that day. Burgess said her costume was pieced together herself and originally made as cosplay for the Hamilton Broadway play.
A large segment of America has lost it’s fucking mind!
Trump's Crypto-Currency Earnings
Jason Remington • July 4, 2026
(Reuters) President Donald Trump earned over $1.4 billion from cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, according to his mandatory annual financial disclosure (a 927-page filing with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics).
This made crypto his largest income source by far. His total reported income for the year was at least $2.2 billion, a sharp rise from prior years.
Breakdown of Crypto Earnings
World Liberty Financial (WLFI): A decentralized finance (DeFi) project co-founded by Trump’s sons (and partners like the Witkoff family). Trump is listed as “co-founder emeritus.” He reported over $500 million (some estimates near $800 million including equity sales) from token sales and related deals. The family gets a large cut (e.g., 75% of net proceeds from governance token sales).
Meme coins (e.g., $TRUMP via Celebration Coins / CIC Digital): ~$635 million in royalties/licensing income. Trump launched the $TRUMP coin shortly before taking office; its value later dropped sharply.
These figures come from token sales, licensing, and equity stakes. Broader Reuters analysis estimated the Trump family has gained ~$2.3 billion from crypto ventures since he retook office, with little personal downside risk.
KEWU FM Is A Done Deal
Jason Remington • July 3, 2026
Oldies Preservation Society has filed its purchase of 89.5 KEWU-FM from Eastern Washington University. The deal was revised from the original $510,000 to $360,000 at closing plus four $25,000 payments, keeping the $300,000 in advertising credits. Programming shifted to “Kool 89.5” from KPKL last October.
mixed vibes...
sibulsky • July 3, 2026
mixed feelings on this one. KEWC-AM/FM were my very first radio experiences…1969-1970.
Happy for Bob Anthony (who, BTW was a classmate at North Central High…class of 68.
close paren...
sibulsky • July 3, 2026
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Honk If You Are HORNy
Jason Remington • July 3, 2026
I have no idea why these drivers were honking. Very annoying!
MOVIN' from Missouri to Seattle
Jason Remington • July 2, 2026
RadioInsight reports — Izzy Nunnelly Movin From Joplin To Seattle
Lance Venta
Izzy Nunnelly Movin 92.5 KQMV
Hubbard Radio CHR “Movin 92.5” KQMV has appointed Israel ‘Izzy’ Nunnelly as its new afternoon host starting Monday, July 20.
Izzy joins KQMV from nights at American Media Investments’ “104.3 The Rewind” KCAR-FM. His father, Howie Nunnelly also works at the AMI cluster, is Owner/GM of Classic Hits “100.9 The Island“ KGLC and Classic Country “99.3 The Bridge” KGVE Grove OK and years ago worked at CHR “Wild 100” KRBV Dallas.
Happy Horn Honker
Mike B Barer • July 3, 2026
Aren’t reporters supposed to have a higher tolerance for stuff like that?
Tolerance
Jason Remington • July 3, 2026
Females take offense to compliments if unwanted. Used to be, a guy could drive by, honk his car horn, and using his Mr. Microphone which connected to his car radio, yell out words of kindness, like “Hey, good looking! I’ll be back later to pick you up.” Not these days. Women are so damn touchy, easily offended.
CNN Loses Major Talent
Reader Submission • July 2, 2026
Paula Reid, the network’s chief legal affairs correspondent, is leaving to join MS NOW.
Variety: “Reid is leaving CNN in part due to the uncertainty of its future as its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is acquired by Paramount Skydance. Reid turned down a chance to renew her current contract at CNN, according to two people familiar with the situation, in part because CNN’s next era appears chaotic.”
Status: “Reid was expected to leave CNN. Her contract is set to expire this summer. CNN made a ‘strong push’ to retain Reid because executives viewed her as a rising on-air talent. Reid has, indeed, filled in as an anchor during her time at CNN. Despite all that, she wanted to move on.”
If and when Paramount gains control, we do not know for sure if Weiss will eventually oversee CNN, as she does now with CBS News.
But that uncertainty, apparently, was enough for Reid, 43, to see MS NOW as a better option for her career. Reid joined CNN from CBS News in 2021.
Reid will be the first major on-air talent to leave CNN ahead of the impending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, but there are other names worth keeping an eye on — Anderson Cooper, for one. Also, CNN contributor Kara Swisher has flat-out said she would leave CNN once Paramount takes over.
At an awards ceremony at Syracuse University back in March, Swisher said, “I don’t think they’ll be good owners. I don’t. I think they’ve already shown several times, including editorial choices … that they have no interest in journalism. And I refuse to work for an organization that doesn’t respect journalists.”
Jumping ship
Jason Remington • July 2, 2026
What does it say about the political leaning of Reid and others like her? With new management coming in, they would likely be weeded out over time. Anderson Cooper is not making friends with his negative attitude. Everyone is expendable.
Press Free To Roam The Building
Reader Submission • July 1, 2026
The latest chapter in the Defense Department’s ongoing battle with the press:
A federal judge ordered the Pentagon to end a policy requiring reporters to be escorted by government officials while working in the building.
Judge Paul L. Friedman, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the policy violated the First Amendment. He wrote, “This court has spoken at several points about the critical importance of protecting the freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment, and that evergreen message bears repeating.”
And from The New York Times: “Today’s well-reasoned decision reaffirms the First Amendment rights of the press to cover the Pentagon without restrictions designed to prevent the public from knowing what the military is doing. The court recognized that the Pentagon’s hastily implemented new policy was a clear violation of the Constitution.”
This will continue to play out in court, but Tuesday’s ruling was another victory for the press.
Old KGY building potential studied
Jason Remington • July 1, 2026
There is a proposal to turn the waterfront building that once housed KGY radio, into a historic site, using it as a community center or possibly a cafe and bar. (???)
Read more at: https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article316274311.html
KRXY's Future?
Jason Remington • June 30, 2026
Ken Carson posted on Facebook that KRXY FM-Olympia is going out of business
And this post:
Heyyyyyyyyyyyy! Tomorrow is my last day on-air with 100.3 Olympia’s Classic Rock!!! I would like to say thank you to my boss, Mr. Mike Marohn, and his beautiful wife Clare for having me here. What a blessing it has been. Thank you to the entire staff as well. We are shutting down the business like various other small businesses have recently done in the South Sound. We do keep the faith that things will get better for us all soon. 👍The music will continue to play on OCR for as long as the music plays, but there will be no personnel in the office or on staff. I do want to say thank YOU for letting me be a part of your days. Real People ROCK!
FYI: I was thinking out loud last night and thought of a name for a website that could be super cool (see below). To be continued; Wishful thinking. ~Jes Wes, OCR Mornings
https://southsoundclassicrock.com/
MAGA FCC VS. ABC
Jason Remington • June 30, 2026
Media Research Center President David Bozell has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to deny the early renewal of broadcast licenses for ABC’s eight owned television stations, citing partisan bias, electioneering, misinformation, and failure to serve the public interest.
The petition, filed Monday, targets ABC Owned Stations properties in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. It argues that the Disney-owned network abuses its access to public airwaves by operating like a “partisan cable network” rather than fulfilling broadcaster obligations.
Bozell stated: “We finally have an FCC willing to hold Disney and ABC accountable. Broadcast licenses are a privilege, not an entitlement. In exchange for free use of the public airwaves, broadcasters agree to serve the public interest. If ABC wants to operate like a partisan cable network, it should give up the benefits reserved for broadcast licensees.”
T-Mobile Jacks Up Rates, AGAIN!
Duke Stern • June 30, 2026
So much for that new 5-Year Price Guarantee !!!
Some T-Mobile customers who’ve held onto old phone plans are being notified that their accounts will soon be automatically upgraded to the company’s current lineup of plans, which in some cases will mean an increase in their mobile phone bills.
A representative of T-Mobile chose to not share which plans are being retired, but said some of them stretch back 10 to 15 years. That could include Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, One Plus and Magenta family of plans, as well as grandfathered Sprint plans that carried over when T-Mobile and Sprint merged in 2020.
The change affects thousands of customers and will apply within the next few weeks, to be reflected on the next billing cycles. (CNET)
We just switched to Cricket on 3 lines. Price: $15 less than T-Mobile rate plan that is going away. $27 less than new rates T-Mobile would have charged per month.
T-Mob Customer Service Alerted!
Duke Stern • June 30, 2026
ONLINE CHATTER: Historically, T-Mobile has wanted everyone available ahead of customer-facing announcements, such as a price hike. This has led to speculation that T-Mobile is planning a rate increase and prepping for the inevitable customer backlash.
The company is even offering incentives to employees for putting in overtime and a $2 per call bonus to keep staff motivated.
There’s an update happening on monday thats customer facing, care has ot opening up due to said fact and incentives for each call you take. Whatever is coming thats customer facing, I dont think it will be pleasant
(https://www.phonearena.com/)
T-Mobile Just Ripped 8 Million Customers Off Their Grandfathered Plans – and Raised Their Bills
Duke Stern • June 30, 2026
T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS) moved down by 3.24%. The Telecommunications Services sector is up by 1.85%. The company underperformed the industry.
Affected plans include Magenta, ONE, Simple Choice, and older 4G smartphone lines — not Go5G or data-only accounts.
New plans bundle satellite text connectivity, 250 GB high-speed hotspot, Netflix, Hulu, and expanded international roaming. Whether you wanted any of that is apparently beside the point.
The five-year guarantee covers base talk, text, and data charges only. Fees and taxes remain fair game, and T-Mobile has already demonstrated a willingness to raise them.
Opting out reportedly is not an option. The migration notice arrives; your billing cycle changes.
Everyone’s Doing It, but T-Mobile Has the Most to Lose
AT&T and Verizon are running the same playbook, but neither staked its entire identity on never pulling this move. (Yahoo! Tech)
NBC On The Block Potentially
Jason Remington • June 30, 2026
Comcast announced on Monday that it is spinning off NBCUniversal—which includes Universal Studios, NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, Bravo, and Sky—into a fully independent, publicly traded company.
To Hell in a handbasket
Jason Remington • June 29, 2026
Why are local media folks so eager to welcome the mental cases and perverted queers during these public displays of debauchery? Seattle business and government promote naked bike riders in downtown streets, and there are parents watching the parade with their young children as if it were the daffodil festival.
It is a minority of the population that sets aside a month to advertise their sexual perversion. Yet, major food corporations, sportswear manufacturers and national sports teams throw millions of dollars in ad money to promote and support it.
What ever happened to Kelly O'Connell?
Jason Remington • June 29, 2026
Kelly O’Connell left Seattle TV news in 2015 and returned to her hometown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where she has been a longtime morning news anchor at FOX 9 (KMSP-TV) ever since.
She previously anchored and reported mornings at Q13 FOX (KCPQ) for about three years (around 2012–2015). When she departed, the station aired a tribute video highlighting her work both in the studio and in the field.
She now anchors the FOX 9 Morning News (starting at 4:30 a.m.) and hosts FOX 9 Good Day (a news/pop culture show at 9 a.m.).
Witt departure marks the end of an era
Bill Taylor • June 29, 2026
MS NOW is moving away from live, hosted programming after 6 p.m. on weekends. Instead, the network will fill those weekend evening hours with taped video podcasts. As a result, Alex Witt, one of the network’s longest-serving anchors, is leaving MS NOW. Witt joined MSNBC in 1999 and has been a consistent weekend host for nearly 15 years. Witt’s weekend afternoon slot will be filled by Antonia Hylton starting later this summer.
“A beloved longtime member of our MS NOW family, Alex has been a continued, trusted and steady presence for our audiences. … Having anchored more hours on MS NOW than any other anchor in our network’s history, Alex has guided our viewers through many of the most significant stories that have defined a generation, including the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, reporting from Ground Zero immediately following the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and more.”
— Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW
Cheep Cheep CHEAP!
Jason Remington • June 29, 2026
Money matters. Viewership decrease could have an effect on what will be programmed on weekends. A loss for long-time die-hards, but MStv will continue to make cuts like this, and citizen “influencers” will be all the rage. Maybe the network is trying to attract furries.
Bridge Ratings
Jason Remington • June 28, 2026
I can’t disagree with anything stated here. Can you?
Radio Doesn’t Have a Staffing Problem. It Has an Ownership Problem.
Another week. Another round of layoffs.
This time, iHeartMedia announced another reduction in force, explaining the move as a way to streamline operations and better serve listeners. It’s a familiar message, and no one doubts the financial pressures facing today’s radio industry.
But after years of workforce reductions, perhaps we’re asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking whether companies have too many employees, maybe we should ask whether they own too many stations.
For more than three decades, radio’s growth strategy centered on consolidation. Companies acquired hundreds of stations, promising greater efficiency through centralized programming, shared resources and lower operating costs.
From a financial perspective, consolidation achieved many of those goals.
From a listener’s perspective, the results have been harder to celebrate.
Every round of layoffs removes another piece of what listeners actually notice. Fewer local air personalities. Less community involvement. Fewer live shifts. Slower responses to local events. Stations may still broadcast locally, but many no longer feel deeply connected to the communities they serve.
And ownership doesn’t think it matters.
That’s the contradiction.
Layoffs are often described as improving service, yet listeners frequently experience less of the very things that once made radio special.
There comes a point where size stops being an advantage and starts becoming a burden. Managing hundreds of stations across the country naturally shifts attention toward efficiency instead of engagement. Radio isn’t a factory producing identical products. Every market has its own culture, personalities and expectations.
Great local radio has always reflected those differences.
That raises a question the industry rarely discusses.
Should divestiture become part of radio’s future?
Not because radio is failing.
Because focus often creates better products.
Imagine owning fewer stations—but investing more deeply in each one. More local air talent. More local decision-making. More community involvement. More live programming. More freedom to create memorable moments instead of simply maintaining efficient operations.
Would listeners notice?
I believe they would.
Consolidation helped stabilize the business side of radio. But if the cost of that efficiency is gradually reducing the listener experience, the strategy deserves another look.
The goal shouldn’t simply be operating more stations with fewer people.
The goal should be creating stations people genuinely want to spend time with.
Instead of operating 800 stations poorly – give 400 stations the attention they deserve.
If maintaining massive station portfolios makes listener relationships harder to create, then perhaps the industry’s next chapter isn’t about owning more stations.
It may be about owning the right stations.
Dave Van Dyke
dvd@bridgeratings.com
Anderson Cooper Disses Bari Weiss
Reader Submission • June 27, 2026
CNN star Anderson Cooper has reportedly made his feelings clear about working with CBS boss Bari Weiss in a merger that would put CNN and CBS under the same ownership.
Paramount, which owns CBS, is poised to acquire CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, in a massive $111 billion consolidation.
According to The New York Times, Cooper, has told colleagues at CNN that he does not want to work for Weiss.
Cooper overlapped with Weiss when he worked as a correspondent for the CBS flagship program 60 Minutes, but he left the show this spring after 20 years.
— The Independent
The CBS kitchen chef.
Steve • June 29, 2026
As Harry Truman once said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” He could have been referring to the chef as well.
I'm not crying, You're crying
Jason Remington • June 27, 2026
(seen here – Madison Wade KING 5) Geez! It’s a job. Where else but on tv do people make so much of leaving a job!
People need to get over themselves…
Teary Good Bye
Mike B Barer • June 29, 2026
In the words of Billy Joel Let’s “leave a tender moment alone”
Exceptions to the rule
Jason Remington • June 27, 2026
There are exceptions to the rule. KGY/Olympia has maintained a local on-air crew for most dayparts. Unfortunately, morning drive is a syndicated team from Los Angeles.
KYYO FM (KAYO Country) has a syndicated morning show and a weather service from a national organization.
KBRC, Mt. Vernon sounds local. Glen Harris, live and local in morning drive, local news and sports coverage with Local Radio Network’s crew filling out other dayparts.
Small town local — serving the community often better than major market stations.
Tom Layson retires from Northwest Now on KBTC
Tom Layson • June 27, 2026
Below was my final report to the team at KBTC, the KBTC Association and the Board of Trustees at Bates Technical College. My on-air farewell is on my Facebook page – scroll down into May.
*****
Season 17 of Northwest Now is in the rear-view mirror with 30 more programs in the book.
In seventeen seasons there have been 475 Northwest Now programs on the air with 435 done by yours truly. Within those 475 programs, 1,055 guests came to the station to appear on set, and another 597 participated within the 218 stories we told from the field. That’s a total of 1,652 local voices heard during the program’s nearly 18-year run.
So yes, season seventeen is finished, and as you know, I am as well. After forty-two years of work, fourteen of which were happily spent at KBTC, I’m retiring.
A new general manager always poses a risk to a TV station and the staff people working there, but DeAnne deserves a great deal of thanks for her steady hand at the helm, and as a part of that, strongly supporting and advocating for Northwest Now. I am grateful for her leadership, and friendship.
Next, a special thanks goes out to Chris Anderson who has been toiling away in the Northwest Now salt mine for going on twelve years now. He helped the program run and continues to serve our online platforms with his Digital First content.
Thanks also to the late Steve Kiggins. In his three and a half years with us, Steve produced more than fifty NWN stories and participated in three specials that won SPJ first place awards. His passing in February was a hard pill to swallow. Storyteller Phillip Townsend also deserves special recognition for being part of a team that won two SPJ first place awards. Additionally, my thanks also go out to the half-dozen or so other extremely talented freelancers who engaged with Northwest Now over the years. I think we provided a platform that encouraged outstanding work and gave people who knew what they were doing the freedom to do it well.
Since the spring of 2012 when I started as a freelancer, 22 Emmy nominations came our way. How many wins? Wait for it: one. I’m glad I wasn’t paid based on wins. With that said, we’ve received nine first place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. All of you on the KBTC team can claim a slice of that recognition because of the role you played in amplifying the program or maintaining and operating the vital infrastructure supporting it.
Northwest Now worked tirelessly highlighting the work of several local organizations every year, but the Washington Coalition for open Government stands above the rest for recognizing our efforts to amplify the importance of government transparency with the organization’s Andersen Award. We produced fourteen annual open government programs which generally included field pieces we shot all across the state. My thanks to WashCOG.
This past season I’m also particularly proud of our Emmy-nominated and SPJ winning special, Fire on the Horizon that was shot in six counties across the state last summer highlighting the very real possibility of landscape-scale catastrophic wildfires sweeping through Western Washington. Fire on the Horizon joins a collection of award-winning specials including the six-part Saving the Salmon series.
My most sincere thanks to all of you who made Northwest Now possible, from the administrative team to the KBTC Association, to Dr. Zhou and Bates Technical College and again, to the KBTC staffers who in one way or another helped support and amplify Northwest Now. I especially appreciate those of you who became good friends over the years.
I am amazed at the fact I never missed a studio session despite traveling about 72,000 miles across 60 mostly driving round trips from Helena starting with season 13 in September of 2021 when I started working remote. We never had to opt out due to illness or weather, we never had shoot days cancel, and that we never failed to make our slots despite covid, sometimes wonky technology, hacks and phishing, social unrest, frequent road closures, bridge(s) damage, construction, forest fire air drops (barely missed me), sniper attacks (Idaho last year), government shutdowns, car problems, plane problems, remodeling, fire drills, and all the hundred other things that could have gone sideways or that did go sideways that we overcame.
In that vein, a special thanks also goes to Jeff and Jaimie and everyone who pitched in on production days. Programming and engineering were vital too. The team’s reliability facilitated and sustained my reliability about which I am very proud – because I know the blood, sweat and tears it took to deliver it. I hope it stands as an example to whatever comes next.
Finally, as I said when reporting out on season sixteen at this time last year, I continue to believe that KBTC’s future success ultimately rests in producing well told local stories and convening important conversations. I think there will always be room for relevant, independent, and well executed local programming and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
So that’s it for me. Picture me either entertaining my four crazy grandchildren, annoying Shari, missing another four-foot putt, or fishing on a quiet river.
My Best,
Tom
Northwest Now
Jason Remington • June 28, 2026
Thank you for great stories and interviews for nearly two decades on KBTC. Hopefully, the station can put something in place that comes close. The loss of Steve Kiggins was a shock. We enjoyed his reports.
Local radio
Steve • June 26, 2026
Local radio really can’t be that bad. Does KGMI just broadcast syndicated programming all day? There must be a certain amount of local programming.
KGMI
Jason Remington • June 26, 2026
Not seeing any local programming….
MONDAY – FRIDAY
12:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. – Coast to Coast AM
3:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. – America’s First News with Gordon Deal
6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – The Morning News
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Markley, Van Camp, and Robbins
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – The Lars Larson Show
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – The Charlie Kirk Show
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – KGMI Konnects with Joe Teehan
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – The Afternoon News
6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – America At Night with McGraw Milhaven
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Our American Stories
10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Coast to Coast AM
Typical
Jason Remington • June 26, 2026
Name the station, Google it, check the program schedule. You will be disappointed 9 times out of 10.
KGMI
Steven Smith • June 26, 2026
KGMI runs a lot of conservative talk shows from the satellite weekdays. However, they also run local news, interviews and features so it still sounds pretty local in mornings and afternoons. Mid-day is dependent on syndication. The talk show at 4pm is local and they beef up local news again later in afternoons. Weekends they have local shows on various topics, mainly interviews and some call in, that are clearly paid for by those appearing on the shows.
KGMI
Steve • June 27, 2026
Thanks for the counterpoint regarding KGMI. Things may be bad, but they are not that bad. There is some local programming, as you state, but not very much compared with what was available in the past.
KZOK was off the air
Roy Otis • June 26, 2026
Hello,
The day the layoffs were announced kzok was off the air for about three hours. Day before yesterday I tuned in to it around 3:30pm or so. Just silence with no music or anything. Then it went static transmitter shut off. This was a couple hours later. Then it came back at a lower audio level and signal was poor. Can’t believe a radio station in a big market like Seattle could possibly be off the air that long. They must not have enough people on staff to fix this sort of thing. Or at least have a backup system that’s regularly maintained or checked frequently enough to make sure this doesn’t happen. Sad state of affairs.
Off The Air
Jason Remington • June 28, 2026
It happens, but is more obvious in the middle of the afternoon. It happens on overnight shifts as well. I was on the air at KMTT – The Mountain/Seattle when the station went off the air at around 2:30 a.m. I immediately called the Chief Engineer. From his home, using his laptop computer, he got the station back on the air. Not all technical issues can be solved that way — we got lucky.
Harry Holland - Seattle/Tacoma radio & tv
Jason Remington • June 25, 2026
September 1968 – Dan Coughlin/Seattle Post-Intelligencer
If you owned both a television set and investments, you might be a J. Elroy McCaw right now. For the past seven years this Seattle businessman and stock market investor has been a pioneer in the potentially profitable, if sometimes frustrating, business of owning and operating television stations. THE STORY may be apocryphal but it’s being spread around Channel 13 here that he last October made the station his business from a TV “white elephant” into a viable station in the country to devote so much time to the market. The only station in the country to do so, it is perhaps isn’t so startling when you consider the recent growth in the number of people who count the stock market as their number one hobby, and that fact doubtless contributed to the station in the first place. THE STATION claims to have some 20,000 viewers at any one time, many of them businessmen who keep one eye on their office desks to watch the “Big Board” projections from time to time on the television monitor. It’s a bit of a responsive group, too, Mr. Below likes to point out. Whenever he announces a new investment or a stock pick, he says, the station went dark for a few minutes. If he were to announce that he had sold a stock, or salvage at least something. The station gets 68 calls within a few minutes. Some of the callers, doubtless, felt they had somehow come into money. If the viewer feels he should buy or sell or at least something, he can place a telephone order at a desk set up in the studio and may or may not exactly enthuse all of those back in television. Below says, without pretense, “the idea’s catching on.” When the new Seattle-First National Bank finally decided to go into television, the bank’s trust department will have a set on his desk to keep quick track of the market’s up and downs. EXCEPT for the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the picture follows action on the big board by 15 minutes but doesn’t bother to be bothered by the delays. The time delay isn’t enough to give many investors, even the quick traders, many heartaches. They’re almost as up-to-date as an insider on the floor. For his part, Mr. Below handles many a handicap shared by persons in either the print media or broadcast brokerage or investment field. He’s a pretty good man, because of a Securities and Exchange Commission ruling prohibiting him from owning stock in a company.“ A voice inflection could, probably, cause a price runup,” he says. Below sees the idea of a market-oriented station spreading throughout the country in the future.
(March 18, 1962) Harry Holland will take over the 7 p.m. to midnight show on Radio KVI starting Monday. The new station manager plans a nighttime show partially directed to college students in Western Washington. He will report on all collegiate sports activities, interview campus correspondents at colleges and junior colleges. MOST RECENTLY Holland was manager of KXLY in Spokane. He also worked at stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Omaha, New Orleans and San Antonio. A Marine Corps veteran of World War II, he ended up as a member of the Armed Forces Radio in China. He has served in the Marines during the Korean War. A former band singer, he has recorded several records. Seattle-Tacoma radio announcer turned tv talk show host in the 1960s. KTVW 13 tv host: Stairway to the Stars talent show (1964) host and his own late night tv program (1967). In 1968, Holland became the newsman for KTVW’s 7-hour daily stock market coverage, which was hosted by Merrill Mael.
Turn Out The Lights
Jason Remington • June 25, 2026
Terrestrial radio has become a real shit show. This week, iHeart Media has begun another round of layoffs. Few radio stations have LOCAL deejays in major dayparts. Reasons to listen to local radio? Your input is welcome. Because I can’t think of reasons to listen any longer. Sorry, I’m out!