Well, another year is just about over. I was going to do two separate posts, one looking back at 2025 and another looking ahead to 2026, but there’s really not enough I have to say to justify that.
There really wasn’t a lot to discuss in 2025. The FCC made some major announcements, but as far as broadcasting, there really hasn’t been any changes, though broadcasters are taking a big bet that ownership caps will be significantly relaxed in the coming years. Personally, I wouldn’t be putting all my eggs in that basket, but I do think the waivers being asked for in the deals that are pending will be granted.
As far as format news, there really wasn’t a major trend this year. The biggest news was the changes Connoisseur made in Dayton, and the moves made by that company in general. In 2026, they are going to continue to make moves, likely selling more small market stations and potentially buying in bigger markets. I’m not sure Beasley is willing to be swallowed whole, but Connoisseur could do it, and that would fit Warshaw’s strategy of buying in larger markets for the most part.
As for my predictions outside of that for 2026, Classic Hits as a format is going to be an interesting one to watch. At this time 10 years ago, the format was centered in probably the late 70s or early 80s. It’s only moved a few years forward since then, but with younger people discovering older music at a much faster rate today than before, the evolution of the format will likely slow. At the FCC, it will be late in the year before we get any rulings that affect broadcast regulations. I think the Torch stations in West Virginia are going to be ones to watch. If the in-band simulcast rule remains in place, some of them may have to change formats. Cumulus is also going to be a company to watch, as only a couple of the stations they signed off in March have found buyers. Will the rest of them be reactivated just to keep the licenses alive, or will we see more stations simply turned in? Other than that, radio has been mostly spared from the avilanch of news flooding the rest of the world, and that’s likely to continue until regulations change. Even AI has seen a pullback in on-air use, though it will likely increase in behind-the-scenes uses. Otherwise, I don’t really have much to say about this year or next.
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