Audacy vs NPR

SiriusXM Launches $5 Sports-Only Subscription

SiriusXM announced Sports Pass, a sports-only subscription plan launching September 1, 2026, priced at $5 per month or $49 per year for new U.S. subscribers. The plan provides access to SiriusXM’s full sports programming, including live games and events across major professional leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL), motorsports (NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1), PGA Tour golf, WWE Premium Live Events, international and domestic soccer, tennis, and extensive college sports coverage. Sports Pass will also include exclusive SiriusXM sports channels, national analysis, podcasts, and 24 local sports talk stations (including 23 added Audacy stations plus ESPN LA 710). Access will be available via compatible vehicles and the SiriusXM app, with some local and team-specific play-by-play channels limited to the app and vehicles equipped with SiriusXM 360L radios. The launch consolidates SiriusXM’s sports audio inventory into a low-priced, single package ahead of the NFL and college football seasons.

• SiriusXM will launch Sports Pass on September 1, 2026.
• Sports Pass is priced at $5 per month or $49 annually for new U.S. subscribers.
• The plan includes live coverage across NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula 1, PGA Tour, WWE events, soccer, tennis, and extensive college sports.

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US Movie Attendance Down 248M Since 2019; Revenue Up

North American box office revenue in summer 2026 is recovering in raw dollars even as attendance lags well behind 2019 levels. Through mid‑August 2026 cinemas sold 547.1 million tickets versus 795.9 million in the same 2019 period, a decline of about 248 million admissions. Higher average ticket prices (now above $13, with premium formats like IMAX averaging $18.46) plus demand for large‑format and luxury auditoriums have pushed projected summer revenue toward roughly $4.5 billion. The physical footprint has shrunk—Omdia counted 44,283 screens in 2019 and more than 7,000 had closed by the end of last year—and studios released fewer titles this summer. Several 2026 event films crossed $1 billion worldwide, and unexpected low‑budget hits also contributed. The industry is converting fewer visits into more revenue, raising questions about long‑term reach and the health of cinema as a mass media channel.

• Through mid‑August 2026 North American cinemas sold 547.1 million tickets, compared with 795.9 million in the same period of 2019 (a decline of ~248.8 million admissions).
• The industry is on pace for roughly a $4.5 billion summer box office in 2026.
• Research firm EntTelligence reports the average adult movie ticket above $13; IMAX averages $18.46 and standard tickets average $12.87.

The Taste–Talent Gap in an Algorithm-Driven Age

This Substack essay, adapted from the author’s book Super Skill, examines the “taste–talent gap” described by Ira Glass: many beginners have strong taste but their early work falls short of it. The author argues that algorithmic recommendation systems and generative AI are making it harder for people to develop independent taste, while simultaneously flooding feeds with low-quality, AI-generated content. As a result, taste becomes rarer and more valuable. The essay recommends regaining agency through deliberate practices summarized by the TASTE acronym (Take back the wheel; Attune your taste; Study the masters; Try and fail; Embrace the gap), and uses examples from Ira Glass, David Sedaris, Quentin Tarantino, and others to show how study, community, and persistent work close the gap.

• The essay is published on Substack and is adapted from the author’s book Super Skill: Why Storytelling Is the Superpower of the AI Age.
• The piece cites a 2009 Current TV interview in which Ira Glass explained the taste–talent gap in creative work.
• The author argues that social recommendation algorithms (notably Facebook’s News Feed and TikTok’s For You algorithm) and generative AI make it harder for people to develop independent taste.

US Cuts CPB Funding, Harms PBS and NPR

The Rescissions Act of 2025 eliminated roughly $1.1 billion in previously allocated federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 24, 2025, and following an administration executive order in May 2025, the funding cuts prompted the CPB to wind down operations and its board voted to dissolve the corporation by January 2026. National networks PBS and NPR have continued operating via private donations, underwriting and philanthropy, but many local public radio and television stations — especially in rural and underserved areas that relied on CPB grants for 15–50% of revenue — faced layoffs, program reductions and some closures. PBS cut about 100 positions and New Jersey PBS announced plans to shut down in 2026. The CPB’s final activities included asset distributions and archival partnerships, including work with the University of Maryland.

• The Rescissions Act of 2025 eliminated approximately $1.1 billion in funding previously allocated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
• President Donald Trump signed the legislation into law on July 24, 2025; an executive order in May 2025 had directed CPB to halt support to NPR and PBS.
• CPB announced plans to wind down in August 2025 and its board voted to dissolve the corporation by January 2026.