SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " last year " 1,324 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
GUEST OPINION: Court saw through attack on stoves, science
When the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) filed a federal lawsuit last year challenging Colorado’s new gas stove labeling law, it exposed a troubling pattern of how climate advocacy can morph into scientific misinformation to achieve policy goals through fear rather than facts. At the heart of the court dispute is House Bill 25-1161, […]
Zverev and Hanfmann into second round of the Australian Open
Third seed Alexander Zverev overcame early trouble against Canadian Gabriel Diallo to advance to the second round of the Australian Open. The last year's finalist rebounded from a below-par performance in the first set to start the first Grand Slam of the year with a 6-7 (7-1), 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory after claiming six service breaks.
A health-care destination
There has been plenty of activity on the Crystal Bridges campus in Bentonville with the expansion of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, along with the opening last year of buildings housing the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and Heartland Whole Health Institute. Two miles east of downtown Bentonville, there's a separate 100-acre campus that might prove just as exciting.
New York City lost nearly 5,000 businesses last year: report
New York City lost nearly 5,000 businesses early last year as employers closed their doors or left for other low-tax states, according to a new report.
NIL regulations for college athletes face hurdles in Congress
A bill introduced last year sought to cool off the arms race in college sports, but the measure has hit a roadblock in Congress
10 breakthrough technologies to expect in 2026 : Short Wave
Wanna know where tech is headed this year? MIT Technology Review has answers. They compile an annual list called "10 Breakthrough Technologies". Today, host Regina G. Barber speaks with executive editor Amy Nordrum about the list, and they get into everything from commercial space stations and base-edited babies to batteries that could make electric vehicles even more green. We also do a lightning round of honorable mentions you won't want to miss out on!Check out the full list from MIT Technology Review.Interested in more science? Check out our episode on last year’s top 10 technologies to watch and our episode on building structures in space.Email us your questions at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.This episode was produced by Berly McCoy. It was edited and fact-checked by Rebecca Ramirez. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
US Health Department to Launch Study on Cellphone Radiation
Jan 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will launch a study on cellphone radiation, a department spokesman said on Thursday, building on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's criticism linking them to neurological damage and cancer. Last year, the department said 22 ...
NCAA says 40 athletes from 20 schools investigated for sports rigging over past year
The NCAA says it has investigated more than three dozen student athletes from 20 schools in connection with game rigging and point shaving in the last year. The new numbers from the intercollegiate…
3 Democrats already challenging Neal Dunn see opportunity in CD 2 following retirement news
Nic Zateslo, Amanda Maria Green and Yen Bailey have all been on the trail since last year.
The Biggest Challenges And Threats Facing Business Executives In 2026
Executives face familiar risks in 2026, but many are no better prepared for crises than last year, underscoring the need for stronger crisis planning and readiness.
Bully Online Mod Creators Insist Shutting the Project Down 'Was Not Something We Wanted'
Cast your mind back to the end of last year, and you may remember we reported that a group of volunteer modders had united to develop an online mode for Rockstar's Bully (also known as Canis Canem Edit in some parts of the world). Fast-forward just a few short months later, however, and now the Bully online project is "shutting down forever."
iPhone 17e to Gain Dynamic Island But Display Still Stuck at 60Hz
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17e will feature a Dynamic Island instead of a notch at the top of the screen, but unlike the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, the display itself will still refresh at 60Hz, according to a known Weibo leaker. Apple made major improvements to the iPhone 17's display last year, introducing ProMotion display technology with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, similar to recent iPhone Pro models.
GOP Cuts Will Cripple Medicaid Enrollment, Warns CEO of Largest Public Health Plan
Martha Santana-Chin, a daughter of Mexican immigrants, last year took the helm of L.A. Care, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan. She warns that looming federal cuts will push up to 650,000 people off L.A. Care’s Medicaid rolls by the end of 2028.
Personnel note: Julia Canady King promoted to VP at BGR Group
She joined the firm last year as a Director for Washington and Florida.
3SBio Sees More Business Development Deals
Tony He, CFO of the Chinese biopharmaceutical firm 3SBio, discusses his outlook for dealmaking and the progress of a record licensing deal the company struck with Pfizer last year. He speaks on “Bloomberg: The China Show” from San Francisco, where the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference is taking place. (Source: Bloomberg)
Scientists say another hot year is a 'warning shot' of a shifting, dangerous climate
Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023.
Scientists call another near-record hot year a 'warning shot' from a shifting climate
Scientists calculate that last year was one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The trend indicates that warming could be speeding up, climate monitoring teams reported.
Apple may have hinted at high-end MacBook Pro launch on Jan 28
The first M5-powered MacBook Pro launched in October of last year. Apple described the chip as offering “the next big...
Initial 2027 Recruiting Class Big Board Pt.1
Hello everyone! We received such positive feedback from putting together a recruiting big board last year, that we decided to do it again. For the initial big board, we are revealing it in pieces instead of all at once like last year and how all the other versions will be displayed. We thought it would […]
Audience for Golden Globe Awards telecast drops 7% from last year
The 83rd awards telecast, emceed by Nikki Glaser, averaged 8.66 million viewers across TV and streaming.
House speaker calls DeSantis’ hand-shake snub ‘petulant’
If top Florida Republicans can’t get along, session may not finish on time, just like last year.
Pixel 10a Hitting Online Retailers With February Launch Date
The Pixel 10a could launch very soon in some new colors. After surprising us a bit with a March launch of the Pixel 9a last year, Google could be ready to bring us its successor... #Google #Pixel10a
Rubio says US does not know whereabouts of 137 Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act
The Trump administration does not know the whereabouts of 137 Venezuelans it unlawfully deported last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding that attempting to offer them due process would impact US foreign policy interests in the country.
ACA sign-ups fall as higher premiums push people off plans
Nationally, sign-ups are down more than 800,000 from last year.
Is the Sports World Finally Giving Up its Right to Remain Silent?
Last year, in the face of Trump’s authoritarianism, the sports industry remained quiet. Now with the killing Renee Good, it may be waking up to the dangers of this administration.
Willgress hopes accident will not hamper title bid
Wayne Willgress fractured his shoulder and right hand in a work accident last year but hopes it will not stop him making an impact at the World Indoor Bowls event in his home county of Norfolk.
Is Phibro Animal Health (PAHC) Pricing Reflecting Its Strong Multi Year Share Price Performance?
If you are wondering whether Phibro Animal Health's current share price lines up with its underlying worth, you are not alone. This article is built to help you think that through clearly. The stock recently closed at US$39.44, with returns of 5.7% over the last week, a 1.8% decline over the last month, 5.7% year to date, 99.9% over the last year and 190.7% over three years, alongside a 110.2% return over five years. These price moves sit against a backdrop of ongoing interest in animal...
A ‘ticklish subject’: Trump’s words on immigration often collide and contradict
His dueling messages could in part be rooted in his awareness that supporters were infuriated by his comments last year embracing foreign students and labor.
Mids to Play Monday at American on CBS Sports Network
The Navy men's basketball teams heads to the northwest corner of Washington, D.C., for a Monday night game at American in a rematch of last year's league tournament final.
Colorado’s getting $1 billion to ‘transform’ rural health care. But hospitals aren’t thrilled with the state’s plan.
Last year’s H.R. 1 — also known as the “big beautiful bill” — allocated $50 billion for the federal Rural Health Transformation Program over five years.
Transgender teen athlete in a Supreme Court fight knows the upcoming sports season could be her last
WASHINGTON (AP) — Becky Pepper-Jackson finished third in the discus throw in West Virginia last year though she was in just her first year of high school. Now a 15-year-old sophomore, Pepper-Jackson is aware that her upcoming season could be her last.
OHSU stopped gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 last year, officials say
University officials said OHSU last performed a gender-affirming surgery on a patient under 19 early last year.
Lessons learned from my failed business that helped me the second time
Michelle Hu, owner of Étoile, shares how learning from her failed beauty tech app led to Étoile's over $9 milion revenue last year.
US House Backs Extension of Health Insurance Subsidies After Dems Force Vote
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House approved a bipartisan bill Thursday to resurrect the enhanced tax credits that expired at the end of last year for people who purchase their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The 230-196 vote sends the legislation to the Senate, where Republican leadership is unlikely to put it on […]
Abby Zeltser Promoted To SVP Corporate Communications At Sony Pictures Entertainment
EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Entertainment has upped Abby Zeltser to SVP Corporate Communications, Corporate Affairs. Zeltser has been at Sony Pictures collectively for seven years. She re-joined the studio last year as VP, Corporate Communications after leading corporate and executive communications for Tubi. She worked in corporate comms for Sony Pictures’ motion picture group and in …
Ocean Warming Breaks Record for Ninth Straight Year
Every second of last year, the Earth’s oceans absorbed the equivalent in energy to 12 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs. Global ocean heat content (OHC) increased for the ninth consecutive year in 2025, according to a report released Friday in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences. The study—a collaboration involving more than 50 scientists from 31 international institutions—measured temperature […]
Divinity Maker Revises AI Stance After RPG Fan Blowback
The Divinity maker elaborated on controversial comments about gen AI from last year
7 science-based tips from the Well+Being team for a healthier year
We learned a lot about how to boost our nutrition, fitness and sleep last year. Here are a few things we adopted.
Trump says he plans to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado
The president also said that it would be a "great honor" if Machado decided to give him the Nobel Peace Prize that she won last year.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth calls crucial Reality Labs all-hands meeting
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth calls key all-hands meeting at Reality Labs as the division faces budget cuts, strategic shifts to AI, and layoffs last year.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth calls crucial Reality Labs all-hands meeting
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth calls key all-hands meeting at Reality Labs as the division faces budget cuts, strategic shifts to AI, and layoffs last year.
Mass. will spend $250M to lower health insurance bills after federal subsidies expired
Gov. Maura Healey said Thursday that she’ll tap a special state trust fund to help about 270,000 residents whose costs are soaring because Congress failed to renew a chunk of federal subsidies before they expired at the end of last year.
Google announces AI Overviews in Gmail search, experimental AI-organized inbox
Last year's premium Gmail AI features are also rolling out to free users.
Our science predictions for 2026
Last year was full of unexpected science news, from the discovery of a new colour, to the interstellar visitor 3I/Atlas passing by our solar system, and a world-first treatment with a personalised gene editing therapy. So what will this year bring? Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss the big stories likely to hit the headlines and share their predictions for 2026
Access Health CT urges residents to enroll as deadline extended
State officials are urging people to take advantage of health insurance subsidies before the enrollment period closes at the end of the month. Access Health Connecticut Executive Director James Michel also suggested people contact a broker, even if they selected a plan last year, to see if they qualify for enough help to afford a better plan. “We’re going to…
Amazon asks corporate employees: What did you accomplish last year?
Amazon updates its performance review system to require corporate employees share specific work achievements.
Business Aviation Safety Suffers Worst Year since 2011
143 people were killed in 35 business aircraft accidents last year
Introducing Listening Activity and Request to Jam in Messages on Spotify
We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messages last year, we gave users a place to do that right in the app. Since then, almost 40 million users have sent nearly 340 million messages, showing...
What Newsom's final State of the State will say about his 2028 run
What Gov. Gavin Newsom says in his final State of the State speech Thursday will tell Californians a lot about his priorities for his last year in office, Joe Garofoli writes.
Brevan Howard's biggest funds trail other macro players
Last year was a big one for many macro-oriented hedge funds, including Bridgewater and Discovery.
Exclusive | Newsom Waives a Fire-Rebuilding Hurdle for Businesses in State Park
California’s governor plans to unveil an executive order aimed at making it easier for some businesses destroyed by last year’s Palisades fire to rebuild.
Miami's aggressive defensive revamp powers Hurricanes' College Football Playoff run
Led by an aggressive scheme revamp and the quiet, fiery leadership of Reuben Bain, Miami has transformed last year's weakness into one of the most feared units in college football
Apple’s next iPhone is about to enter mass production, per leaker
iPhone 17e is coming as a more budget-friendly iPhone 17 model, and per a new leak, launch timing could mimic last year’s iPhone 16e.
Feds award Michigan $173M to boost rural health amid Medicaid cuts
The award for Michigan is part of a $50 billion rural health fund created as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Republicans last year.
NVIDIA announces DLSS 4.5 at CES 2026
Just like last year, NVIDIA has used some of its time on the CES stage to introduce an upgraded version of its real-time image-upscaling technology.
AMD reheats last year’s Ryzen AI and X3D CPUs for 2026’s laptops and desktops
But it may become slightly cheaper to buy AMD's fastest integrated Radeon GPUs.
Dell Brings Back XPS Laptops As Top Executive Says PC Unit Got ‘Off Course’
Dell Technologies Inc. is bringing back its well-regarded XPS laptop brand after discontinuing it last year, as a top executive said the PC business had “gotten a bit off course.”
Science Escapes Largest Cuts in Latest Budget Bills
Today, top appropriators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives released a three-bill appropriations package for fiscal year 2026 (FY26) that largely rejects drastic cuts to federal science budgets that President Trump proposed last year.
Covenant Health patient data breach numbers skyrocket
According to a revised breach notification, the provider sent out an additional 470,000 letters for a ransomware attack initially reported last year as affecting upwards of 8,000 individuals.
Rapid reaction: Prioritizing health for playoffs, Packers now get ‘clean slate’
Last year’s Week 18 weighed heavily in decision-making process
Fires damaged their Hampton Roads businesses. Here’s how they recovered.
Fires damaged or destroyed hundreds of businesses and homes across the Hampton Roads region last year. Chef and owner Eric Nelson has spent much of the past year rebuilding. “They had to take it down to basically nothing,” said Nelson, who has operated Crudo Nudo for more than eight years.
Wellness trends worth taking into the new year (and some that aren't)
We reported on all sorts of products and practices promising to make you healthy last year. Here are the ones that stood up to science, and those that were mostly hype.
The Pope, the Super Bowl and YouTube influencers: The wildest sports bets in 2025
You win some, you lose some ... or you win a lot, lose a lot. Inside the craziest bets the books saw last year.
UFC On Paramount+ Launch ‘Already Better Than ESPN’
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) officially launched its new interface and library on Paramount+ this weekend and fight fans are having a field day. In case you didn’t know, UFC on ESPN is no longer a thing. The premier MMA organization struck a massive $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+ last year to begin streaming fights, live […]
GCW's Brett Lauderdale Offers Health Update On Nick Gage Following Rehab
Brett Lauderdale has provided an update on Nick Gage's health and recovery after he checked into treatment last year.
‘We were missing in the conversation’: how Zack Polanski hit on plan to beat Reform at their own game
This time last year Polanski was barely known outside the party. Now he’s hoping for success at May’s local elections - by taking a page from Nigel Farage’s playbook
Small business owner shares how Trump's tariffs affected sales
President Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs on Chinese imports affected many U.S. businesses last year. We check in with one small business owner to ask what the year and holiday season were like.
Tipster reveals 10 spectacular upgrades for the Galaxy S26 Ultra
The top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be much improved over last year's model.
Report: Tennessee business tax revenue jumped 29% amid fewer refunds in 2025
Tennessee collected far more money from business taxes last year — but state financial records show the jump had less to do with a booming economy and more to d
2026 state politics preview, History of midwest farming, Best bagels in Wisconsin
We look back at the top stories in state politics from last year and preview what’s to come in 2026. We also learn how the Midwest became the world’s agricultural […]
Your Cells Are Always Building A Whole New You | Science Friday
In the last year, you’ve basically replaced your body weight in new cells. So yes, it’s a new year, new you. To ring in 2026, we’re talking about starting anew, and drawing inspiratio...
Knicks Bulletin: ‘That’s not the mentality to have’
The Knicks decided it was better to finish 2025 on a losing note, so karma balances out in 2026 and they can win the championship. One step backwards, two steps forward. Here’s some old stuff from last year. Mike Brown On Landry Shamet’s defensive value and skill set: “Shamet and McBride are our best on-ball […]
Duke Health, WakeMed doctors report increase in flu cases
Flu cases at Duke Health more than doubled in a single week. A Duke Health doctor noted that a lower vaccination rate is contributing to a more severe season than last year.
Duke Health sees flu cases double in past week, spike in pediatric illnesses
Flu cases at Duke Health more than doubled in a single week. A Duke Health doctor noted that a lower vaccination rate is contributing to a more severe season than last year.
IRS hands workers bigger tax break for business expenses in 2026
Gig workers get a tax break with higher mileage rates for 2026. The IRS increased business driving deductions to 72.5 cents per mile from last year.
Health insurance enrollment on Colorado’s marketplace running even with last year, even with subsidies slated to expire
Health insurance enrollment on Connect for Health Colorado, the state-run marketplace, is running nearly even with last year, even with federal subsidies slated to expire in January. As of Dec. 23, 256,422 Coloradans had enrolled...
Health insurance enrollment on Colorado’s marketplace running even with last year, even with subsidies slated to expire
Health insurance enrollment on Connect for Health Colorado, the state-run marketplace, is running nearly even with last year, even with federal subsidies slated to expire in January. As of Dec. 23, 256,422 Coloradans had enrolled...
In memoriam: The sports figures, locally and nationally, we lost in 2025
A look back at the sports personalities who died over the last year.
Even 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' can't lift 2025 box office out of pandemic-crisis doldrums
After a roller coaster year, the domestic box office is expected to finish only marginally better than last year and remains down more than 20% from pre-pandemic levels.
Politics were predictably unpredictable
We asked a handful of geopolitical questions last year. It wasn’t your strongest subject.
St. Armands Circle businesses get a boost in sales from holiday shoppers
The Giving Tree owner says they tripled their sales for the month of December this year compared to December last year.
ETF race hits $1T at record speed with more gains coming
Money is flowing into ETFs so fast this year that the industry hit $1 trillion in October, months ahead of last year's pace, as gold, bonds and crypto lure investor dollars.
Donald Trump Gets Lowest Kennedy Center Honors Ratings Ever: Report
Despite Trump’s boasts, the broadcast’s ratings reportedly dropped 35 percent from last year’s record low.
Donald Trump Gets Lowest Kennedy Center Honors Ratings Ever: Report
Despite Trump’s boasts, the broadcast’s ratings reportedly dropped 35 percent from last year’s record low.
Parkrun hopes to beat festive record
Last year, about 1,000 people took part in Worcester Parkrun hon Christmas Day.
Health insurance sign-ups in Colorado are running even with last year, despite loss of big federal subsidies
Sign-ups through the Connect for Health Colorado insurance exchange are just slightly ahead of last year's pace, despite expiring subsidies.
Boston issues flu warning amid dramatic spike in cases
Boston health officials issued a flu warning on Tuesday amid a dramatic spike in cases in the city. The City of Boston and the Boston Public Health Commission said in a release that flu cases are surging earlier this year than they did last year, with a recent 114% increase in cases. They said flu related emergency department visits are…
Report: Live Entertainment Spending Surges
Tennesseans spent $47 per capita on live entertainment last year.
I sold my home and moved to Europe at 55. I'm not living my dream life yet, but it's better than working my life away in the US.
Natalie Lynch moved from San Francisco to Europe with her dog last year. She told BI that her life isn't perfect, but it's better than in the US.
Countries across the world have faced this polarizing debate. Now it’s America’s turn
The Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices last year famously immunized President Donald Trump against criminal prosecution for his official actions. But the ruling did not extend the same protection to the people who work for him in government.
Scientists found climate change hidden in old military air samples
Old military air samples turned out to be a treasure trove of biological DNA, allowing scientists to track moss spores over 35 years. The results show mosses now release spores up to a month earlier than in the 1990s. Even more surprising, the timing depends more on last year’s climate than current spring conditions. It’s a striking example of how fast ecosystems are adjusting to a warming world.
At Turning Point’s annual gathering, young conservatives fret about the future
The mood at AmericaFest is unsettled as many of the promises Trump made to the group last year — including “lower prices,” an end to foreign wars and “generational change” — have yet to materialize.
Where Americans want the government to focus in 2026, according to a new AP-NORC poll
A new AP-NORC poll finds that Americans are more likely to prioritize health care than they were last year.
CNBC's Official College Sports Valuations 2025: Top 75 athletic programs
The programs are worth a combined $51.22 billion, 13% more than the top 75 in last year's rankings.
News Analysis: Trump's math problem: Rising prices, falling approval ratings
Rising prices have given President Trump a major political problem: Many of the voters who backed him last year are losing faith.
Video game hardware sales had a historically bad November in the US
Call of Duty sold less than last year, too.
Game Awards 2025 Set New Record, Delivering Whopping 171 Million Livestreams Worldwide
The 2025 Game Awards show again set new viewership records with an estimated 171 million global livestreams of the full broadcast, up 11% from last year.
A new era for sports communication at UNC Hussman | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
As director of UNC Hussman’s Sports Communication Focus Program, Distinguished Associate Professor of Sports Communication Livis Freeman is building on the work of the school’s legendary Distinguished Professor for Sports Communication John Sweeney. Sweeney, who retired last year, developed one of the most respected sports communication programs in the country. Freeman, now in his 12th year at the school, is launching an ambitious expansion of the program that is transforming how UNC prepares students for careers in sports media. The most visible change came this fall with a reimagining of “MEJO 377: Sports Communication.” Previously offered as two sections with 30 students each, the course expanded to 96 students and welcomed former UNC basketball star and NBA veteran Tyler Hansbrough as the co-instructor with Freeman, bringing real world professional experience directly into the classroom every week. The course has been a huge success. Students have participated in recording a podcast with Hansbrough and learned from an impressive lineup of guest speakers. Steve Kirschner, UNC’s senior associate director of athletics for communications, was the first in the course’s guest speaker series, followed by UNC Hussman alumni including Kaitlyn Schmidt ’23 from Bleacher Report, Deaton Bell ’90 from Turner Sports and Becca Royer ’19 from the Philadelphia 76ers. Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, also shared his insights with the class. The highlight of the semester came when Roy Williams, who coached Hansbrough and the Tar Heels to a national championship in 2009, visited the classroom. Former UNC men’s basketball players Luke Maye and Marcus Ginyard showed up to support their former coach and Hansbrough, creating an unforgettable experience as Williams entertained students with stories and insights that captivated the room. Student demand has been overwhelming. The course reached capacity within two days of registration opening, with more than 40 students on the waitlist. “Students want to learn from people who have actually lived these experiences,” Freeman said. “Tyler shares insights into media relations, broadcast production and athlete communications that you simply can’t get from a textbook.” The model proved so successful that the school secured funding to continue it for the next five years, with a different former professional athlete co-teaching each fall. The school’s curriculum committee approved a proposal to expand the course to 150 to 200 students starting in fall 2026. This change will make it an introductory course accessible to students from across the University, transforming it into a showcase course for the entire campus. The course redesign represents just one piece of a broader sports communication program overhaul. This fall, the curriculum committee approved “MEJO 390: Sports Play by Play,” the first course of its kind at UNC. Limited to 10 advanced students, the course will be taught by Matt Krause, the current voice of UNC women’s basketball and an ACC Network broadcaster. Students will call actual games across multiple sports including women’s softball, soccer, volleyball, field hockey and lacrosse, as well as men’s soccer and lacrosse. They will also shadow broadcasts of men’s and women’s basketball games. “The sports broadcasting industry is exploding with streaming platforms and conference networks creating unprecedented demand,” Freeman said. The course emerged directly from student advocacy, led by Anna Laible ’26 and others who pushed for hands-on broadcasting experience. Professional equipment has been acquired, partnerships with UNC Athletics are in place and a soft launch began this semester with three experienced students calling games to test the system. The program’s growth extends into other specialized areas as well. Last spring, Stembler Professor Charlie Tuggle launched a new sports event management and hospitality course in partnership with On Location, a company that manages major sporting event experiences. The course provided students with opportunities to travel to the Super Bowl and NFL Draft, and Tuggle plans to take a group to the 2026 Milan Olympics this spring. Looking ahead to spring 2026, Associate Professor Ryan Thornburg will debut a sports data visualization course, adding another dimension to the program’s skill-building offerings. The curriculum expansion reflects the increasingly diverse career paths available in sports media, from traditional journalism and broadcasting to digital analytics and strategic communication. The program is also diving into one of college athletics’ most transformative developments: Name, Image and Likeness rights. Freeman’s “MEJO 466: Sports Marketing” class collaborated last spring with Associate Professor Gary Kayye’s “MEJO 371: Advertising Creative” class on a project with UNC’s Carolina NIL group to help rebrand their organization. That same semester, Kayye’s class envisioned Chapel Thrill, UNC football’s new pregame concert and entertainment experience. And Shaun Anderson, the school’s Knight Chair in Sports, Race and Media, continues to explore the broader implications of NIL through his research and teaching. These NIL-focused initiatives give students direct exposure to the business side of college athletics at a moment when the landscape is rapidly evolving. “Our students aren’t just learning about these changes,” Freeman said. “They’re actively helping shape how schools and athletes navigate them.” The transformation of UNC Hussman’s sports communication program reflects a broader philosophy about how to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing industry. By bringing in professional practitioners like Hansbrough and Krause, partnering with industry leaders like On Location and ACC Network, and engaging with current issues like NIL, the program ensures students graduate with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. For alumni who remember the foundations John Sweeney built, the expansion represents an evolution rather than a departure. The program still emphasizes strong reporting, strategic communication, ethical communication and critical thinking. But now it also offers students the chance to call live games, work on real NIL campaigns and learn directly from former professional athletes. “We’re not just teaching students about sports media,” Freeman said. “We’re giving them the tools, experiences and connections to actually build careers in it.” With new courses launching, professional partnerships deepening and enrollment expanding, UNC Hussman’s sports communication program is positioning itself as a national leader in preparing the next generation of sports media professionals. For current students, the message is clear: if you’re interested in sports communication, there’s never been a better time to be at UNC Hussman. And for the hundreds of students trying to get off waitlists and into these new courses, the school is working to create more opportunities. The program John Sweeney built is growing in ways that honor his legacy while meeting the demands of a new era in sports media.
Employer health insurance costs reach record highs in Oregon
In Oregon, the average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health insurance climbed to $24,688 last year.
Robinhood Expands Sports Betting Via Prediction Markets
Since the end of last year, 11 billion event contracts have been traded on Robinhood’s platform which allows investors to wager on sports, politics, and other categories.