Following the closure of CBS News Radio, The ConnectSafely Report, the twice-weekly, one-minute feature on online safety, privacy, security and AI, hosted by veteran technology journalist Larry Magid, is rebuilding its national reach through a growing network of radio affiliates.

Fifteen stations now carry the program, including leading all-news stations in Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (WTOP). Those stations, together with listeners on major podcast platforms, have restored the program’s reach to levels approaching its longtime national distribution while positioning it for continued growth.

The final episode distributed through CBS News Radio aired on May 22, 2026. Just seven days later, The ConnectSafely Report returned through its new independent distribution network without missing a single episode.

The ConnectSafely Report helps listeners understand how technology affects their daily lives. Each one-minute episode provides practical, actionable guidance on topics including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, online privacy, social media and consumer technology, drawing on the expertise of ConnectSafely, the nonprofit organization Magid co-founded to help people navigate the digital world safely, securely and responsibly.

“Despite the demise of CBS News Radio, the ConnectSafely Report is very much alive,” said Magid. “Before launching the report in partnership with CBS News in 2020, I spent more than 20 years as its technology analyst, with daily segments heard nationwide, so naturally I was dismayed when the radio network was shuttered. But here’s the irony: the network may be gone, but the report isn’t. In today’s digital world, you don’t need a traditional network to have a national audience. We’ve built our own distribution system, making the ConnectSafely Report available to stations across the country regardless of affiliation, while also reaching listeners through major podcast platforms. The old network model may be changing, but radio and audio are still very much alive.”

In addition to the twice-weekly ConnectSafely Report, Magid provides participating stations with debriefs, timely sound bites on major online safety stories for use in regular newscasts, and is also available for live interviews.

WTOP’s decision to continue carrying The ConnectSafely Report reflects the program’s longstanding value to listeners.

“Listeners resonate with the content produced by the ConnectSafely team each week,” said Julie Ziegler, Director of News & Programming at WTOP. “Larry and his team help the public navigate the ever-changing world of online safety, privacy and security. For these reasons, it was important that WTOP continue its longstanding partnership with ConnectSafely.”

Magid has spent more than four decades helping consumers understand emerging technology. He served as CBS News’ technology analyst and was heard daily on KCBS Radio in the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years. Starting in 1983, he wrote one of the nation’s first and longest-running nationally syndicated technology columns for the Los Angeles Times, appearing in more than 70 newspapers, including The Washington Post. He has also been a commentator for NPR, a reporter and frequent guest on BBC television and radio, and a contributor to The New York Times, and continues to write a weekly technology column for The Mercury News.

The program frequently features ConnectSafely Education Director and veteran educator Kerry Gallagher, along with occasional guests, including experts from the organization’s long-form Doing Tech Right podcast.

You’ll find links to the ConnectSafely Report and Doing Tech Right at ConnectSafely.org/audio.

Radio stations wishing to carry the ConnectSafely Report or any media interested in interviewing Larry can contact Ryan@bospar.com.

About ConnectSafely

ConnectSafely is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people safely, securely and responsibly navigate the digital world. Through research, educational resources, public outreach and partnerships with technology companies, educators and policymakers, ConnectSafely empowers people of all ages to make informed decisions online. Learn more at ConnectSafely.org.

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