Radio & Television Business Report

Advertising has entered the artificial intelligence age in a whole new way, thanks to a partnership between NBCUniversal and Comcast's FreeWheel unit; independent agency RPA; and Newton Research. With the four entities working together, one can now buy "premium video" using agentic AI across both linear and digital platforms.

The Video Advertising Bureau is recommending the choice of either "Households" or "Persons 2+" as new co-standards for video audience guarantees. The recommended move "evolves the legacy buy/sell practice of guarantees on narrower, linear-TV-centric standards such as Adults 25-54," says the VAB.

A group of subscribers to Charter's Spectrum MVPD have filed a class action complaint with a U.S. District Court seeking a jury trial on the grounds that the company engaged in unfair competition, violation of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and fraud. Why? They say a "Broadcast TV Surcharge" is unlawful.

Gray Media claims the nation's TV networks are engaged in bargaining tactics that result in them retaining sole authority over the affiliates’ relationship with vMVPDs – either de facto or de jure. As such, "they are a method of undue interference with a local broadcaster’s right to control distribution of its signal."

The last day of 2025 also served as the final day interested parties could submit comments to the FCC in regard to Media Bureau docket No. 25-331, which seeks insight into whether or not TEGNA should be acquired by Nexstar Media Group. Among the groups chiming in are organization dead-set against the deal.

The Copyright Royalty Judges have confirmed that they've started three proceedings that will eventually determine "reasonable rates and terms" for the use of sound recordings — including how much satellite radio service provider Sirius XM and public broadcasting entities will be asked to fork over between 2028 and 2032.

FM Broadcast Auction 109 is now complete, and as a result the Table of FM Allotments maintained by the FCC needed an edit. That's just transpired, with a Commission Order amending the table to remove vacant FM frequencies auctioned off. 

She's been associated with Beasley Media Group in a key revenue-focused C-Suite role. Now, she's working alongside Connoisseur Media head Jeff Warshaw as a Senior Vice President for the Western Region, taking a particular focus on the privately held company's Northern California broadcast assets.

Nearly fifty years ago, an upstart FM radio station with a huge promotional budget was sold to a Cleveland-headquartered operation co-owned by Norm Wain and Bob Weiss. In October 2020, Wain died at the age of 92. Now, Weiss has passed away, his son — newly retired from Urban One/Raleigh — confirms.

The distinctive radio play-by-play announcer of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Florida State Seminoles — a member of the inaugural 2024 class of the Florida Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame — is retiring from his role with the National Football League franchise's audio broadcasts. 

A federal judge has granted Cumulus Media a sweeping preliminary injunction against Nielsen’s contested radio ratings policies, sharply curtailing how the ratings provider can price and sell its national product while the antitrust case proceeds.

The partnership will allow Weigel Broadcasting Co. to provide programming across several of its digital multicast networks in 2026. Already, Weigel's Start TV network has added HMPG series "Journey with Dylan Dreyer" and "Recipe Rehab with Evette Rios" to the lineup.

As the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority, or "A3SA," sees it, we live in an era when content providers are under continual threat from piracy. That's what led a pair of electronics manufacturers to develop Home Gateway content viewing options for NEXTGEN TV consumers that wish to watch "free secure broadcast NEXTGEN TV signals" throughout the home.

The fitness industry is positioned for "significant expansion" in 2026, with health clubs projected to grow 8%.  What does this mean for audio advertising? "This surge creates a compelling opportunity," declares MCCG Invest, a part of The Media Audit.

Roku has signed an agreement that allows it to use iSpot’s "Outcomes at Scale" product for the explicit intention of optimizing off outcomes. As Roku sees it, the bigger partnership with iSpot can help brands achieve "more accountable, performance-focused campaign results on the Roku platform."

With a focus on high-impact and investigative reporting, the awards honor work from television stations, networks, radio and podcasts, visual media, online media outlets, independent producers, newspapers and other print publications.