Radio & Television Business Report

A Commission-hosted database featuring MVPD notifications of a broadcast TV station "blackout" due to a retransmission consent impasse goes beyond the agency's statutory authority. That's what the NAB's Deputy GC for Legal and Regulatory Affairs told an advisor to Nate Simington last week, arguing that the plan should be abandoned.

As September began, Tom Birch's Lakes Media filed a lengthy interference complaint with the FCC regarding his Class C3 FM licensed to Clarksville, Va., claiming a 150-watt FM translator designed to expressly serve the cities of Cary and Raleigh is creating problems. The Commission hasn't yet acted. He wants Jessica Rosenworcel to do something.

The CW Network confirmed late Wednesday that Dennis Miller will be departing as Network President, effective October 31. He will serve in an advisory role through the end of the calendar year, at which time he will no longer be associated with the Nexstar Media Group-controlled operation. Miller has been a member of Nexstar’s Board of Directors for a decade.

Tuesday was the final day of Washington, D.C.-based programming for Sputnik — with programs produced and made by journalists from stateside Sputnik studios coming to an end. Leased airtime on radio stations in Northern Virginia and in Kansas City is believed to be winding down by the end of the week.

In a move former News Initiative Audit Lead Dave Taylor calls one of "authenticity and transparency," The E.W. Scripps Co. President/CEO Adam Symson on Tuesday went to LinkedIn to share why the company he leads made the decisions to abandon Scripps News' 24/7 digital multicast channel and to sell Bounce TV, which serves Black consumers.

In mid-August, Howard Greiner was named Metro President for iHeartMedia in Nashville, leaving Upstate N.Y. Bob Morgan was named its area leader. Now, the Market President for the company's Mid-Hudson Valley and Sussex County stations is adding New York's Capital District to his duties. 

Paperwork has been filed with the FCC that seeks its approval for a legal settlement that sees 50% ownership in a North Texas AM and FM translator serving Hindi-language audiences go to the other 50/50 partner.

Educational Media Foundation, the parent of the two biggest noncommercial Christian music networks in the U.S., is growing again with the proposed acquisition of a Class B facility offering coverage of populous northern San Diego County and the neighboring Temecula Valley.

Cox Media Group, majority-owned by Apollo Global Management, is moving forward with a lender offer that would see it push out its debt by two years. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the plan is that the interest rate will not go up, or down, if debtholders say yes.

After almost 30 years with iHeartMedia and its predecessor company, Clear Channel Communications, Tom McConnell — a Division and Region President who has led several markets for the nation's No. 1 owner of radio stations — is retiring. This will see two company veterans each take Division President roles, as the company prepares for McConnell's formal exit.

It has played an outsized role in the aftermath of the devastation to Asheville, N.C., caused by Hurricane Helene and its remnants between September 27 and 28. On Friday, a Premiere Networks air personality found himself at the iHeartMedia-owned News/Talk radio station, co-hosting his daily syndicated program while raising needed funds for a significant recovery effort.

The NBA franchise owned by Miriam Adelson and family members has successfully secured eight DMAs that will transmit their games produced by TEGNA's North Texas operation on broadcast TV stations in the respective markets. Gray Media, Sinclair Inc. and Nexstar Media Group stations are all in the mix.

Wondering what ratings may look like in the future for viewers that tune to NEXTGEN TV stations using ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast signals that have embraced the Run3TV platform designed to mimic a smart TV app? The first such data is on the way, thanks to a partnership with audience measurement firm TVision.

Despite the challenges and changes of a constantly evolving media environment, small and independently owned broadcast radio and TV stations consistently overdeliver. Want to know how they do it? Join us for Forecast 2025 at the Harvard Club in the City of New York on November 13 for the answers.

A PhD student in the Department of Communication at University of California Santa Barbara, along with her research team, in February 2022 published a scholarly article that examines the role of Radio in a crisis. We are pleased to revisit this piece in the wake of both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2024 takes place during a pivotal U.S. election season. To better understand the sociopolitical concerns of Hispanic consumers of voting age, Horowitz Research has released new findings on consumer attitudes toward news representation on current events.