Radio & Television Business Report

The single-largest owner of broadcast television stations, which also owns WGN Radio, the NewsNation cable news channel, Capitol Hill-focused news brand The Hill and a majority stake in The CW Network, has decided when it will share its financial results for the second quarter of 2026.

The life of a transmitter is a critical conversation topic one in the C-Suite must have working knowledge of. Nautel Chief Executive Officer Kevin Rodgers is just the person to explain why. In this interview, he outlines the tell-tale signs that it's time for a replacement — and why continued repairs are a dollar-sucker.

On June 23, RBR+TVBR detailed the dismissal by the FCC's Media Bureau of a Petition for Special Relief filed by "a number of former FCC officials" who requested the Commission “repeal its news distortion policy in full.” Now, the lone Democrat on the Commission has spoken out by offering her "dissent" of the decision.

For more than a decade, Gray Media and the former Raycom Media, prior to Raycom's merger with Gray, provided back-office services to five television stations licensed to a company founded in 2003 by Thomas B. Henson. Gray and Raycom also produced local newscasts for four of the stations. Now, Gray is buying them.

A battle that has been waged for more than three years regarding union certification of employees at a CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group appears to be at an end, as a federal appeals court has sided with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — ordering the company to recognize and bargain with NABET-CWA.

A pair of Maryland NPR members are partnering in a way that bridges their news-gathering assets, collectively tapping into their newsrooms while navigating through the fiscal realities of mid-2026. For audiences in the Delmarva region, they'll hear more from Baltimore Public Media, led by Craig Swagler.

A Connoisseur Media FM has been forced to deliver its Classic Alternative programming exclusively via streaming audio since Thursday evening, as a strong July 2 storm sent the station's tower just east of the Fox River in suburban Chicago toppling to the ground.

The change follows requests from College Broadcasters Inc., the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, Native Public Media, the National Congress of American Indians, and the Community Media Assistance Project. The groups cited summer staffing gaps, among other things.

Some 18 months after being handed a Notice of Apparent Liability of Forfeiture and essentially ignoring the proposed financial penalty courtesy of the FCC, a Waterbury, Conn. man found to be a pirate radio operator has received a Forfeiture Order enforcing a $40,000 fine for his actions.

It's a Class C3 radio station that gained attention with Swifties for stunting with an all-Taylor Swift format ahead of her New York nuptials to NFL star Travis Kelce. On the day of the superstar wedding at Madison Square Garden, Beasley Media Group stopped the music by giving birth to a brand new radio station that's all about celebrating.

On February 20, its former owner took the station silent under Special Temporary Authority from the FCC for "technical" reasons. Two months later, this AM radio station licensed for 5kw from a single tower in Omaha was sold. Now, as expected, Walnut Radio LLC has resurrected the station's former branding.

There's a hidden retention challenge impacting the streaming industry, new research from entertainment and technology marketing organization CTAM and Hub Entertainment Research finds. But, it isn't price or content quality that's driving the cancellations.

As of July 13, the Senior VP of Engineering, Operations and Technology position role at FOX Television Stations will be held by an individual who most recently served in a similar role at TEGNA. He succeeds Tim Joyce, who retired at the end of June.

Updated guides providing broadcasters with practical guidance for conducting self-inspections of their stations have been released for AM, FM and both UHF and VHF television stations by the NAB. The guides are a free member benefit to NAB and SBE members.

When it comes to national television spots on broadcast TV, there's one brand that towers over the rest with respect to commitment week in and week out to the medium. For the week ending July 5, this advertiser was linked to nearly 50,000 spots detected by Media Monitors.

New York-based Brand Keys’ 25th annual Most Patriotic Brands survey has arrived just in time for the Memorial Day holiday, and identifies the top 100 brands Americans feel best embody the value of “patriotism.”  At No. 1 is an automotive brand that's neither Ford, which is on the Top 10 list, nor Chevrolet, which is absent.