Radio & Television Business Report

A U.S. District Judge has signed off on an order that presents a small victory to WGA West and a group of state Attorneys General led by California's Rob Bonta, as Paramount Skydance has agreed to hold off closing its proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery until a date that could come as late as June 1, 2027.

Unlike the shift of CBS network affiliations from a host of Nexstar-owned stations to the digital multicast signals associated with stations owned by Forum Communications and Hearst Television, respectively, Gray will place ABC on a DT1 signal. It's presently home to Gray's "Matrix Midwest" Sports offering.

It was the subject of industry rumors that began on Friday. Now, RBR+TVBR has learned that a group of CBS affiliates associated with Nexstar Media Group are losing the network come August 1, with two-year agreements in place with two companies it competes with across the impacted markets.

In September 1994, Gray Media emerged as the buyer of the CBS affiliate serving Lexington, Ky. Today, that facility offers The CW Network to the market via a digital multicast channel. In the coming months, a full-powered UHF will become its sibling, giving Gray a duopoly.

Nexstar Media Group installed a new TEGNA board comprised entirely of Nexstar’s CEO, President, CFO, General Counsel, and the former President of its broadcasting division. DirecTV says that's a problem, as it constitutes a compliance issue with a preliminary injunction issued by a California federal district judge.

Hawaii's new official identification cards didn't pass muster with a pair of Pacific Media Group air personalities at one of its Honolulu radio stations. The result? More than 6,000 signatures have been placed on a Change.org petition they started begging for reconsideration. Honolulu's Mayor says no — so far.

With shares down from nearly $41 CDN per share in early March, stockholders may be pleased in knowing Rogers' Q2 earnings report surpassed the forecasts of Zacks. Still, Rogers Sports + Media continues to face Canadian criticism for its July 7 plug-pulling of every all-News radio station it operated outside of Toronto.

A Class A Radio station that aired a Classic Hits format and served as a "Big" choice for those in Norwich, Groton and New London, Conn., has become the latest station to adopt a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) noncommercial radio format now found in nearly every market in the U.S. 

The proposed acquisition of two FM radio stations serving Lexington-Fayette, Ky., by Lynn Martin through L.M. Communications, would exceed local ownership subcap rules for the market, as L.M. already owns four FMs in the market. Martin is betting that a modernization-minded Commission will allow it.

The nation's largest creator and distributor of audio content will release its second quarter earnings results following the close of U.S. financial markets on the second Monday in August. What's the outlook for iHeartMedia as CFO Mike McGuinness puts the finishing touches on the company's fiscal report card?

It was once an Adult Standards station that over the years shifted to Hot Adult Contemporary programming and entered into a simulcast with a sibling FM serving the growing SanTan Valley of metropolitan Phoenix with a "Hot" brand. Soon, it will be bringing a bit of Good News for evangelical Christians.

In fall 2024, a shift to broadcast TV marked a career pivot, as a 19-year radio industry local management leader joined Sinclair Inc. This saw him become General Sales Manager for its Tallahassee, Fla, stations. Now, he's taken his first-ever General Manager role in television.

Smart TVs are becoming the most influential gatekeepers in entertainment, playing an increasingly important role in how viewers discover and watch content. While that may be upsetting to some in the broadcast TV industry, fresh data conclude that the question, "What good TV shows are you watching?" may soon be less relevant than asking, "What TV set do you own?"

The selection of ARC Software is designed to centralize affiliate research, maintain station and contact information, streamline agreement workflows, and strengthen long-term station relationships across the affiliate network for a faith-based audio content creator and distributor.

“With entries from over 40 countries, New York Festivals TV & Film Awards honors the exceptional and innovative content being created today on all continents and seen across all platforms," said EVP Rose Anderson. "We respect the achievements of the many talented men and women who make up the worldwide creative community."

There are some 68 million Hispanics in the US, but only 5% of ad budgets target this lucrative and trendsetting consumer audience. This was shared across the 2026 Hispanic Radio Conference in Phoenix in late May, and proved to be a passionate topic of discussion on the latest NASBA Broadcast Advocate podcast.