Friday, July 18, 2025

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House Votes To ‘Claw Back’ CPB Dollars, Erasing NPR, PBS Funding

More than $1 billion of previously approved federal dollars allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will be "clawed back" to the U.S. government, as the House of Representatives — following Senate approval — approved legislation that will also return billions of dollars in foreign aid to the coffers. 

Stephen Colbert Preparing For Final Season On ‘The Late Show’

"This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," CBS was quick to note following the announcement that its 11:30pm Eastern program host will conclude his run at "The Late Show" at the end of the 2025-2026 season. "It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount. "
Patrick Webre

Acting Enforcement Bureau Head Slams ALJ For Fine Deemed Small

Attorney Dan J. Alpert is prepared to submit documentation that Guel is unable to pay a fine of more than $188,000 for flagrant violations of FCC rules. Acting Enforcement Bureau Brief Patrick Webre argues the financial penalty should be sevenfold higher.
Donald Trump

Carr Called Out On ‘News Distortion’ Double Standard

A pair of key Senators are blasting the Carr Commission for a supposed double standard. Why? An interview with then-candidate and former President Donald J. Trump conducted in June 2024 appears to have been edited by FOX News to make him look better ahead of Election Day, say Ed Markey and Chuck Schumer.
Jamie Taylor

Nexstar Sues Ex-Sales Rep For Trademark Infringement

The nation's largest owner of broadcast television stations has taken a former employee to federal court, accusing her of trademark infringement. The matter could find the woman "Cruisin'" down a costly, litigious Connecticut road.
CBS

Key CBS Affiliate Association Leaders Share Skydance Concerns

CBS Television Network Affiliates Association members shared with members of the Media Bureau their unease over the long-pending transfer of control of Paramount Global to Skydance Media. In particular, they advocated that conditions associated with any merger approval order should be designed to strengthen local stations.

Tatjana Deegan

Deegan Expressway: VP/Sales Officially Rises For Audacy/Austin

Since last year, she has been the VP of Sales for Audacy's Austin radio stations and has a quarter-century of sales and leadership experience, largely tied to her 18 years as GSM of crosstown stations linked to Waterloo Media and Emmis. Now, she's formally running Austin's cluster in the Lone Star State's capital.

Audacy All-News Station’s Unionized Journalists Want Safety, AI Protections

Journalists at the all-News station serving the New York Tri-State region owned by Audacy that are members of the Writers Guild of America-East are calling on company management to address staff safety protocols and artificial intelligence protections in a new bargaining agreement made as part of ongoing contract negotiations.
EAS

FCC’s August Open Meeting To Include Major EAS Review

The Chairman of the FCC has shared a preview of what's on the agenda for the agency's August Open Meeting, and it includes a review of the Emergency Alert System. This suggests the Commission is ripe to bring the most significant changes to U.S. emergency communications infrastructure in more than 30 years.

S.F. Bay Area Public Media Giant To Slash Staff

The NPR and PBS giant serving Northern California's biggest population zone has announced that it will move forward with a reduction-in-force initiative resulting in the loss of 45 people. Additionally, 12 individuals have accepted voluntary separation agreements. The result is a 15% staff shrinkage for KQED.

FCC Warns Landowner In Rural Washington State Of Pirate FM

A Notice of Illegal Pirate Radio Broadcasting has been issued to the owners of a ranch nestled along Lake Quinault, adjacent to an Indian Reservation and the Olympic National Forest. It's not a fine, but if the unlicensed FM doesn't get shut down, it could be held liable under the PIRATE Act.
Michael Christenson, CEO of Entravision Communications

A Strategic Amendment Comes To Entravision’s Credit Agreement

Digitally driven and Hispanic market-rooted media company Entravision Communications has entered into "a strategic amendment" to its all-important credit agreement.

Blacksun Swallows A Group of Spearman’s Stations

It's a private equity group based in New York that placed its dollars in enterprises "supporting the future of technology." This includes sectors such as media and entertainment. Now, this entity using rented workspaces at 45 Rockefeller Plaza is seeking the FCC's approval to buy a group of Monte Spearman's radio stations.

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Helping Hands Gets The Call: An Illinois FM Is Theirs

Call Communications has crafted a business built on Christian Rock music, with stations in markets including Miami-Fort Lauderdale. Now, the operation led by President/GM Robert J. Robbins has agreed to sell a facility in the Land of Lincoln.

Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association

CTA’S Shapiro Slams Pearl TV For ‘Outlandish’ Anti-ATSC 3.0 Mandate Claim

Gary Shapiro has rattled radio executives for his opposition to the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. Now, he's irked key TV industry figures seeking a FCC-enforced sunset date of ATSC 1.0 digital broadcast signals — and responded to an "outlandish claim" made by NEXTGEN TV promoter Pearl TV.

Three Gray Media Stations Become Official Volunteers TV Partners

In a deal heralded by the publicly traded broadcast TV station owner, Gray Media has inked a deal with University of Tennessee Athletics and Learfield's "Vol Network." The agreement makes a trio of Gray properties "official television stations" of the Tennessee Volunteers.

Netflix Kills It Again In Q2, With Analysts Gushing Once More

"In the streaming wars, the two big winners — Netflix and YouTube — aren’t competing for a single spot. Instead, they’re playing different games," says MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Rob Fishman. "As Netflix ramps up its advertising revenues combined with underlying strength in the core business, we see a strong runway to drive higher monetization of its engagement."

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‘New Leadership and Strategic Vision’ For MFM

Media Financial Management Association (MFM) has appointed new officers and board members — individuals who will play a critical role in developing the strategic plan and setting the direction for the association now under the leadership of President/CEO Joe Annotti.

What Percentage of Local Ad Buyers Doubt Their Spending Levels?

That's a question being asked by Borrell Associates, and the answer was shared on Thursday by The Center for Sales Strategy's CEO as part of the ad tracking research consultancy's annual "Summer Chart Series," designed to elevate insights into media sales for everyone from a sales associate to the top boss.

Connected TV, AI & Identity: Today’s Marketer Priorities

A global survey of hundreds of marketing professionals reveals a clear shift from experimentation to execution, with Connected TV, AI, and identity as key pillars of growth. That's the key takeaway from Mediaocean's semi-annual Market Report, released on Wednesday.

Trio of Licensees Get License Renewals Thanks To Consent Decrees

The FCC's Media Bureau has entered into three individual Consent Decrees with licensees of broadcast media stations, actions that terminate and resolve "outstanding matters" and grant television license renewal applications.

Endeavor Acquired by Streaming Product Purveyor Deltatre

With offerings targeting media in the digital and OTT space, Deltatre's D3 VOLT, FORGE, AXIS, and DIVA integrated video offerings will now be paired with Endeavor Streaming’s pure-play OTT product, VESPER.

OMG! TNDV Gets Noticed For Exclamation Truck Redesign

Precisely nine years to the date that TNDV’s first 4K-capable truck rolled into service, the entertainment-based mobile and REMI production company has prepared its flagship Exclamation truck for the next phase of its journey.

Colorado Media Center Launches to Foster Broadcast Innovation

The Mountain Media Center seeks to gain a reputation as "the most progressive live production media center in the U.S." How is it readying itself to meet that goal? It is providing customers a complete live production ecosystem in the former Starz Encore building in Centennial, Colo.