the HOT List

“TikTok plays a growing role in culture around the globe," says WARC Media Head of Content Alex Brownsell, who has released a report that takes a deeper look at the TikTok for the advertising community. The report's release couldn't be more timely, as TikTok's CEO has been summoned to Capitol Hill.

While Audacy surpassed analysts' estimates on Earnings Per Share by 2 cents in Q4, revenue came in shy of their forecasts. In short, Field said to begin his earnings call remarks, "2022 was certainly not the year we expected," noting, "The situation is challenging and we are addressing it with eyes wide open."

Diamond Sports Group is finalizing a Restructuring Support Agreement with holders of a majority of the company’s debt, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, to eliminate more than $8 billion of DSG’s outstanding debt. To implement its restructuring, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection.

In a highly one-sided statement released Tuesday afternoon, direct broadcast satellite company DirecTV "took a stand for its customers" by mounting a legal challenge against what it calls "a conspiracy" among three broadcasters to illegally increase content costs for free over-the-air TV.  The matter involves the No. 1 owner of broadcast television stations in the U.S.

What is TV? And, from that answer, what are the implications for marketers? The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB)'s just-released report "What Is TV? A Modern Look At How Consumers Define TV," gets to the heart of those two questions, offering a comprehensive look at the TV ecosystem, as well as the impact—and opportunities—for marketers.

With "affordable, reliable high-speed broadband" availability in 100% of the U.S. one of its top priorities, the FCC on Monday revealed its FY 2024 budget and personnel amounts it is requesting from the federal government. If the agency led by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel gets its wish, a sizable dollar-infusion increase will be granted.

A "put notice" has been delivered to MGM National Harbor LLC that requires it to purchase 100% of Urban One's interest in the property.  It represents a huge payday for Urban One, which also revealed late Friday that it is unable to file its annual report by the March 16 deadline.

A second bank, located in New York, has been closed by state regulators and placed under FDIC authority. And, like with SVB, all depositors of this institution "will be made whole." It's a financial institution HC2 Holdings did business with under the leadership of former CEO Philip Falcone. 

Silicon Valley Bank, the financial institution owned by SVB Financial Group, which recently bought influential Wall Street advisory firm MoffettNathanson, was closed on Friday by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. It appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver.

SVB MoffettNathanson senior analysts Robert Fishman and Michael Nathanson have analyzed the "stormy relationship" between network affiliates owned by local broadcast TV station groups and vMVPDs. Their assessment: the "mostly peaceful" relationship between networks and affiliates is being disrupted because of vMVPD retrans disputes.

The good Q4 report, combined with a big dividend announcement, sent Townsquare Media shares soaring on a day the radio industry's two largest companies, iHeartMedia and Audacy, each saw concerning drops on Wall Street for their respective shares.

For a small percentage of viewers to the local ABC affiliate, Wednesday evening brought a most unwelcome occurrence — the inability to watch the station. It's the latest retransmission consent accord to go awry, resulting in a "blackout" of a broadcast TV station. This time, it involves Sinclair Broadcast Group.

It was a somewhat good fourth quarter for Salem Media Group, as total revenue surpassed analysts' forecasts but missed Earnings Per Share forecasts. But, what may be a bigger grey cloud for Salem is how the first quarter of 2023 is playing out.

Gray Television has promoted its five Senior Vice Presidents of Local Media to new roles, with each of these individuals now holding the title of Senior Managing Vice President.

With the passage of the Low Power Protection Act, the LPTV Broadcasters Association, founded by longtime entrepreneur "SuperFrank" Copsidas, was hardly pleased. In its view, the exclusion of dozens and dozens of LPTV facilities resulted from the legislation. Now, the LPTVA is "respectfully requesting" the FCC Media Bureau to implement a change that's actually quite significant.