the HOT List

As attorneys from Brooks Pierce and Cooley LLP representing all four network TV affiliate groups state, "Even if that subscriber leaves cable or satellite for a virtual MVPD provider, the broadcaster’s revenue suffers because of the below-market economics of the vMVPD opt-in paradigm." 

For decades, advertisers had to choose between TV's scale and digital's precision. Not anymore, say Viamedia and Hearst Television, as they have teamed to bring to market "true household-level addressability for broadcast television for the first time."

The Acting Chief of the FCC's Media Bureau has dismissed a Petition for Special Relief filed by "a number of former FCC officials" and a notable hopeful who requested the Commission “repeal its news distortion policy in full.” The reason is a simple one for Alex Sanjenis.

It's a direct result of ongoing litigation between DirecTV and state attorneys general and TEGNA and its owner, Nexstar Media Group, designed to prevent Nexstar from fully merging TEGNA's assets with its own: CEO Patrick Paolini has promoted four individuals to TEGNA's newly refreshed executive leadership team.

In a move designed to "modernize and future-proof" content distribution and contribution across more than 330 member stations, PBS has signed an agreement with LTN making the IP-based video transport and network firm its in-the-cloud video provider.

Danlel Suhr and the Center for American Rights are single-handedly responsible for investigations into "news distortion" and a review of whether or not long-running ABC roundtable talk show "The View" is a bona fide news program. CAR has told the Carr Commission it is clearly not news.

"Our goal is to move the market beyond isolated agent announcements and toward a common foundation for trusted agent-to-agent media buying.," WPP Media shared in a lengthy announcement distributed on Thursday.

Steve Wexler and Dave Magnum were joined by Woodward Community Media's Director of Broadcast and a now-retired iHeartMedia Wisconsin Metro President as this year's inductees into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. The four were feted at a Thursday night affair in Lake Geneva, Wisc.

The Commission has once again denied a petition filed by direct broadcast satellite (DBS) provider DirecTV that would have put a stop to the transfer of control of a Michigan TV station, creating a duopoly in the Traverse City, Mich., DMA. DirecTV has been seeking to put a stop to these deals as part of an anti-carriage fee fight.

Two years ago, Norsan Media expanded beyond its historical footprint of the Southeastern U.S. in a significant way in Austin. Now, Norsan is getting a big, heritage full-market FM signal to add to its holdings serving Texas' state capital.

With the integration of Financial Executives International sessions at its annual conference in May, the Media Financial Management association and its soon-to-retire President/CEO opened the door to greater synergies between MFM and FEI. Now, a merger of the two organizations has been OK'd by the MFM Board of Directors.

In April 2018, the Chief Information and Technology Officer for Time Inc., exited the company following its acquisition by Meredith Corp. and joined TEGNA Inc. as its Chief Technology Officer. Now, under newly minted CEO Patrick Paolini, the "hold separate" unit of Nexstar Media Group has elevated this senior-level executive to an executive role.

Fox Corporation has shared that it intends to acquire Nasdaq-traded Roku Inc. A definitive agreement will see FOX purchase Roku for $160 per share in a combination of cash and FOX Class A common stock, valuing Roku at approximately $22 billion in enterprise value.

All eyes are on California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has expressed his interest in seeking court action to prevent Paramount Skydance from merging its just-acquired assets with Warner Bros Discovery. It would replicate a "hold separate" order issued to Nexstar preventing it from fully merging with TEGNA.

A Senate Democrat representing the State of Oregon has joined Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz in introducing legislation that would allow Americans to sue federal officials for violating the First Amendment when they coerce social media companies, AI platforms, or broadcasters to change or take down protected speech.