the HOT List

Yes, video screens are coming to cars, trucks, SUVs and other vehicles as autonomy is predicted to increase in the coming years. That's why Sinclair Broadcast Group is pioneering an infotainment product that directly leverages the power behind NEXTGEN TV.

Just-released data from Kagan, the media research unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence, show broadcast deal volume in the third quarter of 2022 was largely fueled not by the TV market but instead by the radio market.

With the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act's omission from a Congressional omnibus bill, there will likely be no legislative action during this Congressional session. At the same time, the much-ballyhooed but lightly supported American Music Fairness Act, introduced by now-retired Democratic House Member Ted Deutch of Florida, appears to have also met its end.

In July 2021 Nexstar Media Group filed an 11-page complaint in a New York court it says it was "forced" to do because Comcast "flouted the terms" of their retransmission consent agreement and "refused to pay millions of dollars in fees owed to Nexstar.” Now, 17 months later and rather quietly, "Nexstar recently settled outstanding litigation involving Comcast," with word shared only Tuesday by Nexstar.

As a "blackout" of Cox stations on Dish began in late November, one accusation of CMG from Dish was particularly fiery and involved TEGNA. Was Dish accurate in its version of the retrans impasse? Yes, it seems. Standard General says no CMG stations will be included in TEGNA retrans negotiations. Even so, the ATVA, of which Dish is a member, wants the deal killed.

Legendary radio personality and programmer Scott Shannon and co-host Patty Steele hosted their final show for Audacy Corp.'s Classic Hits WCBS-FM in New York on Friday, concluding an 8 1/2 year run that came after Shannon's first "retirement," from former Hot Adult Contemporary WPLJ. The focus was on fundraising and supporting a children's hospital, and not on their exit.

On Tuesday, it appeared that the latest retransmission consent dispute was all but ready to rear its ugly head, resulting in a "blackout" of such stations as WPXI-11 in Pittsburgh and WFXT-25 in Boston. As daylight came on Friday, so did an announcement from Cox Media Group media relations: A new deal has been reached with a regional MVPD with a footprint in two of its markets.

The E.W. Scripps Co. on Thursday confirmed the launch of a new division to be named Scripps Sports. Chosen to lead the new division is the individual who has led the Local Media arm of Scripps for 13 years.

On December 20, 2021, the company's shares, traded on the NYSE, reached $17.70 per share. By mid-July, FUBO had fallen to just above $2.50 per share. Now, fuboTV stock is at a fresh all-time low, as investors reacted to news from the company that it has been the victim of a cyberattack.

A longtime Univision Radio executive has accepted the newly created role of VP/GM for Salem Media Group's soon-to-be-acquired AM radio stations in Miami. They'll compete against the likes of her former employer's AMs on target for purchase by Latino Media Network, in addition to Spanish-language spoken word leader Actualidad Radio and conservative-leading "Caracol 1260" in a crowded marketplace. 

The owner of a pair of radio stations and their respective FM translators is retiring at the end of 2022. A local buyer is being sought. If unsuccessful, they'll be silenced, with paperwork submitted at the FCC signaling their formal demise.

Castelli Media, led by Vince Castelli, has been actively engaged in transactions involving low-power TV stations. The same can be said of the licensee funded and backed by company chairman Manoj Bhargava, the creator of 5-hour ENERGY, and led by CEO Vince Bodiford. Now, both organizations have come together and agreed to a deal. But, which entity is the buyer? 

Nexstar Media Group's NBC affiliate serving Georgia's Coastal Empire is warning viewers of a possible "black out" due to retransmission consent negotiations between the TV station owner and the provider. It's a scenario playing out in other markets where Xfinity and Nexstar have a presence.

Once every U.S. market gets NEXTGEN TV, could it be too late? While that's perhaps an outlandish question to some in broadcast television, news from the U.K. that all TV output will be available exclusively online within the next 10 years or so is a startling reminder that 6G discussions are already underway in Washington, D.C. — and that the next iteration of wireless technology could hurry the obsolesce of broadcast signals.

With the voluntary rollout of ATSC 3.0 and NEXTGEN TV, the desire to have a digital UHF facility, which provides better market coverage than a VHF channel, is more important than ever. That explains why Gray Television seeks FCC approval to shift two of its stations in the Lone Star State to more optimal UHF channels.