the HOT List

Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) has expressed concerns about a proposed bid by Standard General and Apollo Global Management for TEGNA. His words preceded a lawsuit filed by a TEGNA shareholder who claims the parties seeking regulatory approval of their takeover are full of misleading and false statements.

In late February, word first surfaced that majority control in TEGNA, pending regulatory approval, was to be transferred to a partnership involving Soo Kim and Apollo Global Management. With an enterprise value of $8.6 billion, it's a blockbuster deal. And, it is a transaction the President of The NewsGuild-CWA believes raises "serious questions."

Starting Monday, two Graham Media Group stations will launch an additional hour of their morning local newscasts. However, you won't see them on the stations' over-the-air signals. The newscasts will be offered exclusively on the stations' digital platforms and, namely, their OTT apps.

Low-power TV stations are becoming increasingly popular among the biggest broadcast TV station groups, including Gray Television. Now, the company poised to be led by Deb McDermott as Standard General and Apollo Global Management become owners is grabbing a pair of LPTVs in Hampton Roads.

Ahead of the 2022 NAB Show, which sees Matrix hosting meetings at a suite in the Wynn Las Vegas, "investment and expertise" from no less than three broadcast TV groups and CoxReps has come to fruition.

Cox Media Group has confirmed that it is selling 18 stations across 12 markets to Imagicomm Communications, the owner of general entertainment cable TV network INSP. What does this mean for the stations being sold to an entity founded by Jim Bakker that was a non-profit ministry-focused network from 1991 and 2010?

Nearly two years ago, Elliott Management Group secured an “information sharing and cooperation agreement” with the company it has a big stake in — Nielsen. Now, it could wind up Nielsen's owner, thanks to the surprising acceptance of a second bid it submitted, which Nielsen's board has unanimously approved.

Doris and Monte Miller have commenced a plan designed to ensure the family's media holdings, which date to the 1880s, stay in their hands — unless they choose to sell underperforming assets to pay down debt. Rocking M Media has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection.

Eight days ago, Nielsen Holdings released a statement that made it clear it was firmly rejecting a purchase by a consortium led by shareholder Elliott Management Corp. This seemingly put the kibosh on a report in The Wall Street Journal that negotiations were near their conclusion, and that a deal was imminent. It now seems WSJ was right all along.

In late February, the FCC released a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to Cumulus Media that would see the agency collect $32,000 for EEO-related flubs tied to a group of radio stations it no longer owns. Now, the NAB is coming to the defense of Cumulus. It's petitioned the Commission to eliminate the entire fine.

MAGNA has reduced its domestic 2022 advertising spending growth expectation due to the economic and geopolitical uncertainty. But, media owners’ ad revenues should still grow by 11% this year. This means all is on track to pass the $300 billion milestone.

For the past four years, he's served as Market President and Chief Revenue and Content Officer of a group of radio stations including Country WGNA-FM and Classic Rocker WQBK-FM. Starting April 18, he'll no longer be in New York's Capital District, as he's just been named VP/Operations of one of the radio broadcasting industry's biggest companies.

Its mission is "to inform, engage, educate and connect New Mexico's diverse communities, reflecting their interests and needs through quality programming, services, and online content that can be accessed anytime, anywhere." Now, New Mexico PBS has taken that education pledge one step further.

While interrupted in recent years by the pandemic, this marks the 12th year the ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliate boards have met in conjunction with NAB Show.

Cherry Creek Broadcasting, a small- to-midsize market radio, digital marketing and events company serving markets in the western U.S., in March signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Townsquare Media for $18.75 million.