the HOT List

By law, Dish on January 12 blocked its customers from receiving a group of stations in Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio. It was the latest retransmission fee impasse to surface in recent years. Now, it has ended. But, there's chatter that another carriage dispute has just been resolved, hours before a "blackout" by law was to take place.

The company co-founded by CEO Daniel Barreto has widened its nearly five-year partnership with Hearst Television, giving the broadcast TV station owner's "FAST" live channel content another distribution point.

In the final days of 2020, the FCC approved a request by Univision to accept foreign investment in excess of the 25% benchmark set forth in its regulations. Then, in summer 2021, the company sought the Commission’s OK for two specific non-U.S. based entities to grab a share of Univision ownership. A Declaratory Ruling was released by the Commission on Friday.

A new "virtual Over the Air" streaming service offering a "local broadcast bundle" based on one's location has been brought to market. And, the company offering the service says it is the first and only legal platform seen yet in the United States. We've got the exclusive details on LocalBTV's rollout.

Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of the State of Texas, has a beef with Google. And, it involves air personalities employed by iHeartMedia. The issue: the radio talents endorsed products that, the Lone Star State says, they never, ever used.

After a stint with Dish and Sling after exiting as President/CEO of Fuse TV, Michael Schwimmer is heading back to the U.S. Hispanic market in a big way. 

It's official: Procter & Gamble Co. was the top parent advertiser in the U.S. for the second year in a row, thanks to millions of spots airing on the radio and TV stations and cable TV channels offering local drop-in capabilities across 2021 tracked by iHeartMedia-owned Media Monitors.

Emily Barr has delivered strong results for Graham Media Group’s local television stations, found in Houston, Detroit, San Antonio, Orlando, Jacksonville, and in Roanoke, Va. She’s also become a familiar figure on Capitol Hill, thanks to her role as the NAB’s Television Board Chair. Now, Barr has announced her retirement.

New year, new MVPD impasse. Last week, Dish subscribers across a slew of Midwestern states lost access to local television stations owned by Block Communications. As is the case with such disagreements, both sides are blaming each other.

More business groups are pushing lawmakers to pass a single national standard for consumer privacy. The ANA and IAB are among the groups that want legislation.

Gray Television last week received approval from the FCC to transition a pair of television stations formerly owned by Meredith Corp. from digital VHF to digital UHF signals — shifts that will improve over-the-air reception for each of the properties.

Is Netflix so powerful that it is impervious to anything negative offered by a respected financial analyst? That appeared to be the case on Friday, as shares in the dominant on-demand visual content creator and distributor rose by nearly 3% before cooling off as the Closing Bell approached. The growth came despite a notable investor note of wariness.

For the first time, 16 NBA teams will see their games offered live via over-the-top streaming on an authenticated and direct-to-consumer (DTC) basis. 

NBCU has unveiled its first certified measurement partner, a decision that provides the multimedia giant with an alternative currency for cross platform measurement on its One Platform.

Of the top deals announced in the final month of 2021, an Allen Media Group transaction and a radio transaction involving Craig Karmazin-led Good Karma Brands are among the biggest.  But, neither is on top.