Main Street USA: A Thriving Home For Radio and TV
Small to mid-sized players continue to enjoy strong cash flow and boast low leverage levels. Forecast 2022 was the exclusive home for a discussion on their current performance, with The Cromwell Group's CEO joined by the owner of WISH-8 and WNDY-TV in Indianapolis, JVC Broadcasting's President/CEO, Lilly Broadcasting's CEO and noted broker and licensee Larry Patrick all participating.
NEXTGEN TV Gets A Holiday Marketing Boost
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Pearl TV — the business organization led by Anne Schelle representing U.S. broadcast television companies — has shared the first images of an upcoming NEXTGEN TV holiday brand marketing campaign. For Pearl TV, the effort is designed to "deepen consumer awareness and engagement."
A ‘Super Session’ Bridging Broadcast Media’s Projections and Visions
For the first time in its 19-year history, Forecast 2022 offered attendees an exclusive series of conversations that encompassed both the radio and television industries. And, welcoming broadcast TV leaders to Forecast was welcomed across the board — in particular by Borrell Associates CEO Gordon Borrell, who moderated an event-closing “Super Session.”
Lifetime Leadership Lauded, As Gordon Smith Says Adieu
The former Republican Senator from Oregon, who has served as the NAB's head since November 2009, received the Radio Ink Lifetime Achievement Award at Forecast 2021, held Tuesday at the Harvard Club. Among those praising Smith: Caroline Beasley and Jordan Wertlieb.
Broadcast Deal Flow: Severe Drought or Deep Freeze?
Is investment in a publicly traded broadcast media company a wise one? Has Wall Street responded to the much-heralded benefits of NEXTGEN TV and the potential nontraditional revenue growth tied to the new ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard? Those are just some of the questions addressed at a Forecast 2022 morning session.
Forecast 2022: A United Front Against Unregulated Competition
"A meeting is only as good as the results it inspires and/or achieves." Those are the words of Streamline Publishing President and Publisher Deborah Parenti as she welcomed a capacity in-person crowd of the broadcast media industry's top leaders at Forecast 2022, held at the Harvard Club in midtown Manhattan.
Sinclair Locks In a New Dish Deal
Three months ago, history was set to repeat itself for Sinclair Broadcast Group and Dish Network — entities that have had less-than-pleasant negotiations over retransmission fee agreements three times in the last decade. That didn't happen, thanks to short-term contract extensions. This morning, the companies ensured any "blackout" won't happen — at least for a few more years.
Gray/Meredith Merger Nears Finish Line With FCC OK
Meredith Corporation's Board of Directors last week signed off on a stock distribution that effectively signals the coming closing of its merger with Gray Television and the immediate spin-off of Meredith's National Media arm to the Barry Diller-fronted IAC. The last necessary task: winning regulatory approval of the deal. That has now transpired.
VAB Report Shows The Pandemic’s Lingering Impacts
As 2021 comes to a close, the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) has taken a look back at TV advertising trends for the first half of the year. What stands out from the VAB's research is the lingering effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the TV advertising landscape.
Are Capitol Hill GOP Leaders Applying a Sohn Block?
Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Democratic Commissioner nominee Gigi Sohn are set to get separate nomination hearings in the U.S. Senate. With Rosenworcel's nomination set for a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday, it's a safe bet that a 2-2 deadlock at the Commission won't change for a while. One key Senate Republican blasted President Biden for selecting Sohn, a "Net Neutrality" promoter.
The InFOCUS Podcast: Jesse Foster
RBR+TVBR is presently welcoming the broadcast technology community to communicate directly with key decision makers across the radio and television businesses in our first-ever Winter 2021 Special Report. With this in mind, we chat with Multidyne executive Jesse Foster to learn more about what lies ahead in 2022 for the company in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. LISTEN HERE
Disney’s Linear Networks Revenue Dips By 4% In Fiscal Q4
Linear Networks revenues at The Walt Disney Co. decreased 4% in the fiscal fourth quarter of 2021, moving to $6.698 billion from $7.012 billion. At the same time, operating income decreased 11% to $1.6 billion. With Disney+ subscriptions well below expectations, Disney shares were down by 7% on Thursday.
Ahead of Forecast 2022, A Final NAB Address
On Tuesday, November 16, attendees of Forecast 2022 will likely enjoy the last-ever public appearance as NAB President/CEO of former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith. Ahead of that discussion, Smith on Wednesday delivered his final State of the Industry Address. Much of what Smith shared was self-reflective, while endorsing LeGeyt as his successor. We've also got all of the Marconi Award winners here!
Gray’s Meredith Merger Date Is Set
Meredith Corporation's Board of Directors on Tuesday signed off on an action that effectively puts the Meredith/Gray Merger Marathon at Mile 26, with the finish line clearly in sight. In fact, Meredith has a date within the next month when it expects the closing to occur.
A Big EPS Miss For Audacy in Q3
While more categories have invested more in advertising with Audacy's on-demand audio offerings and its broadcast radio stations, the struggle is real for the radio station owner and parent of podcast entities Cadence13 and Pineapple Street. The company still registered a net loss in Q3, although a smaller one than one year ago. The problem? Analysts expected earnings per share of $0.09.