the HOT List

Like other radio station licensees, Golden Isles Broadcasting has something to say to the FCC regarding its 2018 Quadrennial Regulatory Review of Commission broadcast media ownership rules.  That said, the licensee's head -- noted media broker Eddie Esserman -- tells RBR+TVBR he believes his Reply Comments in M.B. Docket No 18-349 raise a new question.

A deal between Entravision and Univision that's been talked about for six months will soon come to fruition in Orlando. What's perhaps a surprise is that the two companies have signed off on a similar arrangement that hands Univision control of both of its over-the-air TV networks in nearby Tampa, and in the Washington, D.C., market come January 1.

For the first time, direct mail is forecast to not be the top media advertising platform, starting in 2022. Overtaking the tried-and-true yet fuzzy ROI solution for businesses big and small: Mobile, newly released data from BIA Advisory Services show.

What's going on at the FCC? Who will the official Chair of the agency be? President Biden hasn't made a move, and it's perplexing to many in Washington — including noted attorney Frank Montero of Fletcher Heald & Hildreth. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Montero offers a preview of a Forecast 2022 session poised to be a riveting one.

The parties involved in the transfer of control of the three former FMs licensed to Royce International Broadcasting Corp. met last week by video conference with the Media Bureau Chief, and the two key leaders in the Audio Division. Why? They, along with the judge overseeing the court-ordered sale of the stations to VCY America, want the Media Bureau to approve the deal already.

The much anticipated Fall 2021 edition of the Radio + Television Business Report's quarterly magazine is NOW AVAILABLE via digital PDF download to all subscribers. It's the exclusive home to this year's Top Local TV Leaders rankings, based on reader nominations; important media technology company updates; and exclusive TV sales salary survey findings.

The "New Jersey News Network," operating on co-channel signals covering Northern New Jersey and the five boroughs of the City of New York, is being sold. Who's the buyer? Look no further than Norman Shapiro.

Is deregulation the deal ignitor needed for radio? Are over-leveraged, revenue-challenged media properties particularly vulnerable, and acquisition targets of cash-rich enterprises? The conversation is poised to continue at a Forecast 2022 session that's worthy of every broadcast leader's presence — and perhaps a financier or broker, too. 

With more years of data to glean from, Media Staffing Network has tracked trends and can offer television station owners and managers valuable insights — information that can empower them to budget accordingly. The report's highlights can be found within the RBR+TVBR Fall 2021 Special Report. The full report has now been released by MSN.

The latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm, expands on the Radio + Television Business Report’s coverage on October 6 of how a radio or television company should act when one of its high-profile employees becomes the subject of allegations that not only harm the individual, but could also damage the station they are associated with. LISTEN HERE

Yet another battle royale over retransmission consent fees has started. This time, it involves one of the nation's two direct broadcast satellite (DBS) companies and the company that Standard General, headed by Soo Kim, and Apollo Global Management seek to own.

Serious allegations against a high-profile on-air personality at a radio or TV can create myriad concerns for the individual being targeted by their accuser. It can also present a host of challenges for the employer of the person being accused. What's a manager to do if a situation mirroring that of Hubbard Broadcasting in Chicago surfaced at their stations?

Monday's big service outages for social media giants Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are tied to a denial of service (DNS) issue. It's not a cybercrime, but it is a huge threat to broadcast TV and radio. How can one prevent it? Cyber security expert Steve Morgan's upcoming Forecast 2022 appearance couldn't be more timely to tackle the subject.

Given the average price of a TV equipped with NEXTGEN TV capabilities, we just had to catch up with Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle. Are consumers really coughing up more than $1,000 for a new set, and at an impressive rate of new TV set sales? Schelle shares all in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

The technological advantages HD Radio can bring to an AM radio station hasn't stopped licensees from turning in their licenses for forlorn stations in the kHz band. Saga Communications did so last week. Now, another licensee has done so, in Portland, Ore.