the HOT List

On Thursday morning, the owner of broadcast TV stations, two digital multicast networks, a podcast network and Connected TV/OTT advertising platform Premion "updated" its share repurchasing plan, renewed in December 2020. How so? It is accelerating the repurchase of shares, and it is "driven by accelerated achievement" of TEGNA's leverage target.

Philip Falcone's re-emergence as the CEO of Sovryn Holdings, following his not-so-savory split with HC2 Holdings in 2020, has captured headlines across 2021. Under his leadership, HC2 was a buyer. Now, Sovryn is shaping up to be an acquisition player, too. Falcone has just signed off on paperwork that will bring him a Big Apple low-power TV property.

The FCC has quietly released its Fifth Report on the ownership of broadcast media stations in the U.S. The latest findings led Commissioner Geoffrey Starks to react. In his view, the data only strengthen the need for action on the "lack of progress" toward increasing the number of owners who are women and/or people of color.

The Media Bureau of the FCC wants to know just how accessible children's educational and informational programming is. The reaction from GOP members of the Commission, and perhaps Republicans in Congress, could be fiery. The Pai Commission largely ruled that such programming is widely available, nixing rules for commercial TV.

If it were up to the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB), zero amendments should be made as part of the FCC’s 2018 Quadrennial Review of its broadcast ownership rules. This presents a direct challenge to positions taken by a group of nine radio broadcasting companies and the view of the NAB, setting up a possible intra-industry battle on a fiery issue.

No less than nine radio station licensees, along with a very well-known broker, have teamed up in offering joint comments that reiterates what many in the industry have desired for years: "modernization" of its cross-ownership rules.

The decision comes less than 48 hours after a New York Federal District Court declined to honor Locast's request for summary judgment in a case focused on copyright infringement brought against the operation by the nation's "Big Four" broadcast TV networks.

It was only a matter of time. The Media Rating Council on Wednesday saw its Board of Directors vote in favor of a suspension of the MRC's accreditation of Nielsen's national television service. It is also removing the current accreditation hiatus status designation from Nielsen's Local People Meter and Set Meter Markets and will suspend accreditation for these markets.

As the "American Music Fairness Act" withers away in the U.S. House of Representatives, the NAB-based "Local Radio Freedom Act" — the non-binding resolution opposing "any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations — has gained even more support. As of August 30, 12 Members have added their support, including a key GOP House E&C Member.

Today, not only is the management at WPLG-10 in Miami breathing a sigh of relief, but its hefty legal fees are now poised to be paid for by the Miami Gardens, Fla., pastor that sued the station for $50 million.

Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) has submitted its second quarter 2021 financial results to the Securities and Exchange Commission. What does the company majority-controlled by Raúl Alarcón Jr. have to report for the three-month period ending June 30?

The initial draft of the Commission's "MD Docket No. 21-190," known as the "Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2021," raised the ire of many broadcast media companies. They argued that any increase in fees paid was unacceptable given the fiscal challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has brought. The Commission has responded accordingly.

A new Wells Fargo report gives linear media companies a big boost, while lowering expectations for the software industry. Given the bank's stature on Wall Street and its track record in covering publicly traded radio and TV companies, the report has much merit — and provides media executives with further ammo in their fight against local digital.

Nexstar Media Group and SportsGrid Inc., a streaming video network that provides coverage of sports betting, are partnering via a multi-year agreement to launch “SportsGrid Network.” It bills itself as the nation’s first-ever "diginet" devoted to sports wagering and fantasy sports. Beginning September 1, SportsGrid Network will be distributed in nine major U.S. markets.

In February, the 12-year-old Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) took to Zoom and conducted the first of its two virtual sessions comprising the 10th annual Cross-Platform Video Measurement & Data Summit. Six months later, we’re pleased to be checking in with Managing Director and CEO Jane Clarke in this must-listen RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. LISTEN HERE