the HOT List

On Monday afternoon, two items were deleted from the agenda for Tuesday's FCC July Open Meeting. One deals with steps to combat contraband wireless devices in correctional facilities. The other eliminates and/or amends "outmoded or unnecessary broadcast technical rules."

More Members of Congress have pledged to refrain from voting for any new "performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge" on local broadcast radio stations.  Their decision further puts the latest attempt by Reps. Ted Deutch and Darrell Issa to "provide fair treatment of radio stations and artists for the use of sound recordings, and for other purposes” in doubt.

A group of minority shareholders in DTV America Corp. has taken another legal action against what it calls "a conglomerate of overlapping entities and their interlocking directors and officers" that presently possess majority control of the entity known for its low-power TV stations. What is that "conglomerate"? It's HC2 Holdings.

Friday, July 16, is the final day one can participate in the second annual Television Sales Compensation Study, presented by RBR+TVBR and Media Staffing Network. Your participation matters, as the 2021 survey includes new questions on building diverse teams, selling podcasts, and how their sales teams fared during the pandemic. TAKE THE SURVEY NOW!

The American Television Alliance (ATVA) has commented on a half-million-dollar-plus Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture handed to Gray Television by the FCC for allegedly violating the Commission's Top Four station rule. In short: The ATVA applauds the proposed fine -- the group's latest swipe at a broadcast TV station owner.

The current ownership of WPIX has come under scrutiny. But, it isn't the Commission that's complaining. Rather, it is one of the largest MVPD operators in the nation — and the owner of two direct competitors to WPIX in the Big Apple. The matter involves retransmission consent fees, and the recent appointment of WPIX's new leader, among other things.

A series of FCC filings made late Tuesday confirm that West Virginia Radio Corp., the entity owned in a partnership between Dale Miller and David and John Raese, is about to get a complexion change in its attributable interest visage. One of these partners is cashing out.

Johnny Green Jr. is being promoted to the top role for ViacomCBS's flagship broadcast TV properties in the Big Apple, now part of a company division that includes CBS News. It follows ViacomCBS's decision to sever its ties with news division leader David Friend, who also ran the New York pair, following tales of gender and racial misconduct.

In just weeks, Texas' oldest licensed broadcast facility will celebrate 100 years of service. At the same time, its entire operations are in jeopardy. What does the future hold for WRR, the Classical station serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market?

It's had a bitter history in recent years with performers union SAG-AFTRA at its two FM radio stations in Los Angeles, with accusations that the company engaged in “a series of unfair labor practices” and by November 2019 had failed to comply in part with a settlement agreement. Now, SAG-AFTRA has been outright decertified at its Chicago FM.

Earlier in the week, it was Little Rock. Now, Central Florida is getting "a taste of the future" as eight Orlando TV stations have banded together to launch NEXTGEN TV in the home of Tomorrowland.

Starting tonight (7/1) at 10pm, a new entrant in the local news war that has been fiercely waging across Western New York for years will arrive. It comes courtesy of Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is launching local news operations at its owned-and-operated FOX affiliate serving Buffalo, Niagara Falls and the Canadian province of Ontario's most populous areas.

ViacomCBS has decided to unify the visual content-focused media company’s domestic and international businesses under what it calls "a simplified global leadership structure." As such, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins are each being promoted as George Cheeks takes on a new, expanded role.

One of the world’s top data, insights and consulting companies has appointed a new Group Chief Executive Officer. But, he won't be taking the role until November 1.

David Santrella, president of Broadcast Media for Salem Media Group, was elected chairman of the NAB Joint Board of Directors, NAB announced today. Santrella takes over from Jordan Wertlieb, president of Hearst Television, Inc., whose term expired.