the HOT List

In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Lisa Plaggemier, the interim Executive Director with the National Cybersecurity Alliance, offers important insight and intelligence on how to prevent a ransomware attack at your radio or TV station in an exclusive conversation. LISTEN HERE

"Technical difficulties" were seen at a host of broadcast television stations across the U.S. on Sunday, including a pioneer in broadcast television that was perhaps the first TV station to broadcast in color — WRGB-6 in Schenectady, N.Y. What happened? A SEC filing confirms that Sinclair has suffered a severe ransomware attack.

He's a former senior advisor at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). And, he's eager to learn about the key issues facing broadcast media companies. Republican FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington wants to hear from you. And, you can share your thoughts and desires with him directly — but only at Forecast 2022.

For decades, U.S. Hispanic media leader Univision Communications has maintained a sizable presence in the South Florida city of Doral. However, its corporate headquarters has been in Midtown Manhattan. A change is in the works that would see the C-Suite relocate from New York City to Miami-Dade County's business center.

“In today’s world where radio companies are essentially multimedia companies, the value in attending NAB Show cannot be overstated,” said Dave Santrella, president of Broadcast Media at Salem Media Group and NAB joint board chair.

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