the HOT List

A new retransmission consent agreement has finally come to fruition for a trio of broadcast TV stations that went dark on GCI systems in Alaska on Jan. 1, 2021.

Effective June 7, the Audacy radio stations serving the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region will have a new Regional VP and Market Manager. It's the result of Audacy's current RVP/Manager in Northern California getting a bump up to a national sales role at the company formerly known as Entercom.

A plan has come to fruition that would see the issuance of senior notes due in eight years, and a series of senior notes due in 10 years, as a way the nation's dominant audience measurement and data analytics company can prepay a series of term loans agreed to in June 2020. Following Monday's market close, pricing was affirmed by Nielsen Holdings plc.

No less than five AM radio stations in the last week have surrendered their respective licenses to the FCC. In one case, the move avoids a license revocation hearing. But, for the other AMs, it is simply a realization that FM and audio streaming are more viable options for local consumers.

It seems the creditors to the regional sports networks owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group that recently took on the Bally Sports brand through a wide-ranging integrated partnership with the gaming company are in the process of signing non-disclosure agreements to start talks on lowering the RSN's $8 billion debt load.

With McDonald's getting much attention for moving forward with "bold new investments to further reflect its diverse customers" and putting 2%-5% more dollars into Black-owned properties over the next five years, Allen Media Group has filed a whopping $10 billion lawsuit against the quick-service restaurant giant for racial discrimination.

Broadcast media company Urban One on Wednesday enjoyed a big day on Wall Street, with a late buying surge sending its stock up by double digits. That bump in value, it turns out, was nothing compared to what was seen on Thursday. Thank McDonald's for a remarkable 59% jump for UONE. A casino deal OK is another huge reason.

McDonald's is moving forward with what it calls "bold new investments to further reflect its diverse customers, crew members and communities in its marketing." It's a four-year effort, and women-owned and LGBTQ+ platforms are also poised to benefit.

Ten free ad-supported streaming television, or "FAST," channels have been added to the Local Now platform recently unveiled by the Byron Allen-controlled Allen Media Group. The FAST offerings come courtesy of a new agreement with The E.W. Scripps Co.

If securing Nick Cannon for two sessions wasn't a sure bet the 2021 NAB Show would be staged as a live event in Las Vegas — the first major industry gathering since NATPE Miami 2020 due to COVID-19 — this is.

Among the media companies making their pitch to media buyers and CMOs on Tuesday was Univision Communications — with an entirely new C-Suite continuing a theme shared earlier this year in a "get to know you" session for the ad-buying community: Come Grow with Us.

What will emerge in mid-2022 as a new Discovery Inc., with WarnerMedia's assets merged into what will be a new company, is poised to surge past the company led by Bob Bakish and ultimately controlled by Shari Redstone and National Amusements, Inc. That's the big take of the big merger from S&P Global Market Intelligence's TV Networks research analyst.

At 7:30am Eastern Monday, the official word came from Dallas and from New York: Another blockbuster media merger had been consummated. Only this time, it involves two major players in a rapidly evolving MVPD arena seeking to remain as relevant in the connected TV world as it has been in the cable universe.

It's hardly a shocker: U.S. consumers who participated in a study for Publicis Media and Verizon Media want streaming options that are less costly. And, they'd not mind if commercial advertising be seen to offset a subscription.

The privately held company focused on superserving Spanish-speaking Hispanic consumers on Friday released its first quarter results. How did the company do in Q1? Adjusted EBITDA was up slightly, while its recently launched PrendeTV over-the-top offering is off to a roaring start.