the HOT List

The readers of RBR+TVBR have once again spoken, with nominations for the Broadcast Best Finance Leaders of 2021. It’s a ranked Top 15 list, as it was in 2020, and honors industry professionals who have demonstrated leadership prowess, fiscal skill, and the acknowledged respect of their peers. Who's at No. 1?

In addition to owning over-the-air television stations across the U.S., Gray Television is the parent of video production companies such as Raycom Sports, Tupelo Honey, and RTM Studios. Now, Gray is seeking to better monetize its internal content production portfolio when presenting to CMO, brand managers and advertising agencies.

Even with chip shortages hampering new auto inventory, squelching advertising dollars, Sinclair Broadcast Group is hitting all cylinders. With mid-term political dollars on the horizon and sports betting revenue projected to be significant, Sinclair's chief executive is excited about the "big uplift" that's already underway.

The VAB, the broadcast television industry's sales advocacy organization, has released a White Paper that finds that, based on the input from more than 200 marketers, 92% of these ad budget decisionmakers are adopting audience-based buying — at least to some degree.

An "expansive collaborative effort" is now underway to launch NEXTGEN TV service in the Nation's Capital, and it is calling on the academic resources and tech team of Howard University's public broadcasting TV station in Washington, D.C., to get the ball rolling.

He's been the leader of the company he founded with the purchase of an AM radio station in Secaucus, N.J., in the early 1980s — a property that served as the foundation of Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS). Now, Raúl Alarcón Jr. is handing his Presidential title to the individual that serves as SBS's Chief Operations Officer.

S&P Global Market Intelligence Senior Research Analyst Justin Nielson speaks with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson to offer a preview of the 2021 Kagan Media Summit. You can listen to what he says right now in the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

"As [the] economic recovery is stronger and faster than anticipated in several of the world’s largest ad markets — the U.S., U.K. and China, in particular — and consumption accelerates, brands need to reconnect with consumers," says MAGNA's Vincent Létang. Here in the states, that will yield the highest growth rate for the advertising market since 1981.

You've heard the reports about the demand in the 2021 Upfront season being quite strong. But, there's an ugly truth that MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson can't get past. Starting in 2015, TV ad spend, most likely due to declining cable network impressions, has "decoupled" from U.S. economic growth. The erosion forecast isn't pretty.

Today's sale of several unbuilt LPTV stations by DTV America, controlled by HC2 Holdings, is just one of many seen over the past several weeks. More could be on the way, as the Media Bureau has just issued a reminder to "certain permittees" of new digital LPTV translator stations that their construction deadline is fast approaching.

In a decision that could eventually extend the life of "Franken FM" facilities across the U.S., the FCC has granted Special Temporary Authority for the use of a FM radio signal alongside its ATSC 3.0 TV signal for VHF Channel 6 — thus allowing the low-power facilities to continue operation as an audio-first media entity, for now.

Nearly one year ago, Philip Falcone exited HC2 Holdings Inc. under some not-so-favorable circumstances. Today, HC2 is very much in his past. Falcone is now at the helm of Sovryn Holdings, and its just snagged its latest big-market LPTV property.

Political advertising accounted for $4.4 billion in 2020 to deliver what BIA calls "a softer landing to an otherwise negatively impacted industry." What was the year-over-year dip for core advertising? It was bad. But, it could've been worse.

On August 17, 2017, WAY Media's board chairman announced that, after "an extensive national search," it has found its new Chief Executive Officer. This individual was selected to succeed Bob Augsburg, who founded the Christian broadcast ministry. Now, WAY Media is again faced with a need to find its next top leader.

The lone radio station held by Gray Television has been sold. The buyer? It's a religious noncommercial outfit, marking yet another deal that sees a broadcast ministry snag a FM on the commercial band.