LRFA Support Continues To Grow. Is The ‘Fairness’ Bill A Flop?
To date, the proposed "American Music Fairness Act" has the support of six co-sponsors. They all gave their yea nod to the bill on the day it was introduced. No other House members have joined them. Instead, a resolution in both chambers of Congress has only been fortified.
Congress’ Next Act: ‘Local Journalism Sustainability’?
Three Democratic Senators on Thursday teamed together to introduce legislation that, if passed, would help financially support local news organizations through tax credits to incentivize hiring more journalists, subscriptions, and advertising from local small businesses. The NAB's soon-to-retire President/CEO applauded their action.
Locast Comes To The ‘Burgh, Its 35th DMA
Despite efforts in court to squelch the donation-based, IP-distributed "free" TV service, Locast has just entered its 35th market. It brings stations owned by Hearst Television, ViacomCBS, Cox Media Group, The E.W. Scripps Co., Sinclair Broadcast Group and public broadcasting giant WQED to those in Western Pennsylvania's biggest market.
BIA Revises Its U.S. Local Ad Forecast Upward
BIA Advisory Services has revised upward its 2021 forecasts for U.S. Local Advertising Revenues by 3.9% from its November 2020 estimates. The projection is split between traditional and digital media. But, it shows that the divide is narrowing, BIA notes.
Cox Media Group’s Digital Dollar Solution: An Amazon Pact
As many radio industry executives struggle with ways to combat local digital's nonstop suction of dollars from AM and FM radio stations, Cox Media Group has opted to link up with Amazon Advertising as part of a Local Solutions plan to bring advertisers a 360-degree consumer touchpoint option.
A Retrans Impasse Impacts Sinclair
For three weeks, Suddenlink customers in the Greenville-New Bern, N.C., area have been unable to tune to the market's ABC affiliate. The reason? A retransmission consent agreement expired June 30, and there's no new deal in place. The station's owner, Sinclair Broadcast Group, now says there likely won't be one — period.
An Analyst’s Magnified Concerns For Netflix
Conventional wisdom, in the words of MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson, calls for "a massive reacceleration in subscriber growth starting in Q4," flowing into 2022 with some 28 million new Netflix subscribers. But, what if that conventional wisdom is wrong, Nathanson asks.
With House OK, Senate Passage Of Media Diversity Bill Needed
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed five communications and technology bills. Among the legislation approved: the MEDIA Diversity Act of 2021. House Members also passed a non-binding resolution reaffirming Congress's commitment to media diversity. It's now up to the Senate, and its Republican members, to say OK to the legislation.
Introducing Gray TV’s New No. 3 Institutional Shareholder
According to a newly made SEC filing, there's a Michigan-based institutional investor that now holds 5.2% of the publicly traded shares associated with Gray Television. What do we know about this holder, MBX Capital LLC? It's controlled by an Indian-American billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The InFOCUS Podcast: Anne Schelle, Pearl TV
In this edition of the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle shares new details about the pace of the rollouts, and the increase of ATSC 3.0 signals in the Phoenix Model Market. LISTEN HERE
Nexstar’s Next Option: An RGV Duopoly in Texas
Nexstar is agreeing to proceed with an option to purchase another station in Texas. With the FCC's approval, the nation's largest broadcast TV company would have a duopoly in the Rio Grande Valley, converting a services agreement to outright ownership.
House E&C Committee Reviews ‘Growing Threat of Ransomware’
It greatly impacted the operations and streaming capabilities of Cox Media Group stations. Ransomware attacks have become the latest criminal scourge to impact not just individuals, but broadcast media companies too. Now, Congress has taken the first steps toward stopping "digital thieves."
New C-Suite Roster For Future Televisa-Univision Revealed
The executives selected to drive Univision Holdings Inc.’s next phase of transformation and "execute the vision for the future combined company of Televisa-Univision" once the multinational mega-merger closes have been revealed by Univision CEO Wade Davis.
With C-Suite Adjustment, Univision Tweaks its TV Networks Group
C-Suite executives selected to drive Univision’s next phase of transformation and “execute the vision for the future combined company of Televisa-Univision” aren't the only changes in the works once the multinational mega-merger closes later this autumn. Univision's news department is getting a new President, effective August 1.
NewsNation Further Evolves With Fall Programming Expansion
As autumn readies its arrival, the winds are blowing in two more high-profile telejournalists at NewsNation, which saw the mid-May arrival of Michael Corn as President of News. One of the new faces on NewsNation will take a time slot given two weeks ago to another program, which will shift to a different time slot come late September.