the HOT List

An influential Wall Street blog declares that the company focused on Conservative Talk radio programming and Christian-themed content "is possibly approaching a major achievement in its business." That would be a profit.

So much for that COVID-19 MVPD subscriber bump. Full market estimates from Kagan, the S&P Global Market Intelligence media research group, are out. And ... they're not pretty. Millions of subscriptions by multichannel video services were shed in 2020. As such, the cord-cutting story is real.

The U.S. Senate late Friday approved a budget reconciliation bill that doesn't raise the minimum wage to a statutory $15 per hour and will put an extra $1,400 in the hands of many Americans. The legislation also will direct hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 related emergency assistance to public radio and television stations.

As RBR+TVBR first reported on February 18, Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) not only completed its recapitalization effort and closed its previously announced offering of notes due 2026, but settled a court battle regarding its Series B Preferred Stock. Further details regarding the company's agreements with Series B shareholders are now known.

The multinational company that is the dominant ratings data and consumer research provider to U.S. TV and radio broadcasting and cable companies has completed its sale of Nielsen IQ to affiliates of Advent International, in partnership with James "Jim" Peck.

Sinclair Broadcast Group shares have seen significant share growth since late October, a big boost to investors. Still, Sinclair's fiscal health is far from perfect. That could explain why the Baltimore-based company is engaging in a reduction in force impacting 5% of its employee roster -- including those at its headquarters.

Salem Media Group, the Camarillo, Calif.-based company known for conservative Talk radio stations branded as "The Answer" and a host of sibling radio properties devoted to Christian music and teaching, has successfully turned its financial fortunes from severely shaking to solid and growth-filled. How did Salem accomplish this in the fourth quarter?

Knowledge of trade secrets, and their possible use for technology at another company, is a serious matter. Just ask Cumulus Media's national radio arm Westwood One. On Tuesday, it filed a lawsuit against an operation that provides 24/7 music radio programming with national talent and custom content. Patent infringement is the crux of the matter.

Central Virginia's Classic Rock station, a Class C3 FM with a signal covering the Lynchburg half of the Roanoke market, has been owned by regional licensee Todd P. Robinson's WVJT LLC since August 2012. Now, Robinson is selling the station to a nationally known operator that's also locally based.

On Monday, RBR+TVBR learned that The E.W. Scripps Co. had added their digital multicast networks onto stations it has obtained through its blockbuster acquisition of ION Media. While this immediately created a doubling up of clearance for certain networks, it is now known that it's only temporary. Scripps is launching two new national digital multicast networks.

MobiTV, the pioneering Emeryville, Calif.-based company led by Charlie Nooney, is voluntarily reorganizing by seeking federal bankruptcy protection.

Radio station owners, even with political bumps that bolstered earnings, suffered from steep double-digit revenue and profit dips in Q4. Television station owners, thanks largely to retransmission consent fees and political ad dollars, took to their collective surfboards and collectively rode the high surf caused by COVID-19 across the quarter. Add TEGNA to that list.

Nexstar Media Group President of Broadcasting Tim Busch, a potential nominee for RBR+TVBR's Broadcast Television's Best Leaders of 2021, will retire on June 1, the company has announced.

Townsquare Media's top executives will be participating in upcoming investor conferences. With positive momentum and a good December preview of its Q4 2020 results, a top Wall Street blog believes the company's shares are nearly half of their intrinsic value estimates.

Triton's sale to iHeartMedia marks its exit from the audio business. Its purchase of Ion Media only solidifies its focus on broadcast TV. And, CEO Adam Symson says the transformation of the company makes it "exceptionally positioned for the growth of television." With that, Scripps released its Q4 and year-end 2020 results. How did Scripps do?