the HOT List

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?

The final three months of 2020 were punishing for iHeartMedia. How exactly was Q4 for the company led by Bob Pittman and Rich Bressler? Net income was down 95% year-over-year as adjusted EBITDA declined by 13%. Despite the rather dour Q4 results, Pittman struck a positive tone on the company's quarterly earnings call held late Thursday.

A dissident investor in HC2 Holdings successfully lobbied for his ouster as CEO. Now, less than a year after his exit, he's reemerged as the head of a new entity that is agreeing to purchase two low-power TV stations serving Los Angeles.

Thanks in part to its ownership of the dominant CBS affiliate serving Georgia's Coastal Empire, WTOC-11, and keeping a watchful eye on expenses, Gray Television enjoyed a 138% year-over-year net income rise as total revenue jumped 37% to $792 million. The bigger news for shareholders: a cash dividend for investors has been approved by Gray's board.

Sinclair Broadcast Group's fourth quarter 2020 performance was good: Earnings per share exceeded Wall Street analyst estimates, while revenue came in line with forecasts.  Why, then, were Sinclair shares down nearly 4% upon the release of the financial report card?