the HOT List

In order to pass muster with the DOJ and FCC, six Quincy Media, Inc., stations will be spun to a third-party in markets where Gray Television already has a presence. These DMAs include Tucson, where the NBC affiliate is poised to see its third owner in three years.

On January 7, Illinois-based broadcast media operation Quincy Media Inc., owner of 24 over-the-air TV stations, confirmed that it was “considering” a sale of all of its assets. Less than one month later, a buyer has emerged. And, it's the entity that successfully merged with Raycom Media just over two years ago.

Less than 24 hours after a major shakeup in its corporate ranks, Univision Communications on January 12 moved forward with its widely discussed plans to launch an advertising-supported streaming service serving Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanics. Now, the company seeks to "accelerate" PrendeTV in the U.S. by buying a big pan-Latin AVOD player.

The continuing saga of the man known for his quixotic quest to annul an Entercom Communications transaction consummated a quarter-century ago, an individual who is losing ownership of all but one of his radio stations, has reached its zenith, thanks to a judge presiding in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

It was hardly expected, considering all of the back and forth rhetoric and typical "it's their fault" statements between a TV station owner and an MVPD in the midst of heated negotiations during a retransmission consent accord impasse. But,  Altice USA-owned Suddenlink on Thursday restored each of the Cox Media Group stations that had blocked from viewers.

From his days in Pittsburgh as a young, up-and-coming programmer from Jackson, Miss., to his most recent role as EVP/Programming for the Carl Parmer-led SummitMedia, Bill Tanner has had a career full of success -- despite some setbacks in both his professional and personal lives. Tanner died late Wednesday at the age of 76.

That's not the only big financial news announced Thursday by the nation's largest owner of broadcast TV stations. Nexstar’s Board of Directors has also OK'd an increase in the company's quarterly cash dividend — a somewhat incredible feat as some radio broadcasting companies saw COVID-19 suspend their dividend altogether.

Just after Midnight on Monday, Alpha Media filed Official Form 201, a Voluntary Petition for Non-Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy with a Virginia Eastern Bankruptcy Court. The case has been assigned to Kevin Huennekens, and the deadline for filing claims has been set for July 26. Who are the biggest creditors Alpha Media, headed by Bob Proffitt, needs to pay?

On December 13, Sirius XM Holdings successfully launched its SXM-7 satellite. In-orbit testing of the satellite began on January 4, 2021. Something went wrong. Now, Sirius XM is assuring consumers and investors that it "does not expect" its satellite radio service to be impacted by "adverse SXM-7 events."

It has been absent from the channel lineup of a small MVPD ensconced within the vast Washington, D.C. DMA since the end of 2018. As of Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, this Nexstar Media Group property once owned by Quorum Broadcasting is back on the lineup.

A decade ago, a majority of Sirius XM's shareholders voted against Leon Black retaining his seat on the Board of Directors. Who knew today that the founder of Apollo Global Management, the majority owner of Cox Media Group, would be facing much wider scorn -- and end up relinquishing control of his private equity firm?

After more than 42 years of serving America from Michigan Avenue and the "Magnificent Mile," a former integral piece of the Tribune Media family is fading to black. Sunday, February 29, is the final day for WGN America. It's part of a bigger plan for the cable network now led by Sean Compton and owned by Nexstar Media Group.

With no immediate impact expected for its radio stations, at least in the short-term, Alpha Media has announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

CMG stations once owned by Brian Brady's Northwest Broadcasting have been blocked from Suddenlink customers due to a retransmisson consent fee impasse entering its third week. Now, the Member of Congress serving Northwest California is ready to take action on Capitol Hill that could help thwart such disputes -- and the consumer harm they create.

Larry King, the famous radio and television talk show host who retired from CNN in fall 2010 yet continued to remain a Talk force across the next decade, has died at the age of 87. CNN reported King's death early Saturday.