the HOT List

Commercial radio stations are reliant on paid advertising, and a healthy economy. With Wall Street worried about a devastating second wave of COVID-19 infections, radio industry issues were battered on Friday. However, with minutes to go in the final trading session of October, two companies stick out, in particular, for their flailing five-year stock performance.

The CNN Chief Medical Correspondent will participate in a virtual Forecast LIVE session with veteran radio programming consultant Mike McVay. The interview is scheduled for December 8 and will explore the COVID-19 pandemic from many perspectives — including its medical, social, and economic implications on broadcast media.

How have the past seven months changed or refocused Hispanic media's service to its consumers and its clients? That was the focal point of a discussion among three of Hispanic radio's top executives, led by a former U.S. Senator who now oversees the NAB, as the Hispanic Radio Conference LIVE concluded its five weeks of virtual sessions on Thursday.

Two months in, what can Nexstar President of Networks Sean Compton share about the ambitious launch of NewsNation? What makes it distinct from all of the other news sources available to viewers? These questions, along with reminiscence of his time working with Randy Michaels, are the highlights of the latest RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by Dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

Those are the two key takeaways from a conversation RBR+TVBR had on Wednesday with Fred Kalil, Vice President of leading media brokerage Kalil & Co. From his vantage point, the political ad dollars going to local radio is nothing short of "spectacular." Meanwhile, deal making chatter continues -- and over-the-air TV properties are of particular interest for some.

Broadcasters participating in the Phoenix Model Market launch of next-generation TV service have added the much-heralded Single Frequency Network to the DMA — a move that ATSC 3.0-backer Pearl TV says will give improved reception for viewers while broadening the reach of broadcasters transmitting to NEXTGEN TV sets.

Increased unlicensed wireless operations in so-called television "white spaces" has been given the green light by the FCC. The vote was applauded by the NAB, and received bipartisan support from the Commissioners.

It was a long October Open Meeting for the FCC, heavy on discussions tied to broadband internet and the use of TV white spaces to bring better, faster online connectivity to rural areas of the U.S. Yet, one of the most important advancements in the history of AM radio broadcasting took only minutes to get the Commission's approval.

Global digital ad tech platform LoopMe just surveyed nearly 2,400 Americans about what issues matter to them and their political advertising preferences. The results are particularly interesting for radio and TV station owners and managers, and its the main topic in this freshly produced RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by Dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

The FCC has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if approved, would establish rules requiring specific disclosure requirements for broadcast programming that is paid for, or provided by a foreign government or its representative. It comes following recent actions involving a Mandarin-language service targeting L.A., and Russia-sponsored Sputnik Radio.

Home & Auto insurance brands significantly decreased their TV spend in April and May of this year. Spending recovered by July. But, that's not enough to erase a year-over-year decline for Q2 and Q3 in these related ad categories, new findings from TV data and measurement company Alphonso show.

What is the right path to media ownership and sustainability for a female licensee, or one led by a person of color? That's a question that will be at the heart of an upcoming full-day symposium co-presented by the Access to Capital working group of the FCC's Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment and the Media Bureau. 

Do the sellers of a broadcast media property have an obligation to notify the FCC if they close a sale for a demonstrably lower, or different, price than what was listed in the original APA the FCC granted? It's a question presented to RBR+TVBR by a reader, and we shared it with several esteemed Washington, D.C. communications attorneys. Two responded.

In an internal consolidation move, Nexstar Media Group has confirmed that on November 1, it will combine its two primary operating subsidiaries, creating a new single operating subsidiary. This results in Nexstar Digital President's exit when his contract expires in March 2021.

What have the Chief Financial Officers at some of the nation's top owners of over-the-air stations been doing to help drive a ship that saw smooth sailing through early March and, since then, has been navigating the choppy waters of a COVID-19 pandemic? A NAB Show New York virtual roundtable session offered some insight.