the HOT List

With Les Levi as COO and Philip Falcone as CEO, HC2 Holdings has generated buzz in recent years for snatching up TV stations big and small, becoming one of the more active buyers. Now, HC2 is selling a trio of full-power TV stations -- along with a LPTV. The buyer? Look no further than a full-power TV station in the Nashville market that's just been spun by HC2.

Shares of Nielsen Holdings plc stock were on the rise in heavy trading on Monday afternoon (11/2), following the release three days early of the company's third quarter financial results. This was prompted by the Nov. 1 announcement that it is spinning its Global Connect business, to be renamed "Nielsen IQ," along with what it calls its "solid" Q3 performance.

Like a condo association, having reserves in times of fiscal need is important. Otherwise, an assessment could be implemented to help cover costs. With COVID-19 killing the NAB's 2020 conferences across the board, it is now turning to its members to help defray its ongoing efforts to "defend" the radio and TV business.

Upon completion of the transaction, Nielsen Global Connect will be a private company “with the flexibility to continue investing in the development and deployment of leading-edge measurement products and solutions,” Nielsen says.

He's already a familiar face to TV viewers thanks to his role as a mentor on "American Idol" and the winner (with Sharna Burgess) of season 27 of "Dancing With the Stars." Now, iHeartMedia Country radio air personality Bobby Bones -- a New York Times best-selling author, too -- has a deal with the stateside arm of BBC Studios.

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.