the HOT List

In twin filings made with the FCC, Townsquare Media is picking up a Class A with a tower to just west of Tuscaloosa, Ala. This results in the spin of a Class C2 FM serving the market from the far south. The buyer? Only the No. 2 licensee of radio stations in the U.S., behind iHeart.

Rep. Greg Walden shared his views Tuesday on STELAR, as did the current House E&C Chairman, at a Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on "STELAR Review" and how consumers should be "protected." What did he and Frank Pallone Jr. have to say?

Brian Wieser became well-known as a prolific Senior Analyst at Pivotal Research Group. He's now at GroupM, which has released a report that suggests many in charge of media buying and planning are aligned with Wieser on why TV isn't a great place for their ad dollars.

"Modernizing video laws so that they actually work for consumers" is the key goal of bipartisan legislation that will be drafted with the intent of overhauling "outdated laws" governing the television marketplace. Translation: Retrans fee reform could be on the way.

With WRQX's end, along with that of New York sibling WPLJ-FM, questions abound as to whether any entity other than the stations' buyer could have swooped in to buy the properties. One broker believes the answer in this case is no. The FCC could change this paradigm.

For three generations of radio listeners, WRQX in Washington, D.C., and WPLJ in New York served listeners with rock, then Top 40 and, until 7pm today, Hot Adult Contemporary music. As many bid farewell to the stations, the industry could forever be changed by the stations' sales.

vCreative -- the company known for its software-based workflow systems founded by Jinny Laderer -- has something somewhat surprising to reveal: It's been acquired by a software company that operates under the mantra to "acquire, build and grow great enterprise software businesses."

If it were up to the NAB, one company could theoretically own every AM station in a market of any size. It's also the chief architect behind a plan to allow one entity to own every FM in a market ranked No. 75 and under. The NAB is doubling down on this argument.

While the NAB argues that consumers that subscribe to either DISH or DirecTV should get their closest "local" channel, as technology has rendered The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act obsolete, the ATVA very much feels otherwise.

On May 22, Meruelo Media acquired a radio station serving Southern California that many media brokers and observers long expected. What was unknown until now was just how much -- or how little -- Meruelo is paying for the station. This update reflects new information tied to the purchase price and PP metric of KXOS-FM's purchase by Meruelo Media.

These are challenging times for radio and competition for ad dollars in the digital age is fiercer than ever. And while Entercom may not yet be enjoying gravy days, their last quarterly report is evidence that the company is sticking to a plan and it’s paying off.

It was mid-July 2018 when Nielsen shares were last above $30 a share. Its 1-year target estimate is just under $28, but attempts at reaching this price have consistently fallen short since fall 2018. Now, NLSN opens Tuesday with share prices at a fresh year-to-date low.

Put Tuesday, June 11, on your calendar if the future of the FCC's media ownership rules is of importance to you. That's when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit will conduct a hearing that pits a familiar foe of media consolidation against the Pai Commission.

David Oxenford has become a top voice in D.C. on what broadcast media can -- and cannot do -- following a Supreme Court decision that left the legalization of sports wagering up to state legislatures. He had much to share at the Media Finance Focus conference on the subject.

With its emergence from debtor-in-possession status, Cumulus Media began trading once again on Nasdaq under its "CMLS" symbol, and its stock is just below $19 a share. Now, the company is petitioning the FCC to allow non-citizens to own up to all of its stock.