Meredith Speaks Up On Local TV Ownership Rule
The FCC's 2018 quadrennial review of its media ownership rules certainly has the entire radio industry's attention. That said, broadcast TV station owners have been vocal in informing the Commission how it should proceed on its Local Television Ownership Rule.
An Apollo Launch For Meredith TV Properties?
A company best known for its female-friendly lifestyle brands and magazine titles is pitching its broadcast TV properties in a manner that echoes what Cox Media Group just did. Company execs aren't talking, suggesting a billion-sale is in the works.
Restructuring Process Complete For iHeart
It's official: iHeartMedia has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, officially reducing its towering debt from $16.1 billion to $5.75 billion. A separation of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings and iHeart has transpired, and an iHeart IPO now awaits.
Lines In The Sand On Radio’s Possible Deregulation
A major tug of war is shaping up between broadcasters in favor of deregulation and those against it, with the NAB and Republican FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly fueling a dramatic loosening of lower ownership caps. Entercom is in this camp. The opposition is building.
As Expected, Entercom Delivers A Strong Q1
No matter how you look at the numbers, investors and industry executives should be very pleased with how the first quarter of 2019 is shaping up for the radio industry's biggest players. On the heels of a largely positive Q1 report card from Beasley, Entercom is glowing.
Media Bureau Sets Pleading Cycle For Nexstar-Tribune Deal
Don't want Nexstar Media Group to proceed with its merger with Tribune Broadcasting? Now is your chance to tell the Media Bureau of the FCC exactly how you feel about a deal that was originally supposed to involve Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Higher Expenses Can’t Deter Q1 Beasley Boost
If there was any blemish on Beasley Broadcast Group's Q1 2019 earnings, released early Monday morning, it was this: Free Cash Flow plummeted and resulted in a loss due to ballooning expenses. Otherwise, Beasley had a strong Q1 as it swung from a quarterly net loss in 2018.
Quadrennial Regulatory Review: 807 Docket Filings And Counting
On February 28, a comment period opened for MB Docket 18-349 that concludes Monday, with reply comments due May 29. With two business days remaining, more than 800 individuals have sent their thoughts on the matter to the FCC -- including Ron Stone.
NAB ‘Corrects’ Erroneous Vacant Channel Claims
The NAB is asking the FCC to consider its input when deciding whether to give TV stations the OK to use vacant channels, where available, to aid in the next-gen broadcast standard transition. In an ex parte filing, NAB nixed arguments made by the Open Technology Institute at New America.
America’s No. 1 Radio Company Slices Its Net Loss
Thanks to its debtor-in-possession status, iHeartMedia won't be holding a conference call with Wall Street analysts to discuss its first quarter results. Instead, it made an SEC filing late Wednesday that paints a solid picture for a company inching closer to exiting Chapter 11.
What’s the Top-Billing Radio Station In America?
For the top 10 billing stations, a few adjustments in rankings occurred in 2018, while Washington, DC all-news station WTOP-FM maintained the top spot. What did the Hubbard Radio all-News giant bill?
FCC Approves iHeart Bankruptcy Plan
The FCC on Wednesday gave its approval of a divestiture plan involving two markets where it will be over Commission ownership limits once a reconstituted iHeart begins operations. When that will occur is now much clearer.
Ex-GSB Attorney Not Liable For 20-Year Old Malpractice Claim
Some 20 years ago, the former owner of a low-power TV station in Atlanta failed to complete a required FCC form. The licensee suffered, or so it claims, and sued D.C. law firm Garvey Schubert Barer. It sought to get a now-former attorney involved in the gaffe involved, but failed.
Gray Green-Lights Opry-powered OTT, Multicast Offering
Thanks to digital technology, over-the-top offerings are all the rage. So, it seems, are digital multicast offerings, as more viewers eschew a big monthly MVPD bill and go with free over-the-air choices. Gray Television is tapping into these dual growth trends by going Country.
Debt Swap For Entercom Comes With Tantalizing Q1 Tease
Why wait a week to let shiny, happy Q1 numbers from Entercom catapult its languishing stock forward? The company late Monday took a moment to share its preliminary Q1 results in an SEC filing confirming the launch of a $300 million debt offering. It worked.