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.
Sook: Owning More Is Good For OTA TV’s Future
Perry Sook, the head of Nexstar Media Group, delivered a speech at the latest Media Institute’s Communications Forum in which he discussed the national cap governing ownership of local TV stations, ATSC 3.0's voluntary rollout, and Nexstar's local content commitment.
Nielsen Takes A Stand On Census Citizenship Query
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court begins debate on the topic of including a citizenship question to the decennial U.S. Census. Nielsen typically doesn't get involved in such matters. But, given its strong importance, it says, "we are taking a stand for the good of the overall industry."
Fidelity Communications’ Buyer Gets $1 Billion-plus In Credit
A publicly traded MVPD that is buying Fidelity Communications for $525.9 million through a combination of cash, revolving credit facility capacity and the proceeds of new indebtedness just moved forward on financing the deal by opening a big credit line with J.P. Morgan.
The CW’s New Home In Chicago? The U
In what veteran Windy City media reporter Robert Feder calls a "surprising" move, Weigel Broadcasting's unaffiliated WCIU-26 in Chicago has reached an agreement to become the market's new affiliate of The CW Network.
Delaware Judge OK’s LBI Media BK Exit
A bitter dispute with junior noteholders regarding who the "rightful economic owners" of LBI Media are has come to an end in a Delaware federal bankruptcy court. The company focused on Hispanic consumers saw its Third Amended Plan of Reorganization get the court's approval.
A Mexican Media Giant Wants ‘R’ Texas Stations
Four Texas radio stations in two border markets along the Rio Grande are set to be sold. The proposed buyer? A Houston-based entity that serves as the U.S. subsidiary of a Monterrey-based multimedia giant. As such, the FCC will need to give its foreign ownership OK.
Probed and Revealed: An L.A. Steal, A MVP Swap
To the surprise of no one, Cumulus Media sold KLOS-FM 95.5 in Los Angeles to Meruelo Media. The sale price may have been the most surprising aspect of this deal. Meanwhile, a swap with Connoisseur Media was had, and the agreement shows who brokered the deal.