the HOT List

Ten years ago, the then-owner of KRON-4 in San Francisco declared bankruptcy. Today, it in the midst of a ratings comeback, thanks to new initiatives fueled by its current owner, Nexstar Media Group. Now, this Nexstar station is launching "a revolutionary local news and streaming video subscription service."

Can the sale of Revolution 93-5 to a group of Italian citizens led by a longtime star at Mediaset's Radio 105 Network, who aired a show his U.S. company is named after, proceed? An answer has come from Albert Shuldiner, more than a year after the question was put up for public comment.

"Audio is hotter than it has been in decades," says David Field. Entercom's leader believes the company is "well positioned to participate in the growth of the audio sector." Yet, Entercom's top revenue markets once again aren't the nation's top 3-ranked markets. Is this an Entercom issue, or an industry problem?

Entercom head David Field loves his company's Q4 earnings results. Adjusted net income grew significantly. But, that's the result of an impairment loss. There's a good reason why this loss was taken, CFO Rich Schmaeling tells RBR+TVBR in an exclusive conversation that also touches on Entercom's debt.

In Massachusetts, Cumulus will be left with three FMs licensed to Worcester, some 50 miles to the west of Boston Common, once its station swap with Entercom concludes. One of these stations has a signal that has come just shy of reaching all of the market. Thanks to MaxxCasting, full-market coverage now exists.

Sorensen Media cut its teeth by offering technology that "enables the future of television for broadcasters, advertisers, TV manufacturers, and most importantly, the viewers." By the end of 2018, Sorensen was bankrupt, with a court-approved asset sale on the way. Guess who now owns Sorensen? The audience measurement giant that also has a new alliance with The NPD Group -- a major development for marketers and advertisers.

Broker Larry Patrick was asked to respond to an idea floated by one of Cumulus Media's equity holders: Paring most, but not all, of the top 15 markets was better than selling off the lower 25% of its markets. Is this plan in play? Some say yes, and they also believe Cox wants to spin radio clusters.

With a declaration that radio is not dying anytime soon but is "merely evolving," Seeking Alpha says a reconstituted, post-bankruptcy Cumulus is printing dollars. How so? Here's its explanation of why the No. 3 licensee of radio stations is on solid footing, even as it pares down assets.

Following a recent change of residence, our editor-in-chief invested in a $21 digital TV antenna and hooked it up to a television set in his home office. What was the result? He says it's best to perhaps stick with a MVPD if you truly want the TV service everyone deserves -- or, at least an vMVPD.

The digital divide between Americans with and without access to modern broadband networks has narrowed substantially, according to the draft 2019 Broadband Deployment Report, which was circulated by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to his fellow commissioners today.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican from South Carolina, warns that moving to terminate or even sunset the consent decrees without first working with Congress and his committee would be highly detrimental -- even to Radio.

With a water crisis engulfing the Dayton, Ohio area from Valentine's Day afternoon through Friday morning, the powers that be waited until 1pm to deliver the region perhaps its second-most important story of the day: A majority interest in Cox Media Group is being taken by Apollo Global Management.

One year on from the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Florida, the Parents Television Council is calling on Ajit Pai to conduct a review of the 1998 Report and Order establishing the V-chip, TV content ratings system, and the Parental Guidelines Oversight Monitoring Board.

One highly regarded broker is praising Cumulus for getting a $103.5 million deal with the operator of the K-LOVE Christian Pop noncommercial network done. At the same time, one industry observer is simply dumbstruck. Meanwhile, FCC documents show the deal has been in the works for weeks.

As many radio industry executives gather Wednesday in Nashville for the 50th Country Radio Seminar (CRS), all eyes have suddenly turned to New York -- and the market's Country station. That's because Cumulus is selling WNSH and has a deal in place with Entercom. There's more: Cumulus is spinning six more stations — including two crown jewels in the former ABC Radio — to EMF.