the HOT List

Spurring growth in the relatively flat radio industry is a priority for owners and operators. Could subcap relief from the FCC provide the spark station owners seek? Would such action, and/or the post-Chapter 11 reorganization of Cumulus Media and iHeartMedia, serve as a catalyst for attracting new capital to the industry? That was the subject of a Broadcast M&A panel session featuring two top radio industry executives conducted Thursday at the S&P Global Media Intelligence 35th annual Radio & TV Finance Summit.

Should a "next generation ad server" focused on digital audio advertising solutions be part of the long-term growth plan for a radio broadcasting company? One San Francisco Bay Area operation, now owned by Pandora, believes so. RBR+TVBR spoke with AdsWizz VP/Product Erik Barraud to learn more about its programmatic solution for online audio, and why AM and FM stations may wish to follow iHeartMedia and Rogers Media's lead to further monetize their audio streams.

TV retransmission revenue. That was, by far, the hottest topic of discussion across several broadcast industry panels at the S&P Global TV & Radio Finance Summit, held today in New York. S&P Global Market Intelligence Senior Director Robyn Flynn opened the day-long summit by declaring that retrans fees are "bringing stability to TV stations because their revenue is no longer tethered solely to the ups and downs of the advertising market." Correspondent Renee Cassis offers full details here.

Three months ago, word first surfaced around Washington, D.C., that a former attorney at prestigious law firm Williams & Connolly LLP was President Trump's likely pick as the next FCC Commissioner. Late in the evening of June 1, the White House revealed that Geoffrey Starks has indeed been selected to serve on the Commission. Now, the Senate Commerce Committee is gearing up for a hearing on the Trump nominee.

Think Time Warner's combination with AT&T is too much media concentration? Look at what Comcast wants to do: Right after Wednesday's Closing Bell on Wall Street it revealed a "superior all-cash proposal" to acquire Twenty-First Century Fox after the spinoff of "New Fox." This offer trumps that presented to Fox by The Walt Disney Co.

It's a "historic defeat" for the U.S. Department of Justice: Time Warner can merge with AT&T, with zero conditions. Will Tuesday's court decision lead to a new wave of media consolidation, with Sinclair Broadcast Group's still-to-be-approved merger with Tribune Media the first of perhaps many more deals to come? Leading brokers and D.C. attorneys are split on the answer.

Local advertising in Los Angeles will top $9.1 billion in 2018, while statewide spending is expected to exceed $18.8 billion across California’s 12 media markets. Those are the key findings from BIA Advisory Services’ latest local advertising forecast for the Golden State, released ahead of a July 12 presentation.

Did CBS officers and/or directors breach their fiduciary duties to shareholders or otherwise violate state or federal laws for their alleged role in taking a laissez faire attitude to allegations of lewd conduct and sexual harassment by former morning news anchor Charlie Rose? A New Orleans attorney wants an investigation so it can best answer this question.

Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has carved an indelible imprint into the nation's broadcast TV industry. Its stations can be found in practically every market in the U.S.; its programming has served multiple generations of Christians. Now, TBN is officially saying goodbye to four major-market channels in the Midwest, following their stations' successful Auction 1000 participation.

Four months after 11 local broadcast TV stations were removed by law from Charter Spectrum lineups across the U.S. in the absence of a new retransmission fee agreement, the MVPD has restored the channels -- and agreed to a new deal with Northwest Broadcasting.

The seventh and final installment in a limited podcast series focused on the things that could derail a transaction is devoted to the topic of seller's remorse. Plus, what happens when a deal seems all but set, but an unwelcome surprise pops up in the 11th hour? Tackling the two subjects are Community Broadcasters' Jim Leven and Bruce Mittman, noted broker Doug Ferber and a veteran D.C. attorney.

The future of CBS Inc. and kissing cousin Viacom has become a sizzling Manhattan soap opera that's as hot as Friday's weather. In the latest turn of events in a matter that sees CBS trying to stave off a merger with Viacom, it is moving forward with its annual shareholder meeting. The event was originally set for May 18.

Tuesday's top topic of discussion at the 2018 Culture Marketing Council annual conference was the possible acquisition of nearly all of Univision Radio's AMs and FMs by Cumulus Media. Is there a shred of truth to these rumors? RBR+TVBR chatted with a bevy of brokers, several D.C. attorneys and an individual very close to the matter to get the answer.

Of all of the discussions at the 2018 Culture Marketing Council (CMC) annual conference, which concludes tomorrow in Los Angeles, the most intriguing involves one of the nation's biggest Hispanic media companies and the No. 2 radio company by number of stations — an entity that just emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

With an assortment of vintage shows like "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Doctor Who," Luken Communications' Retro TV seeks to connect with a nostalgia-seeking audience. In Chicago, the network returned to local airwaves in January. Now, the station airing Retro TV and a host of multicast channels has been sold to the company that now owns a major Hispanic TV network.