the HOT List

DirecTV's feud against The Walt Disney Co. over a fair retransmission consent accord to replace the five-year deal that expired on September 1 has been taken up another notch by the direct broadcast satellite company. It now says a temporary restoration of all Disney channels through September 16 has been nixed by the ABC Owned Stations parent.

First, it was Dave Lougee, who relinquished his role as President/CEO and as a company director on August 12. Now, the SVP of News at TEGNA has announced that she, too, will be retiring.  It marks the end of a 22-year run at the company formerly known as Gannett Broadcasting who has led TEGNA's news team since 2014.

Just in time for the start next week of Hispanic Heritage Month, Nielsen has released a new study that uncovers "a major shift in U.S. sports culture." It is being driven, it concludes, "by the growing influence of Hispanic audiences — an often underrepresented yet incredibly powerful demographic."

One of the most well-known television journalists in the Spanish-speaking world, an anchor of Noticias Univision for years, will be leaving the Miami-headquartered TelevisaUnivision family at the end of 2024, following the U.S. presidential election. What's next for Jorge Ramos?

The Media Bureau of the FCC has gone ahead and established a window of opportunity for the public to chime in on the proposed transaction that will make the parent of CBS News & Stations wholly owned by Skydance Media, following its purchase of National Amusement, Inc., from Shari Redstone.

Nearly two years ago, the FCC handed Sinclair Broadcast Group and a host of its shared services partners, including Cunningham Broadcasting, a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in the millions of dollars for apparent FCC violations of its Children’s TV programming rules. Now, the Commission has affirmed the huge fine over GOP objections.

Two weeks ago, it became known that Bally Sports Southwest will not be the home of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks for the 2024-2025 season. On Friday, the team owned by Miriam Adelson and led by CEO Cynt Marshall revealed who its new TV partner will be.

What sets Nexstar Media Group apart from its peers in the television broadcasting space? With a stock price that far exceeds that of other over-the-air station licensees, founder and CEO Perry Sook and Chief Financial Officer Lee Ann Gliha had much to tout during a "fireside chat" held Wednesday during the Citi 2024 Global TMT Conference.

"We're improving digital FM radio service." That's how FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel posits a coming vote by all five Commissioners at the September Open Meeting on a plan that would streamline the process for allowing digital transmissions at different power levels on the upper and lower digital sidebands.

Brian Wieser of Madison and Wall has unveiled its latest U.S. ad forecast. He finds "a much stronger than expected" growth rate for advertising — ex-political — is being seen domestically thus far in the second quarter. But, where do broadcast radio and television stand?

One of the most recognized advocates for broadcast television advertising has announced that she will retire at the end of 2024, concluding a 24-year tenure at the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).

He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer for Entravision Communications, the multimedia company rooted in U.S. Hispanic media that's expanded its holdings to become a global digital advertising solutions entity. Now, he's taken a similar role at one of the business units of Allen Media Group.

In May 2020, he was named President/GM of the ABC Owned Television Stations' property serving Central California. Now, he's been tapped to succeed Wendy Granato in Houston.

Nexstar, via its legal counsel at Wiley Law, says a proposed fine of $720,000 for alleged "good faith" negotiation violations in its carriage fee consent talks with Hawaiian Telcom should be rescinded. Why? The Supreme Court of the United States' recent decisions erasing "Chevron deference" dictate so.

At 7pm Eastern on Sunday, one of the fiercest carriage agreement battles in recent memory began. It pits DirectTV against The Walt Disney Co. It's a war that could go on for weeks, or months, as the battleground has evolved significantly since their last retransmission consent agreement was finalized in 2019.