the HOT List

Two draft notices of proposed rulemaking involving LPTV stations will be discussed at the FCC's June Open Meeting, and both the LPTVBA and the ATBA believe additional questions should be presented for comment and to solicit feedback from affected licensees.

WARC's latest analysts shows that retail media ad spend is projected to reach $153.3 billion worldwide in 2024. What's fueling the continued growth? "Advances in off-site targeting as commerce data infuses into non-retail environments," WARC says. Yet, Amazon "continues to tighten its grip" on the dollars.

In an intriguing plot twist, the owner of broadcast TV stations that unsuccessfully planned to merge with TEGNA has announced the rollout of a RSN that will become the new home of three Chicago pro sports franchises. 

PJT Partners became known for its role in the Chapter 11 bankruptcies of iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media and, most recently, Audacy Inc. Now, there are fresh rumblings that PJT, which tussled with iHeartMedia in early 2018 over its post-bankruptcy plan, is engaging once again with the company.

On May 1, Local Daily Media's parent agreed to purchase six FM radio stations and an FM translator in a deal agreed upon by the trustee overseeing JAM Media Solutions’ bankruptcy. That Time Brokerage Agreement was tied to an outright purchase. Now, RBR+TVBR has confirmed the deal is dead.

The company founded and led by Raúl Alarcón Jr. late Wednesday filed its Q4 and full-year 2023 earnings. How did SBS do in the final quarter with Chief Financial Officer José Molina, who resigned two weeks after accountancy Crowe LLC was replaced by EisnerAmper LLP?

On Tuesday, the NABLF revealed that Robert De Niro has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Service to America Leadership Award and would be honored at a June 4 event in Washington. One day later, the NAB rescinded the honor, citing "recent high-profile activities" it believes will create "a distraction."

Research fielded online in January finds that Radio is still the most popular audio platform. But the continued popularity of AM/FM comes as consumption of streaming audio services remains heavy. As such, the combined strength of linear and digital audio is the story marketers need to acknowledge.

A new ATSC 3.0 "lighthouse" has been lit, and it will allow those capable of accessing NEXTGEN TV signals on their devices to access live and local channels serving Tucson and Nogales, Ariz., with better sound and improved picture quality.

It's an affiliate of a Sunshine State radio station owner that owns three AMs, two FM translators and four FM stations in Gainesville, Fla. Thanks to a deal brokered by Bob Heymann of Media Services Group, it is adding a low-power television station to the mix.

In mid-March, one of Xperi Inc.'s biggest shareholders criticized the company for a “history of underperformance, poor decision making and reckless capital allocation.” It wanted a change on Xperi's board of directors. Shareholders last week said no to the desires of that rebel investor.

Brendan Carr, in a lengthy statement, said he opposes a "new effort to regulate political speech" ahead of a contentious 2024 U.S. presidential election. Why? The plan will only cover one delivery vehicle for political advertisements, as the FCC does not have authority over streaming media.

Graham Media Group has buyout offers agreed upon with longtime staffers that could impact its flagship station in Detroit as well as its broadcast TV stations in other markets. This week, it became known that the company's stations in Houston and San Antonio will be seeing big staff changes.

While WADL-38 in Mt. Clemens, Mich. will no longer be sold to Mission Broadcasting, many are now wondering what the future holds in the nation's 13th-largest market for The CW Network — which had been poised to shift to the Detroit-market station following its sale.

The Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission has shared with the agency's four Commissioners a draft proposal that, if adopted, would look into whether the FCC should require disclosure when there is AI-generated content in political ads on broadcast radio and television stations.