the HOT List

In the eyes of a key DirecTV leader, the migration of live pro sports games from regional sports networks to over-the-air broadcasters "may not be such a good thing for the American people." Robert Thun offered those remarks at a Wednesday Congressional hearing also attended by the head of Scripps Sports.

He's stated on multiple occasions that he seeks to own the largest collection of broadcast television stations in the U.S. Now, Byron Allen has made a bid for a significant interest in the owner of CBS News & Stations. While there's been much press on the subject, AMG is saying little about the bid.

The owner of broadcast TV stations and the new Assembly studio and media production hub in Doraville, Ga., also shared a positive update on its Q4 2023 guidance with improved low-end estimates. Additionally, Gray revealed it expects to earn hundreds of millions of dollars through the sale of BMI, Inc.

As former FCC General Counsel and current Wiley co-chair of its Issues & Appeals practice Tom Johnson sees it, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions could impact the FCC’s enforcement work — including potential reforms that the Commission could consider to its current processes.

Newly released data from Nielsen suggest original programming isn't as popular as acquired shows — presenting a fresh concern for a platform rapidly evolving to include advertising ... and more programs that are purchased, rather than produced.

A veteran Hispanic market media executive who today is the longtime leader of Telemundo Puerto Rico has been selected to serve in the bigger role of President of Telemundo Station Group. He takes a role last held by Manuel Martinez, who retired in 2023.

The rapidly growing all-news network led by CEO and Head of Media for Bridge Media Network Vince Bodiford is entering market No. 59. How is it doing it? By acquiring a low-power facility licensed to the town of Greenwich that uses a large AT&T tower located in New Scotland, N.Y.

The broadcast TV station owner under majority control of Apollo Global Management is warning its viewers that one of the nation's two direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service providers is planning to drop its stations from local channel lineups. Call it a preemptive advisory that suggests a retransmission consent impasse could be just days away — again.

North Carolina's broadcast stations could be in for a windfall of new ad revenue, as the State Lottery Commission has confirmed that approved, licensed sports wagering operators will be able to begin accepting online wagers in the state in a matter of weeks.

Fabrice Polynice, the long-time operator of an unlicensed FM radio station at 90.1 MHz based in North Miami, Fla., has received a multimillion-dollar fine from the FCC under its "PIRATE Act" authority for the continued broadcasts of the pirate operation. It is one of five proposed fines.

"Appeal No. 23-1787," the second argument heard on Wednesday morning by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago, could give Indiana broadcast television station owner DuJuan McCoy a renewed racial discrimination fight against both DirecTV and Dish.

The owner of a low-power TV station serving New Haven, Conn., has petitioned the D.C. Federal Appeals Court in a move that seeks to stay, and reverse, the FCC's unanimous decision to sign the "Low Power Protection Act" into law. Despite its name, the LPPA has its detractors — including the LPTVBA.

Mission Broadcasting has finally reached a new accord — for now — with direct broadcast satellite service Dish. It ends a 12-month impasse that prevented Dish, by law, from providing its paying subscribers access to the stations.

Iconic attorney Floyd Abrams has voluntarily spoken out against WTXF-TV's license renewal on the grounds "that the application of WTXF for license renewal may well turn out to be one of the most significant ones that the Commission has ever issued and that it will inevitably have a significant First Amendment impact."

For 22 years, he was the anchor of CBS Sunday Morning and also served as the host of the  long-running radio vignette The Osgood File. Now, many have paused to pay tribute to Charles Osgood, who has died of dementia at the age of 91.