the HOT List

On Feb. 2, a put-and-call agreement giving Cumulus Media ownership of WKQX-FM “Q101” and WLUP-FM in Chicago was terminated. On Tuesday at 8:45pm Eastern, Cumulus reached a new deal that will give it Q101 after all. Even more, Cumulus will gain the intellectual property of the former WLUP-FM. We've got the deal price, and we also know there's "termination rights" that could still derail the transaction.

Mike Hulvey will work with longtime industry figure Erica Farber to ensure “a smooth and successful transition during the next few months;” her last day with the RAB will be April 30, 2024.

Nielsen shares have lost approximately 12.9% in the past 12 months, with a noticeable decline for the audience measurement company's stock seen since September 2016. A five-year low was seen on April 2. This could be matched, or surpassed, soon as Nielsen shares tumbled by 7% on Thursday, following the company's release of a subpar Q1 earnings report.

The FCC has moved ahead with the issuance of a NPRM that would require notification to the Commission when a "blackout" of a broadcast television station occurs on a MVPD for 24 hours or more due to a breakdown in retransmission consent negotiations between broadcasters and MVPDs. The NPRM got a "yes" vote from one Republican Commissioner. But, his vote comes with reservations.

With spin-off deals in place and under Commission review, the FCC on Monday opted to establish a firm comment period on its consideration of Sinclair Broadcast Group's proposed merger with Tribune Media. Based on what was shared, this puts the final date for public input on the controversial deal in mid-July.

For the past five years, Jim Howard has served in the role of chief executive of Marketron, known for its broadcast media ad revenue management products. Now, he will shift back to the role of Board Chair as Jimshade Chaudhari takes the CEO post. Concurrently, Marketron REV has been sold.

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.

As the clock struck midnight Saturday, CMG was already on the offensive, noting how the direct broadcast satellite provider “already dropped hundreds of stations over the last few months,” and that “this latest drop is a continuation of its ongoing mission against local journalism.”

In a vote that was largely anticipated, the FCC on Thursday voted 3-1 to launch a proceeding to seek comment on proposed revisions to its children's television programming, or "KidVid," rules.

The NAB and HD Radio parent Xperi Corp. earlier this month submitted a "Petition for Clarification" with the FCC's Media Bureau in response to an "ambiguity" they discovered in a proposed rulemaking that would change the way a radio station determines if it can boost its HD Radio power.

"Have you ever wondered how radio, television and other media outlets decide what shows to broadcast or to cancel?" That's the opening pitch in a letter randomly received last week at a Florida household from Nielsen. Here's the scoop on how the nation's dominant audience measurement company seeks PPM panelists.

On October 10, the Raúl Alarcón Jr.-led Spanish Broadcasting System filed a lawsuit against a Texas entrepreneur who agreed to expand his website to broadcast television through the acquisition of Mega TV, only to fail to meet its payment obligations. A settlement has now been reached.

The global home audio market continues to grow with no signs of it stopping. According to a Future Consulting report, the global home audio market's hardware shipments increased by 23 percent in 2017 with its revenues performing well, too, passing its barrier for the first time.

A collection of the nation's top TV station owners have come together to lead "a collective venture that will revolutionize over-the-air television audience measurement." They claim it will also expedite the deployment of "innovative applications by broadcasters."

Don't think for a minute that Entercom Communications lacks the scalability of a Hispanic media giant such as Univision. The same can be said for Comcast's NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprises and its Telemundo broadcast television network.