the HOT List

Once again, President/CEO David Field and CFO Rich Schmaeling declined to host a quarterly earnings call. Instead, the company's Q3 results were shared via a press release that yields details on another disappointing three-month period for the company formerly known as Entercom.

While Townsquare Media's earnings are fueled by digital growth, iHeartMedia, the nation's largest owner of AM and FM properties, also enjoyed strong digital audio revenue in Q3. Podcast revenue was particularly noteworthy.  That said, Multiplatform Group revenue remains the bulk of iHeart's total dollars, and the growth struggle will likely be a key focal point of iHeart's C-Suite as 2024 arrives.

Broadcast groups and their local-level station leadership are both on full alert as they await uncertain outcomes from Capitol Hill and the FCC on potentially major rulemaking and law changes. A panel at Forecast 2024 will examine what's at stake for Radio and TV, and what the key concerns are for the industry.

The biggest takeaway from Disney's fiscal Q4 2023 earnings report is how the company's Linear Networks are performing when compared to the company's Direct-to-Consumer arm. For the quarter ended September 30, D2C revenue grew by 12%. By comparison, Linear Networks revenue fell by 9%.

The fate of The CW Network's availability in the Motor City has been put into question once again, as the owner of the station that pulled the network over an alleged non-payment — a property poised to become a Nexstar-controlled UHF — is demanding the TV station owner that on Monday said it would happily pick up affiliation refrain from doing so.

For Gray Television, local advertising is healthy. Automotive is roaring back. As such, Core Advertising rose year-over-year in the third quarter and is trending upward in Q4, too. But, did Gray meet street forecasts with its revenue and earnings per share?

The owner of more broadcast TV stations than any other U.S. company did not meet analysts' estimates on revenue. That said, 2024 looks to be robust for Nexstar, as company founder and CEO Perry Sook spoke positively of how "recently negotiated distribution contracts" will benefit Nexstar starting with Q4, along with big political dollars.

Just how much of a dip Radio and TV broadcasting companies would see has now emerged as the bigger question. For TEGNA, the third quarter saw revenue that came in under the consensus estimates of Wall Street analysts.

Digital Networks LLC has been actively lighting up low-power television stations across the U.S. The latest station to see the arrival of all five digital multicast channels from Digital Networks' parent Get After It Media is a property serving a dual-city metropolitan area hugging the Red River.

On October 31, it became known that Kevin Adell, in protest of regulatory inaction of his sale of WADL-38 to Mission Broadcasting, yanked the station's affiliation of The CW Network. Next Monday, the Nexstar Media Group-owned broadcast network will make its return to the Motor City. It's thanks to an agreement with The E.W. Scripps Co.

Don't think for a minute that the absence of over-the-air TV channels on Dish's lineups isn't a big deal. Pay TV subscriber rolls dipped in Q3, leading to a surprise loss in the quarter. If that wasn't enough, Dish's Chief Executive Officer revealed he's stepping down as part of a planned merger with EchoStar. Investors revolted.

As Vince Bodiford sees it, the deal that brings the companies together allows Arena Group Holdings and Bridge Media Networks to "fully harness the potential of strong media brands, audience engagement and multiple platforms anchored in the digital, print and broadcasting spaces."

There are plenty of positive takeaways from The E.W. Scripps Co., as its third quarter EPS and revenue each surpassed the consensus estimate provided by Wall Street analysts. Investors responded positively, with Scripps shares soaring in Friday's trading. Yet, Q4 projections remain shaky — even as key ad categories including Auto are on the rise.

For Paramount President/CEO Bob Bakish, the company continued to "prioritize prudent investment in streaming while maximizing the earnings of our traditional business." Yet, the company that owns CBS News & Stations on Friday reported Q3 earnings that can't hide revenue declines at its far-biggest dollar generation unit: TV Media.

FOX Corporation on Thursday released its financial results for the first quarter of its 2024 fiscal year. On first glance, the big takeaway is that a soft advertising market is impacting its revenue. However, a closer look at the company's fiscal health report indicates that higher expenses are the culprit for a quarter that could have been better, and perhaps worse.