the HOT List

For the last several years, MVPDs have waged a war against broadcast TV companies wanting higher retrans fees, arguing that it would lead to higher bills to consumers. Absent from those conversations has been the suggestion of a la carte pricing. A newly released report supports that idea, given what's consumed.

Add Gray Television to the list of companies seeking to win over investors who may be a bit skeptical about the mid-term and long-term health of television — especially as some of the most respect analysts continue to predict advertising declines for the next several years.

U.S. television should be gearing up for a significant reduction in inventory over the next four years. That's a "conservative assumption" from Brian Wieser, the noted media industry financial and advertising trends analyst.

Two of the "Big Four" owned-and-operated TV stations, along with the two big PBS Member stations, the Telemundo station, and a largely unknown digital Class C facility, have launched ATSC 3.0-powered broadcasts. But, what about the other stations, which are among the most-watched in the U.S.?

The broadcast media company with a stake in eSports has received written notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market that its Class A common stock has failed to make the minimum bid price requirement necessary to keep it on the exchange.

The nation's largest minority-certified Hispanic multimedia and entertainment company has 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, resulting in the deal's dissolution.

The nation's No. 1 owner of radio stations — including a host of spoken word AMs offering everything from FOX Sports Radio and BIN: Black Information Network to Premiere Network's roster of conservative talk hosts — has told the FCC that it "must do no harm to AM radio" as it is under court order to wrap up its long-overdue 2018 quadrennial review of its rules.

The executive will oversee what the company calls a cross-platform initiative focused on creating partnerships between the company’s influencers, marketers and brands.

It didn't take long for one of the cable TV industry's chief lobbying groups to criticize two Notice of Proposed Rulemakings from FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that would offer cable television subscribers a rebate when a broadcast TV station is unavailable due to a retransmission consent impasse.

As she sees it, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has brought forward a pair of proposals that "would further the FCC’s strategic goal to empower consumers in the media marketplace." While the NAB and broadcast television companies may be cheering, pro-MVPD groups could quickly cry foul.

The NBA's San Antonio Spurs are on the verge of a renaissance thanks to newcomer Victor Wembanyama. For those who only have over-the-air television in the Alamo City, TEGNA has come to the rescue by committing to broadcasting a host of regular-season match-ups.

In an environment where retransmission consent accords are more difficult than ever to reach, The E.W. Scripps Company has issued a communique that promotes how the company has “successfully completed cable and satellite carriage agreements that account for about 75% of the company's subscriber households.”

Streaming media has created unprecedented opportunities, and challenges, for our industry. A Forecast 2024 session during the broadcast media industry’s premier leadership conference is poised to share ways to take advantage of this exploding revenue stream, one that will also cultivate and enhance relationships with consumers and advertisers.

Two media veterans have submitted comments with the FCC that, as the group seeking to thwart Fox Corporation's license renewal of WTXF "FOX 29" believes, bolster its claim that the TV station owner and both Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch lack the character required of public broadcast license trustees.

In addition to its broadcast television station roster and cable TV offering Tennis Channel, Sinclair Broadcast Group is also the entity behind four digital multicast networks, largely found as "HD" broadcasts tied to over-the-air channels that enjoy widespread MVPD distribution. Sinclair is now tweaking one of those diginets.