the HOT List

A "comprehensive, multi-year deal" is now in place that keeps NBC network affiliation agreements for TEGNA stations in some 20 markets including Phoenix; Buffalo-Niagara Falls; and Portland, Ore.

It's hardly a secret that the broadcast television industry's reliance on retransmission consent revenue growth is an essential part of pleasing investors by bringing a stronger path to profits. MoffettNathanson examined closely the last six years, with respect to affiliate fee and retrans growth. The trends are concerning for cable TV.

A reporter who has covered "financial distress, volatility and restructuring" for The Wall Street Journal is sharing the news that, according to sources, Audacy has reached an agreement with senior lenders that will give it the funds necessary to commence a voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring process. Will the Field family lose control?

The "sports first" vMVPD that sees John Janedis serve as its Chief Financial Officer has just reached a new comprehensive multi-year distribution deal with the nation's No. 1 owner of broadcast television stations.

With a deal with the NBA's Phoenix Suns already locked in, December 2023 began with chatter over a similar deal in New Orleans. This followed a late September revelation that Gray was launching a Georgia-wide "Peachtree Sports Network." Now, it is official: Gray has two more NBA teams in its on-air stable.

Salem Media Group has given formal notice to the Nasdaq Stock Market of its intention to voluntarily delist its Class A Common Stock from the Nasdaq Global Market and to deregister its Class A Common Stock under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

A Maru April 2023 theatrical study asked respondents if they heard of some upcoming movie titles focused on those who said "yes." The key finding? Heavy podcast and broadcast radio listeners are more aware than heavy television viewers. That grabbed the attention of the author of "the essential guide to selling films in a multi-platformed world."

FCC Commissioner Nate Simington swore he would pick up the baton of Mike O'Rielly following the latter's departure from the FCC. That was beyond a doubt true on Tuesday, as Simington issued a scathing statement slamming the Commission for an act that he believes is even illegal.

The just-passed 2018 Quadrennial Review leaves nearly every radio rule intact while tightening up a TV rule involving "top four" stations in a market. Sharing her thoughts on why no rule "modernization," as predecessor Ajit Pai put it during his term, is transpiring is Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. 

On October 2, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ordered the Federal Communications Commission to end the delays, and complete the long-overdue 2018 quadrennial review in 90 days. Just before the Christmas holiday, that reportedly occurred, with the official release of the 2018 quadrennial order coming from the Commission just days before the end of 2023. 

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.

At age 83, Gene Loving has experienced a lot across more than six decades in the radio industry. Now, he's decided to focus on his company's radio stations east of the Rocky Mountains by selling a pair of rimshot FMs with boosters allowing them to cover the Denver market.

It became a big talking point across Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday. David Zaslav, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, had a meeting with Bob Bakish, the CEO of Paramount Global, to discuss a potential merger.  What does Wall Street think of the chat? For MoffettNathanson Senior Analyst Robert Fishman, the analysis was blunt.

The heads of Mid-West Family Broadcasting and Connoisseur Media were joined by one of D.C.'s most high-profile communications attorneys for a Monday Zoom meeting with two members of Anna Gómez's office to discuss the 2018 Quadrennial Review — which the FCC is under a court order to complete in 10 days.

A helicopter pilot and a photographer working on behalf of the ABC Owned Stations broadcast TV property serving Philadelphia were killed Tuesday evening after their chopper crashed in Washington Township, N.J.