Legacy

From podcast and pureplay to broadcast streams and innovations still incubating, what’s the digital audio forecast? What’s hot today, and what’s on the horizon tomorrow? How are these digital options being consumed, measured, and monetized successfully? One Hispanic Radio Conference panel has plenty of answers — and some provocative commentary that might have you wondering if your stations are ready for the future.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a markup for Wednesday afternoon (2/14) that will include a reauthorization of the FCC — and an amendment that would establish an all-important repack fund "to address the apparent shortfall in funding available."

If you seek any of the FCC's Commissioners on Friday, you no longer need to wait until they return from the Presidents' Day Federal holiday on Tuesday, Feb. 20. Each of the Commissioners had been called to testify this week before the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology to discuss the FCC's budget. But, the Subcommittee just cancelled the gathering.

There's a 250-watt FM translator on the Florida Panhandle that is authorized to rebroadcast a Class C religious AM station licensed to Pensacola. Unfortunately, it may not be broadcasting from the location it is authorized to use. Even worse, the Enforcement Bureau has a complaint indicating that the translator was originating programming content, rather than retransmitting its associated full-power station.

Cumulus Media CEO Mary Berner this week assailed the radio industry for doing a poor job of touting its benefits to advertisers, declaring that Radio "needs to grow a pair" and should get aggressive in its fight for ad dollars. Two days later, Cumulus is faced with the surrender of thousands of dollars in precious revenue to the FCC. The reason? Five of the company's stations have repeatedly failed to abide by the Commission's rules on public inspection files.

There's a "Shooter" in Texas that's been successfully wrangled. Armor of God played a big role in the apprehension of this "shooter" -- a Class A FM radio station serving a medium-sized market in the Lone Star State. It's the top item of business in RBR+TVBR's TRANSACTIONS TODAY for Feb. 8, 2018. Also today: A 'Guel'-done deal for a new FM, and the sale of an AM daytimer in the Volunteer State.

With a trio of high-powered FM signals from Baja California, Mexico, an entity dedicated to the local community competes against two of the nation's biggest radio operators. In a candid conversation with RBR+TVBR, the company's VP/GM shares his thoughts on how these three stations can outperform and deliver results for its clients and owners.

In this concluding Media Information Bureau column, featured columnist Ken Benner offers more insight and advice for individuals — and media companies — who wish to call on his 55 years of experience providing service to the broadcast industry by recruiting more Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP) certification inspectors.

A television broadcasting company all-too familiar with waging war against cable companies over retransmission fees has raised its battle flag in a challenge that has led Charter Communications to yank 11 stations from Syracuse to Spokane. In multiple markets, viewers were left scrambling to determine how to watch Super Bowl LII.

It’s a fact: Some stations have great “numbers,” but unless those numbers translate at the cash register, they may be ringing the wrong ears. How do you tell your station’s story? Do you know secrets to marketing your audience most effectively through the art form of storytelling? At the Hispanic Radio Conference, there’s a session for that.

The NAB has selected the station it will honor this year with the NAB Crystal Heritage Award. It's a station famously known for its "Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center" — in addition to top ratings for its continuous supply of news, traffic, weather and sports updates to listeners across the National Capital area.

Want to watch Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and/or How To Get Away With Murder this evening on ABC? How about a new episode of Arrow on The CW, or Will and Grace on NBC? If you're in the Texoma region near Ada, Okla., and you rely on DISH Network to get your programming, you're out of luck. That's thanks to the latest retransmission fee dispute, which involves a small broadcasting company operating in four markets — including Wichita.

In a press release posted to the company website this morning, The E.W. Scripps Co. announced it is "creating a stronger, more streamlined and higher-performing company through comprehensive restructuring and cost reductions expected to yield more than $30 million in annual cost savings." It then revealed that it plans to sell its 34 radio stations across the U.S. and has retained Tucson, Ariz.-based Kalil & Co., Inc. to handle the process.

Disruption, conflict, crisis, loss of revenue, combatting or conforming to digital media, bad attitudes, apathy and Band-Aid solutions. These are some of the most significant concerns for broadcast operations to date, notes Media Information Bureau columnist Kelly Orchard. In this column, Orchard helps busy executives answer one question they probably haven't had time to even think about.

A company best known for its conservative and Christian-themed media offerings is heading next week to Fort Lauderdale for an investor conference. Executives at Salem Media Group may wish to pray that their stock is headed not south, but north, by its Jan. 30 presentation.