Media News

The SVP/Market Manager of Emmis Communications' Gotham cluster has succeeded Ramon Pineda as Treasurer of the New York Market Radio Association (NYMRAD).

Univision's President of Advertising Sales & Marketing from 2007-2012 has just been named EVP/Digital Sales and Sales Strategy. He reports to a 15-year CBS Corp. veteran who is concurrently rising to the role of President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer.

A new EVP/Business Development and Partnerships has been named at Katz Television Group, the advertising sales company. This individual brings more than 25 years of media sales experience to this newly created position, most recently with FOX Sports, as a Regional Vice President.

After a decade in the Big Easy, Mr. Claus is calling it a day. Don't worry, there are no sleigh bells involved. This Mr. Claus is a veteran radio executive who has been overseeing such stations as WWL and WEZB "B97."

The individual charged with negotiating complex carriage agreements with MVPDs and "OTT" platforms for Tribune Media won't be sticking around once its merger with acquirer Sinclair Broadcast Group closes. That's because he's joining Nexstar, in a big pick-up for the broadcast TV company founded by Perry Sook.

A longtime Premiere Networks sales leader has joined WW1 as its new Director of National Partnerships. Concurrently, a media industry veteran who has worked at The Weather Channel, The New York Times and Crain Communications has come board for a top regional sales role.

The final installment in a nine-part annual newsroom survey for 2017 developed by Bob Papper, Professor Emeritus at New York's Hofstra University, has been released by the RTDNA—the Radio Television Digital News Association. This last installment looks at earnings, and pay stubs. How are local TV news personnel faring, wage wise? "It was a decent year for salaries," Papper says. But, it could have been a little better. 

Local advertising spending in the state of New York will reach $13.7 billion in 2017 across the Empire State's 10 local media markets. That said, radio is laggard when it comes to ad spend in the top 5 vertical market categories, and is behind all other forms of local media. That nugget comes courtesy of BIA/Kelsey's updated 2017 U.S. Local Advertising Forecast.

The nation's No. 1 owner of broadcast radio stations is again extending a somewhat complex series of private offers to its bondholders— exchange offers and consent solicitations for each issue of existing notes originally set to expire on April 14. Why? Discussions with note holders regarding the terms of the exchange offers are still ongoing. What does this mean for iHeart?

With its tax-free, Reverse Morris Trust-fueled merger with CBS Radio on track, one would think Entercom and its leader, David Field, would be the new darlings of Wall Street. As Wells Fargo Securities Senior Analyst Marci Ryvicker notes in RBR+TVBR's Spring 2017 NAB Show Special Report, Field will be the radio industry's "clear leader" following the deal's closing. Why, then, is Zacks Equity Research asking if Entercom is "positioned for a slump?" Perhaps a dividend analysis from Capital Cube can point to the answers.

The role of Digital Program Director has grown in importance for many broadcast radio companies, including iHeartMedia. The nation's top owner of AMs and FMs by station count just appointed another individual to its growing roster of employees bearing this title, as Rob Whiteside will now serve in the role for its Virginia/Carolina Region, effective immediately.

Tracey Rogers is trucking east from Memphis for a new position in Music City. Effective immediately, Rogers has taken the VP/GM role at Nexstar Media Group's ABC affiliate in Nashville, WKRN-2.

The EVP and Chief Investment Officer of Horizon Media is taking a top ad sales role at both FOX News Channel and Fox Business Network. She begins her new duties on May 22.

In a move directly correlated to its tax-free, Reverse Morris Trust-fueled merger with CBS Radio, Entercom has hired the President/CEO of the San Diego Padres to serve as its brand-new President of what is to be called "Entercom Sports." Dee, who has been an executive with the Miami Dolphins and Boston Red Sox, is relocating to Philadelphia to take the job.

Fox Networks Group (FNG) is welcoming two new individuals to its Global Solutions team, with each taking newly created SVP roles for the sales division. One of the new hires once worked for USA TODAY. The other new hire has worked for the New York Mets baseball club.