Radio News

The FCC at its October Open Meeting will consider an item that Pai believes will continue the FCC's efforts "to help AM radio operators keep pace with changes in the market." The HD-only AM report and order is being teed up for a vote.

It’s not too late. Register today. Join us for the next four weeks of Hispanic Radio Conference LIVE! – and with replay, you can binge watch every week of the conference for 30 days!

When one takes a year-over-year look at the numbers, three things are abundantly clear: noncommercial FM radio is a lucrative opportunity for some, while the FCC's TV spectrum "repack" lowered the number of commercially licensed UHF stations from the end of September 2020. The bigger story, however, has to do with FM translators.

It's a Supreme Court decision that could involve the successor to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Chairman Pai was joined by his GOP colleagues in cheering the news that SCOTUS will accept its appeal of the Third Circuit's ruling that remanded its cross-ownership rule rewrite. On Twitter, Geoffrey Starks also chimed in -- with much different thoughts on the matter.

Proposed deals forged with the understanding that a nix of the FCC's cross-ownership rules was final hang in the balance. Should the Supreme Court reverse the Third Circuit remand of the rule rewrite, a host of radio and TV companies could be very pleased -- signaling similar deal-making that could bring new activity to media brokers.

Rather than cancel the 2020 Radio Show, the NAB and RAB opted to bring it to a virtual environment, much like the ongoing Hispanic Radio Conference LIVE! The Radio Show's all-virtual presentation officially begins Monday, October 5.

The 2020 election: How will Hispanics vote, and what is at stake for Hispanic radio? That was the theme of a lively conversation that kicked off the first of five Hispanic Radio Conference LIVE! sessions on Thursday. In fact, the chat was so powerful that it continued into a "It's a Wrap!" post-event Zoom room.

"If you don't focus on what is happening with marketing, and you drop the ball, you are going to lose your station." Those strong words of advise come courtesy of Gordon Borrell, who offered Hispanic Radio LIVE! attendees a detailed look at the local media ad landscape while offering suggestions on what Radio may wish to do to escape the COVID-19 blues.

What can radio industry professionals learn from an individual who programmed big radio stations 35 years ago and has been with Harley-Davidson since early 1995? RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson finds out in this fun InFOCUS Podcast with Lyndon Abell, presented by Dot.FM. LISTEN HERE

According to the Atlanta-based company, it earned $208 million in gross proceeds -- slightly lower than what the audio media operation that owns AM and FM stations and the Westwood One national radio business will earn once further closings are completed.

In a nod to greater diversity and inclusion initiatives being seen across the corporate landscape, iHeartMedia is welcoming a public service veteran with ties to Hillary Clinton who today builds and grows commercial enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa to its Board of Directors. In doing so, iHeart is expanding its board to eight members.

On July 23, Salem Media Group shares shot up to $2.34 per share -- the highest level seen for the conservative radio and publishing company's stock since June of last year. Unfortunately, SALM has receded in value ever since, and today is right back where it was in mid-July.

When it comes to consumption of noncommercial, secular radio stations and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations, the novel coronavirus has certainly made its mark. As Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs sees it, the "traumatic environment in 2020 is impacting public radio listening behaviors."

With the radio industry continuing to experience economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation's No. 1 owner of radio stations saw its two top C-Suite leaders update employees on "some steps" it is taking to position the company for the post-COVID future. In short, iHeartMedia will be welcoming back only a portion of those furloughed earlier this year.

The licensee behind "Newsradio 620" WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee and the market's ESPN Radio affiliates is taking a further step into the spoken word arena by committing to the launch by year's end of a locally programmed Talk station serving the African American community.