Radio News

RBR+TVBR on Monday offered readers a look at a new NABOB/BIA Advisory Services joint study that put the magnifying glass on Black Owned media, and if it is getting its fair share of the ad dollars. What about media targeting Hispanic audiences across the U.S.? A Hispanic Radio Conference session that concludes this year's two-day in-person affair tackles the question.

The company founded by Cathy Hughes and led by Alfred Liggins III wants a casino resort in Richmond. But, there's word the Commonwealth of Virginia wants to move the project south of town, removing Urban One from involvement. Once that news surfaced, Urban One shares sank significantly on Wall Street.

It's called a "modified Dutch auction" tender offer, and it involves a stock buyback plan from Cumulus Media that the Atlanta-based company says is an initial step in the execution of its previously announced $50 million share repurchase program. The tender offer expired at Midnight Eastern on Friday (6/3). The results are now known.

WQZS-FM licensee Roger Wahl, who is in the middle of a license revocation hearing for being a convicted felon, is reportedly seriously ill and is presently in the Intensive Care Unit of a regional hospital. News of his hospitalization surfaced after the main daily newspaper serving Somerset County, Pa., offered a detailed account of Wahl's Commission predicament.

In January, the sale of an FM serving rural Western New York towns due south of Buffalo closed. Then, things went awry for the buyer. Now, he's spinning the station in a deal with a token value of $1. That's if the station can return from the dead, with FCC approval.

A fresh Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report has arrived for the seven-day period ending June 5, and if there's one big takeaway from the play-count look at national radio, it's this: a lot of week-to-week shifts transpired.

Get ready to fork over more dollars to the FCC as part of your regulatory fees — unless the NAB can sway the Commission to adjust a hike the broadcasting industry's key advocacy group calls "staggering."

It's known for some five radio brands, including News/Talk KSRO, "Froggy 92.9", "97.7 The River," "Hot 101.7" and "KHits 107.9." Pending FCC approval, it will be adding a Wolf and an Adult Contemporary FM serving Mendocino County, California.

One year ago, Saga Communications restored its quarterly cash dividend, awarding its investors with a $0.16 per-share payout. This has been seen in each quarter since the release of its Q2 2021 results. Now, Saga's board of directors has approved a slight increase to their quarterly dividend.

Since exiting the NAB in December 2000 after a nearly 16-year run that concluded as VP of Research and Planning, he's been associated with BIA Advisory Services. Starting July 1, he'll be associated with retirement. However, Dr. Mark Fratrik will continue as a strategic advisor and analyst to the company.

Starting July 25, one of the nation's biggest NPR Member stations will have a new leader for its notable newsgathering operations — a role that includes its PBS television sibling and its digital media properties. Furthermore, she'll be taking the lead on civic engagement efforts throughout the Delaware Valley.

Until now, four full-powered radio stations and an FM translator have been operated by Milestone Radio through an agreement with a trust. Now, Dennis Carpenter is taking on ownership through a newly created entity.

On May 24, José Villafañe attracted attention as his Costa Media Boston LLC filed paperwork with the FCC for their approval of an $800,000 acquisition of an AM serving Washington, D.C., and its FM translator in Northern Virginia. Now, Villafañe is back in the news, as his "Latinx" operation serving Boston's far northern suburbs has gained a little more oomph, if you will.

With the Memorial Day holiday weekend approaching, one big home improvement retailer stepped it up with their use of Spot Radio for the week ending May 29, 2022. According to Media Monitors, The Home Depot greatly increased its spot activity at AM and FM radio.

A Lone Star State licensee that sought to place a new Class A FM on a frequency originally intended for Roy Henderson but not acted upon has successfully won the Commission's approval to construct a new Class A on a different FM frequency, and move one of its other facilities to that disputed Texas FM signal. Here's the details on the long hoped-for shift.