Radio News

The next batch of Q4 2021 earnings results from key media companies arrive on Thursday, with a morning dispatch of Urban One's fiscal health report and post-Closing Bell distribution of the Q4 financial results from both Salem Media Group and Entravision Communications. For Hispanic consumer-centric Entravision, the results could further propel its shares, which enjoyed a strong 6.6% gain to $6.62 on Wednesday.

A South Florida Democrat who in recent years emerged as a major proponent of legislation that would impose new artist royalty payments on broadcast radio stations in the U.S. has announced that he will step down following the Congressional recess for the 2022 midterm elections.

The chief advocacy group for broadcast radio and TV wants any state-sponsored programming with ties to Moscow pulled from U.S. airwaves now. What will operators in Kansas City and Washington, D.C., do? Two operators talked to RBR+TVBR, and neither plans to abide by the NAB's request.

It's been a topic of interest among marketers and advertisers for the last several years. And, for radio, achieving "addressable advertising" prowess hasn't been easy. Audacy Corp. believes it has a solution.

The deal makes FMR’s research services available to radio stations for the first time on a barter basis. The announcement was made by Jim Higgins, President and Chief Executive Officer of G Accelerate Networks, and radio veteran Kent Phillips, Managing Partner of FMR Associates.

On December 22, 2020, Cumulus Media closed a transaction that saw the sale of five radio brands serving the Albany, Ga., market to First Media Services for $450,000. Now, 7.11% of the funds Cumulus earned from that deal, consummated in April 2020, could be heading to the FCC as a financial penalty for apparent violations of the Commission's EEO rules.

According to Nielsen, the U.S. Black population spends more time with media than any other group, with content engagement that consistently drives breakout hits and trending topics alike. Increasingly, Black consumers are taking control of both the economic and media influence they wield and using it to invest in Black experiences, Black communities and Black content.

The Ed Stolz Saga continues, as Royce International Broadcasting has assumed control of KREV/San Francisco, KFRH/Las Vegas and KRCK/Palm Springs, Calif. And, the three stations are now silent, RBR+TVBR has learned, putting an LMA of the stations by VCY America on ice — at least for now.

After nearly three years of operation, an Ohio LPFM could be stripped of its license, as the FCC’s Media Bureau has designated for hearing its license renewal application. Why? Those in charge of this low-power FM may have lied with respect to its board members.

Mark 10am on Thursday, March 3, on your calendar. That's when the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by State of Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell, will convene an executive session that puts to vote the presidential nominations of nine individuals. Among them: Gigi B. Sohn, the controversial selection by the Biden administration to fill the fifth Commissioner's seat at the FCC.

Of the radio broadcasting companies reporting Q4 2021 earnings results, thus far all have shown year-over-year growth, even when factoring in political ad dollars in the final three months of 2020. The opposite was seen in the last quarter of 2021 for Xperi, as the company moved to a net loss from net income one year earlier. Why? Look to Comcast.

In this special InFOCUS Podcast, we offer audio highlights from the company's late afternoon earnings call on February 23, which features CEO Mary Berner, CFO Frank López-Balboa, and questions from key Wall Street analysts who cover Cumulus Media. LISTEN HERE

Audacy Corp. shares rebounded strongly on Wednesday, following the company's release of Q4 2021 earnings data that was largely positive — on a year-over-year basis. Compared to 2019, there's much catching up to do, as net revenue still lagged when putting the results side-by-side for a two-year review.

Thanks to soaring digital revenue, iHeartMedia zoomed past its Q4 2019 total fiscal results, the company reported early Wednesday. However, the main revenue driver for the nation's largest audio content creation and distribution company still has room for growth, even when removing the strong political dollars impacting the final three months of 2020.

Since 1987, the NAB Crystal Radio Awards have recognized radio stations for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. Some 50 finalists for the 35th annual NAB Crystal Radio Awards have been revealed.