Radio News

On Oct. 13, the regional Mexican network known as "La Z" added a major Hispanic market in the Pacific Northwest to its roster of stations by way of a time-brokerage agreement with a Latino-focused faith-based organization. Now, the company behind "La Z" — Bustos Media — is acquiring the station.

To little surprise, there's been another prolongation of the exchange offers and term loan offers crafted more than nine months ago by iHeartMedia. The latest extension comes just days after one Wall Street analyst hoped for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization for iHeart, slamming the company for what it has done to the equity value of subsidiary Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) on Thursday (12/21) introduced H.R. 4706, the Music Modernization Act, in an act he believes will bring "music licensing its first meaningful update in almost 20 years." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is the bill’s lead co-sponsor, reflecting bipartisan support for the legislation. What does this mean for radio stations across the U.S., and what does the NAB think of it?

What exactly would H.R. 4706, the Music Modernization Act, accomplish in bringing music licensing "its first meaningful update in almost 20 years?" The bill reforms the music licensing landscape in four main dimensions, and here is an overview of what it would do.

A Class B1 FM serving a rural part of the San Joaquin Valley of Central California -- including the place where James Dean was before dying in September 1955 -- and a silent 50kw FM station northwest of the Phoenix area are the two properties owned by Deportes y Música Comunicaciones LLC. Until now, it's been a subsidiary of the Roberto Medina-helmed Grupo Multimedia LLC and has run the duo since the third quarter of 2011. Medina announced Nov. 20 that he plans on selling the stations. But, the proposed buyer is helmed by two Mexican citizens--one of whom is a big Univision exec. The FCC now seeks public comment on whether or not this is OK.

With its publicly traded shares at 55 cents and its lenders clamoring for equity, debt-laden iHeartMedia may be on the path to Chapter 11 bankruptcy and a reorganization — just as Cumulus Media has opted for. For veteran financial analyst and top blogger Michael Boyd, such a path for iHeart is likely the best route forward.

The nonprofit organization that broadcasts national and local public radio and television programs in the region surrounding Richmond has boosted its presence in Central Virginia by agreeing to acquire a pair of Class A FMs from Alpha Media. The deal brings Alpha's presence in Richmond to an end.

Don't look now, but long-term investors in Beasley Broadcast Group shares may be ready to have an extra glass of champagne come New Year's Eve. As of today, the company's stock is at a five-year high.

For all of the chatter and excitement over ATSC 3.0 and "over the top" choices for consumers, and all of the attention Norway is getting for its year-long silencing of the majority of its FM stations, there's still a demand for FM broadcast transmitters. But, how hot — or cold — is the marketplace? A newly released market research report says there's definitely growth on a global level, and the Americas are driving it.

Eleven months after the first FM signals in Norway signed off the air forever, part of an effort approved by the Norwegian government to shift all radio listeners to DAB-delivered digital radio stations, the final stations bringing listeners programming between 88 and 108 MHz have faded to silence. The last stations to sign off permanently did so Wednesday (12/13), with FM signals in the far north of Norway and in the Svalbard archipelago going silent. As a result, Norway is the first country in the world to shut down national broadcasts of its FM stations. That said, the band is not completely devoid of signals.

The publicly traded "stub" of iHeartMedia stock fell again in Monday's trading. At the Closing Bell, it reached a new low on lighter-than-average trading volume. Pandora, SBS, and Salem also had difficult starts to the week on Wall Street.

With under two weeks to go before Santa Claus heads out on his sleigh and Hanukkah candles being lit for the final time on Tuesday, holiday shopping has reached full tilt -- or has it yet to peak? Multiple reports of light traffic at major retailers was gathered by RBR+TVBR across the weekend, with activity picking up but still moderate at such stores as Target on Sunday. To give their stores a boost, one big retailer used radio to lure in customers.

The owner of a silent AM serving an area of Southwestern Virginia some 40 miles from Bristol and Johnson City, Tenn., agreed to sell the station months ago. However, a Petition for Reconsideration by another broadcaster operating in the region was filed with the FCC's Media Bureau in an attempt to get another look at an Application for Review of the Commission's license renewal and transfer OK -- denied in November 2016. An Order on Reconsideration has just been released by the Media Bureau on the matter.

Shares of Sirius XM Holdings sank by more than 6% in midday trading on Friday, after the Copyright Royalty Board revealed new rates for satellite-delivered services -- including SiriusXM. The rates, which cover the period of 2018-2022, are significantly higher than what they are today. Music Choice and Muzak are also getting a new royalty rate, and they should be pleased.

The purchase price has been revealed on a silent 100kw FM serving the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It's being acquired by a newly formed company headed by Larry Fuss. Here are the details behind the transaction, courtesy of the FCC.