Radio News

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.

Attention, streaming audio consumers: There's another hoop to jump through to hear your favorite music on Pandora. And, it involves a video advertisement—something Pandora desperately needs to keep the profits flowing in.

When it comes to the protection of law enforcement officers across the U.S., there's no question if bipartisan support can be had. Yet, one Democrat expressed reservations and a partial dissent as all five Commissioners today approved a Report and Order that would amend the Commission’s Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules to add a dedicated event code to facilitate the delivery of Blue Alerts over the EAS and Wireless Emergency Alert system.

If the Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come were to pay a visit to radio stations across the U.S., they'd be likely bringing good tidings: There will be no new performance fees, taxes, royalties or other charges for a local AM or FM broadcast station owner. That's all but certain, now that a majority of the House of Representatives has expressed their support of a resolution opposing any legislation that would impose such payments on a broadcast company.

"Hey Alexa ... wake me up with my favorite radio station!" That's a reality top digital publication Engagdet has brought to the attention of Silicon Valley and the online universe. Are radio broadcasters smart enough to see what they do about the smart phone as the next-gen alarm clock?

A Class D AM radio station surrounded by Florida's sugar cane fields near Lake Okeechobee has a long history of broadcasting. It's seen several owners, and identities, and was most recently branded as "The Talk of the Palm Beaches" in attempt to draw listening from Palm Beach County instead of the small towns surrounding this facility's tower. Now, this Belle Glade, Fla., AM in existence since October 1947 is trading hands.

What is the future for broadcast radio in the dashboard of vehicles big and small on the roads across America? It's a question many have asked, and remains one of great importance to broadcast media's C-Suites. Now, the NAB is helping to bring clarity to what lies ahead for AM and FM while consumers are on the road by presenting an hour-long webinar on Thursday (12/14) featuring key thought leaders on the digital dashboard.