TV/Cable News

As of 3:30pm Central on August 26, Hurricane Laura's intensity had greatly increased, making it a fierce and potentially devastating Category 4 Hurricane headed directly toward Lake Charles, La. Gray Television's NBC affiliate sprang to action, while two radio broadcasting companies worked hard to keep listeners informed -- and their remaining staff safe.

Consider it a warning from an industry that wants your advertising dollars. A new study released today by a video advertising platform invested in the fast-growing Connected TV space finds that "CTV advertising performs better than linear TV across key indicators." It's an illuminating look at the massive PR push CTV is putting into bashing traditional TV

Just as the industry saw the light at the end of the tunnel, many repack installations were put on ice. WPSD-DT, an NBC affiliate serving Paducah, Ky., as “LOCAL 6,” was one of many stations affected. Chief Engineer Dan Wilson was called to action, as a late-phase repack faced some highly intricate rescheduling while still meeting the FCC's transition deadline.

What a difference a year makes. In 2019, Michael Nathanson was high on Fox Corporation, noting how a bet on live content would prove valuable to consumers, advertisers and MVPDs. Now, Nathanson is urging Fox management to " ask themselves what economic value is Fox Network generating today and how is the market assessing that value."

COVID-19 was the challenge that no one saw coming. The aftershocks of the virus quickly rippled through the broadcast industry just as Phase 9 repack installations were to begin. Just as the industry saw the light at the end of the tunnel, many installations were put on ice. WPSD-DT, an NBC affiliate serving Paducah, Ky., was one of the impacted stations.

Evoca, the Edge Networks-owned next-generation television service built on ATSC 3.0 technology, is bolstering its lineup of "high quality and family-friendly" HD/4K programming. In doing so, it is welcoming four networks namely associated with MVPDs.

Circle City Broadcasting, parent company of Indianapolis-based CW affiliate WISH-8 and "MyINDY-TV" WNDY-23, has filed a defamation suit against AT&T. The suit, filed in Marion County, comes after the company owned by DuJuan McCoy earlier this month filed a federal lawsuit against AT&T for racial discrimination.

"Dilute this." That could be what some Urban One shareholders are saying through their decision to sell the company's Class A shares in the wake of a plan to offer some $25 million worth of new shares in the open market. In early after-hours trading on Wednesday, UONE reached a level last seen June 14 -- erasing its entire surge in share value seen in the last eight weeks.

The data side of NEXTGEN TV is only now getting a much-deserved spotlight, and a Tuesday webinar presented by Sinclair Broadcast Group and its ONE Media 3.0 arm certainly served as a big industry platform for sharing just some of the ways broadcast TV stations can monetize from the new technology.

In New Mexico's largest market, Nexstar has a shared services agreement with an entity that owns the MyNetwork TV and CW affiliates. In September 2012, an option agreement was struck allowing a company Nexstar bought to buy the stations. On August 7, a deal was struck that initiates that option — by assigning the duo to another Nexstar SSA partner.

On June 23, a media advisory firm widely known as the home of veteran media brokers Bill Fanning and Elliot Evers quietly announced its sale to a global investment bank. On Friday, that transaction was completed. As such, MVP Capital -- formerly Media Venture Partners -- is no more.

That's a question Zacks Equity Research asks, and its prognosis is quite positive: Gray Television "is likely being undervalued right now," the Wall Street observer notes.

The NAB Leadership Foundation has unveiled the celebrity guests who will be featured in the 2020 Celebration of Service to America Awards. The one-hour program, accessible online and available for radio and TV stations to air starting on August 22, honors local broadcast stations from across the U.S. for "exceptional community service."

According to just-released data from Nielsen’s Streaming Meter, as of Q2 2020 streaming now comprises 25% of all television minutes viewed. To little surprise, Netflix is the biggest to streaming, followed by YouTube. And, TV broadcast station leaders, it's not a GenZ thing: Consumers ages 55+ now comprise 26% of all streaming minutes viewed.

The Aug. 12 edition of the MAZ video roundup contains a lead article that every broadcast TV station owner should read. With the rollout of NEXTGEN TV and its forthcoming profit-generating capabilities making headlines, this publication asserts that "82% of broadcasters believe 5G will replace traditional distribution." Gulp ...?