TV/Cable News

RBR+TVBR on Monday reported on the acquisition of an affiliate of The CW that carries MeTV and MyNetworkTV programming on its digital subchannels by a company with a formidable presence in New England. This deal would, if approved by the FCC, create a duopoly in Maine's biggest market. Terms including the price and escrow payment have now been disclosed.

Cox Media Group's Kim Guthrie has made it clear in comments made exclusively to RBR+TVBR that its radio stations aren't for sale, and that it wants a merger or partnership for its TV stations, rather than a full-blown divestment. That hasn't stopped the rumormongers from suggesting that Guthrie is not being truthful, and a new hire by Cox Enterprises has only fueled such talk among industry observers.

It's been one month since Univision‘s two broadcast networks and Galavisión were dropped from DISH Network, by law, in the absence of a new retransmission fee agreement. According to DISH, Univision renewal talks are "in an apparent deadlock." As such, DISH believes the three channels will never return.

On July 16, Gray Television broke ground on a new 30,000 square foot facility that will house the CBS, NBC, MyNetworkTV, The CW Network and Antenna TV stations serving the Augusta, Ga., market. While that facility is expected to be completed in late 2019, Gray has just celebrated the opening of a brand-new facility housing its two stations in a South Dakota market.

A detailed article appearing late Friday in The New Yorker that details alleged sexual misconduct by CBS Chairman/CEO Les Moonves continued to wreak havoc on the company's stock. One Wall Street financial house downgraded CBS shares over the matter, while CBS's Board of Directors opted to hire outside counsel for a probe of Moonves, who isn't going anywhere.

In April, Ironwood Communications closed on the sale of a full-power UHF facility licensed to Lewiston, Maine, to ION Media Networks. Ironwood is in a selling mood once again and it selling an affiliate of The CW that carries MeTV and MyNetworkTV programming on its digital subchannels. The buyer is already in the market, which would create a newly permitted duopoly.

It was a very unsettling lunch hour for CBS Corporation shareholders, and the next week likely won't be any more pleasant. Just before Noon Eastern, it became known that The New Yorker will publish an article that includes sexual misconduct allegations against CBS CEO Les Moonves. CBS's independent directors responded by saying they are "committed to investigating claims that violate the company's clear policies."

With enforcement of the FCC's Equal Employment Opportunity rules getting a boost through its shift to the Commission's Enforcement Bureau, the message to broadcasters couldn't be more clear: posting job vacancies in a non-discriminatory manner is a serious violation. A family-owned Bayou State TV station has learned this the hard way, as it had been faced with a possible monetary forfeiture. What's the penalty?

Could this be Nielsen's "Tragic Thursday"? CEO Mitch Barns' retirement at year's end was announced -- along with confirmation that Nielsen is conducting "an in-depth strategic review" of its Buy segment. This news came alongside lackluster Q2 results showing flat revenue growth and a sharp drop in net income. At the Closing Bell, NLSN shares were down 25.3%

A just-released review of media and telecommunications deals from PwC notes that "blockbuster deals" dominate the headlines as consolidation continues to play itself out. "Key market players are evaluating their position and deciphering their next move in a very dynamic ecosystem, while keeping a close eye on how regulators address several pending transactions,” PwC says. Here are the main findings.

The wordsmith of Wall Street, Brian Wieser, took a magnifying glass and a full moment to fully examine Nielsen's Q2 2018 results. He called them "weak," and then slashed his price target on the company's stock. That said, he believes the market is discounting Nielsen stock -- and it is still worthy of an investment.

A D.C. Circuit Court ruling that tossed aside a challenge to the restoration by the FCC of its so-called "UHF Discount" helped a bevy of broadcast TV stocks see healthy gains Wednesday on Wall Street. Among the big winners: Nexstar Media Group ... which could make a good partner for Cox Media Group.

Not convinced that the "vMVPD" is more than disrupting the ways consumers receive television programming? Check out this data just in from S&P Global Market Intelligence research arm Kagan: Revenue growth of nearly $5 billion is anticipated between now and 2022 for virtual multichannel services.