TV/Cable News

In last week’s Media Monitors Cable Spot Ten report, Trivago was No. 1 with 44,968 spots and Taco Bell soared from No. 13 to No. 2 with 39,256 ads.

With the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., removing a temporary regulatory hurdle (regarding the UHF discount) to Sinclair Broadcast Group’s $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media last month, the FCC has released a notice for the public to weigh in while it reviews the deal.

The next 38 months or so will see a metamorphosis of the nation’s communications grid. Some 987 channels will be moving. Wireless carriers are already taking the steps necessary to move forward with their newly gained spectrum. In the first of a two-part RBR+TVBR INFOCUS report, top executives from Vertical Bridge share how they see the company as a neutral player on the flight deck of a major endeavor that's already set sail for the telecommunications industry.

ComScore is reporting that Netflix logs more viewing time in the US than its rivals Amazon, Hulu, and YouTube combined. Netflix holds a mighty 40 per cent share of total viewing hours. YouTube is a distant second with 18 percent, with Hulu third (14 percent), and then Amazon Video (7 percent).

The annual CE Week is set for July 12-13 and among the consumer electronics on display will be the latest in high-resolution audio and video. Westinghouse Electronics will be showcasing the Smart 4K Ultra HDTV - Amazon Fire TV Edition with 4K UHD picture quality and the Fire TV experience built in.

Over the weekend, the New York Post published a story about a rumor supposedly doing the rounds that Verizon may be out to buy Walt Disney Co. But according to Wells Fargo analyst Mari Ryvicker, that’s comedy at its best.

The American Cable Association’s Vice President of Communications, Ted Hearn, has released a letter ACA sent to the FCC Commission recounting a meeting between the parties in which it discussed the broadcasters’ proposed transition to ATSC 3.0. There were two key proposals.

Thanks to the rapid ascent of "over-the-top" (OTT) viewing of full-length scripted programming, reality shows, sports, and news programming, TV isn't just that box in the living room anymore. Srini Dharmaji wants every member of the broadcast TV industry's C-Suite to fully understand this. In the RBR+TVBR INFOCUS report, we examine how social and digital platforms are now, more than ever, essential extensions of VHF and UHF stations.

Some very big TV deals were the prime movers behind the quarter’s M&A total, according to Kagan (part of S&P Global Market Intelligence). And a single deal, the fourth-largest TV deal of the century, accounted for 85% of the M&A total. The TV segment contributed $4.22 billion of the total, with $3.82 billion coming from Sinclair Broadcast Group’s successful bid for Tribune Media Co., which it announced May 8.

The American Cable Association is asking the FCC to abolish or modify a host of cable regulations that it believes are no longer necessary or are unduly burdensome, particularly for smaller operators. The ACA filed comments Wednesday in response to an FCC Public Notice initiating a review of federal rules applicable to media entities, including cable operators, in a bid to identify those rules that are outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome. The ACA urged the FCC to focus on four areas.

In a move that it sees as having several upsides, Liberty Interactive will acquire the 62% of HSNi it does not already own in an all-stock transaction. HSNi consists of HSN, a leading interactive multichannel retailer, and Cornerstone, which is comprised of leading home and apparel lifestyle brands. Liberty Interactive currently owns 38.2% of HSNi as well as shopping network QVC. It will acquire the remaining 61.8% stake, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary.

In last week’s Media Monitors TV Spot Ten report, the Nissan Dealer Association moved up a notch to No. 1 with 24,181 spots while the Chevrolet Dealer Association slipped to No. 2. The Ford Dealer Association and the Honda Dealer Association helped to round out the top 5.

In last week’s Media Monitors Cable Spot Ten report, GEICO was in first place, once again, with 46,390 spots while Trivago soared to No. 2 and Progressive held steady at No. 3.

The first quarter showed a dip in growth for pay TV service packages globally -- about half the rate of a year ago. The top 100 global pay TV providers gained just 0.8% -- 3.46 million homes -- in the first quarter of 2017, according to Multiscreen Index. Of the top 10 U.S. services, which were down 559,000 subscribers, only Comcast registered gains.

According to CBS News president David Rhodes it is, says the Hollywood Reporter. He said as much when asked outright during an employee town hall on Thursday morning. The reason for the unrest? The tricky transition that followed anchor Scott Pelley’s departure from “CBS Evening News” in late May.