TV/Cable News

Cox Media Group's Orlando operation has been unified some seven weeks after the surprising departure of RVP Susan Larkin for a VP role at Entercom: The VP/GM of Cox's ABC-affiliated WFTV-9 and independent WRDQ-27 in Orlando has been promoted to Market VP and will now oversee the CMG radio stations in Central Florida.

Just in time for the start of the National Football League regular season and Major League Baseball playoffs, there will be a new six-second spot. No ... it has noting to do with where the football is being placed after a Time Out or a replay on a disputed baseball call. Rather, the ultra-quick commercial first used by FOX during its recent Teen Choice Awards telecast will now be used in limited quantities by FOX Sports.

Despite all of the contentious chatter between FOX and Sinclair Broadcast Group over the latter's plans to merge with Tribune Media and Sinclair's rumored news department plans, the two broadcast media giants came together today to sign affiliation extension agreements for five stations.

What are the regularity priorities at the FCC that should be on the radar of companies regulated by the agency? If that's a question you need the answers to, a Sept. 20 distance learning seminar from MFM, the Media Financial Management Association, and its BCCA subsidiary, which serves as the media industry’s credit association, should be put on your calendar now.

The proposed merger between Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Tribune Media should be denied because the combination would run afoul of major broadcast ownership rules and fail to serve the public interest even if compliance with these rules were not at issue. That's the key takeaway from a new filing submitted with the FCC by the American Cable Association (ACA), which is vigorously seeking to thwart a deal made possible only through the restoration of the Commission's "UHF discount" by the Ajit Pai-led FCC.

Pivotal Research Group Senior Research Analyst of Advertising Brian Wieser has become this generation's E.F. Hutton: When he talks, or pens a research brief, people listen -- and, in this case, it is Wall Street. Wieser just reviewed Nielsen's September 2017 cable network Universe Estimates, which were released on Monday. They indicate "an ongoing decline in pay TV network penetration rates, led by lower traditional MVPD subscription levels."

Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios has emerged as one of the largest independent producers and distributors of first-run syndicated television programming for broadcast television stations. This explains, in part, why it's just signed a long-term agreement with Nielsen for both linear and digital measurement services.

A veteran marketing and creative executive at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises' Telemundo has accepted the role of SVP/Marketing & Creative for the Telemundo Networks. She will continue to be based in Miami.

Severe devastation at TEGNA's CBS affiliate in Houston, KHOU-11, due to Hurricane Harvey has forced it to use Houston Public Media's studios — and assistance from TEGNA stations in Denver and Dallas — in order to continue broadcasting as catastrophic weather conditions only worsened through mid-morning on Monday.

As August enters its final month, car and truck dealers are looking for a big boost in sales as 2018 model-year vehicles arrive. To help bring in the buyers, auto dealer associations are actively using broadcast TV, last week's Media Monitors TV Spot Ten shows.

A French cosmetics company that's a global leader in makeup, cosmetics, hair care and perfume has taken to cable TV spots to help boost sales ahead of the Labor Day holiday. What other companies are actively using spot cable? Click here now for all of the answers!

Eight days ago, two key members of Spanish Broadcasting System's Board of Directors abruptly tendered their resignations. While neither Gary Stone nor Alan Miller were willing to give additional details of their departure from the SBS board, one insider who is very close to the matter willingly shared with RBR+TVBR what's going on behind the scenes at this Miami-based media company controlled by Chairman/CEO Raul Alarcon Jr. Simply put: It's him against a new group of preferred shareholders, and things could be getting bloody very soon.

Nielsen’s National Television Household Universe Estimates have just been updated, and we now know how many TV homes are in the U.S. for the 2017-18 TV season. As expected, increases in the number of multicultural households was seen.

The FCC's Media Bureau late Thursday released a public notice seeking the public's input on the state of competition in the video programming delivery marketplace. Specifically, it wants to know about MVPDs, online video distributors, and broadcast TV stations. Comments are due Oct. 10, and they could be numerous.

In short, yes — says noted Wall Street analyst Nick Del Deo of MoffettNathanson Research. He reviewed strategic direction, capital allocation, and quality of bottom-line metrics for three big tower owners, including American Tower, and finds an investment in the company to be compelling. We've got the details.