Radio+Television Business Report

As of today, Northern California Public Media has used a 120-watt signal to reach such Mendocino County towns as Healdsburg, Cloverdale and Windsor. To bring its programming to listeners in Santa Rosa, a 16-watt translator at 90.9 MHz was brought into the mix.

Soon, everyone north of San Francisco will be able to hear NoCal’s programming. It’s buying a Class B1 commercially licensed FM and converting it to noncommercial status.

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On Twitter and via pen and paper, Ajit Pai offered words of thanks to FCC staff and the agency’s Commissioners, as his final act as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

Pai’s goodbyes came just hours after the Commission released a parting shot aimed at departing President Donald Trump: It denied a request to stay its unanimous decision to authorize Ligado Networks to deploy a low-power terrestrial national network using portions of its licensed spectrum.

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On January 4, 2021, the newest entrant in the ever-expanding OTT universe bowed.

It’s Discovery+, from Discovery, and the promotional thrust of its rollout has been focused on, ironically, drawing consumers from MVPDs.

A marketing blitz is underway for Discovery+, and it is nearly exclusive to cable TV.

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While online language learning platform Babbel remains the biggest user of spot radio, according to the latest data from Media Monitors, commercials tied to the continued prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 virus are now being joined by spots promoting vaccination.

For the week ending January 17, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention was the No. 2 paid advertiser using broadcast radio, behind Babbel. It accounts for some 56,300 spot plays detected by Media Monitors.

New at No. 7? An effort from Bristol Myers Squibb-Pfizer, as COVID-19 vaccines roll out from Pfizer and Moderna across the U.S.

What does the remainder of the Spot Ten look like? More of the same, with Progressive, The Home Depot, Bank of America and GEICO continuing their long string of activity at broadcast radio.

 

It’s been a challenging year for radio industry pure-play Saga Communications. But, after a late October 2019 dip of its stock to nearly $17 a share, this audio-focused company appears to be in recovery mode.

How it performed in the final three months of 2020 will be made known on the second Friday in March.

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From a news perspective, 2020 was a year like no other.

And, as Americans settle into the prospect of a fresh start in 2021, a divided nation still living in a pandemic continues to elevate the importance of news, particularly at the local level.

For Nielsen, it’s clear that consumers’ on-demand lifestyles are having an effect on leisure time video viewing, but the unsettled population in the U.S. has elevated the importance of news to consumers across the country looking to stay informed about everything from social unrest to the presidential election to the protests and riots at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021.

“Linear TV viewing is at a crossroads, given the shift away from scheduled, appointment viewing on TV, but consumers are voracious when it comes to wanting to stay informed,” says Justin LaPorte, VP of Local Audience Insights at Nielsen. “That elevates the opportunity for news programming across local, national and cable.”

LaPorte shared the details at a presentation given Tuesday at the NATPE virtual conference, based on fresh Nielsen Insights data.

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Starting March 1, Emmis‘ Indianapolis radio stations will have a new Market President.

It is a woman who has spent 22 years with Emmis in a variety of radio sales and promotions leadership roles.

She’ll replace a 11-year veteran who will be moving on.

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The Pearl TV broadcaster business group is applauding the decision by the FCC to give broadcasters more flexibility when using a Distributed Television System (DTS) for NEXTGEN TV broadcasts using ATSC 3.0.

Public and commercial broadcasters had sought the refinement of Commission rules, in order to ensure that a local broadcaster could better serve its market of viewers.

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CHICAGO — WGN America, the cable network that’s getting a major news-focused overhaul under new owner Nexstar Media Group, has selected a VP of Creative Marketing and Brand Communications to help growth the operation’s presence even further in 2021.

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The E.W. Scripps Company has appointed a veteran television sales executive to serve as its new Chief Revenue Officer.

Today marks his first day in his new role.

Landing the position is Michael Teicher.

He’ll be responsible for developing the company’s ad sales strategy for all the Scripps networks across all platforms, including general market, direct response, programmatic/digital, long-form and sponsorship advertising.

He reports to Jonathan Katz, chief operating officer and head of entertainment for Scripps networks.

Teicher joins Scripps from 20th Television, where he served as EVP of Media Sales, overseeing the syndication for all Fox and Debmar Studios Syndicated television shows, including Modern Family, Family Guy, Family Feud, and The Wendy Williams Show.

Teicher was previously EVP/Media Sales for Warner Bros. Domestic TV Distribution, leading the sales efforts for all of the company’s syndicated television shows.

He also spent more than a decade in ascending roles with Turner Broadcasting Sales,  where he developed new, incremental revenue streams around the Turner and Time Warner portfolio while also helping to create and run the company’s marketing solutions group.

Teicher also had successful sales stints with Major League Baseball Productions, Replay TV and Harmonic Communications.

“Michael is one of the industry’s most widely-respected and seasoned sales executives, having successfully brought to market some of the most popular shows on television,” Katz said. “As we bring ION into the fold and combine our networks, his experience positioning top brands and creating unique and powerful marketing solutions for advertising partners across multiple platforms will be a tremendous asset.”

The modern era’s biggest competitor to broadcast media content consumption, Netflix, on Tuesday afternoon released its Q4 2020 results.

How did it do? Perhaps the Q1 2021 forecast is a better topic of discussion. While 21.5% year-over-year revenue growth was seen for Netflix, net income was down.

Why? Global Streaming Paid Net Additions were down year-over-year in Q4.

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For exactly 82 minutes until what seemed to be, at least to laymen, an abrupt end, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in the FCC and NAB’s case seeking the high court’s reversal of the Third Circuit Federal Appeals Court remand of its cross-ownership media rule rewrite.

What’s the key takeaway from the session? Several justices seem confused by what they are being asked to judge, and the Justice Department’s Deputy Solicitor General serving as the FCC’s counsel was definitely on the hot seat.

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When Marci Ryvicker was Managing Director of Wells Fargo Securities, a role she had for 16 years before exiting in August 2018, she was a champion of Entercom Communications.

Some 2 1/2 years later, her successor at Wells Fargo is equally enamored with the audio media company, as he’s just given its stock an important vote of confidence.

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The U.S. Supreme Court for exactly 82 minutes on Tuesday morning (1/19) heard a consolidated oral argument in FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project. That’s the case that sees the Commission seeking the reversal of the Third Circuit Federal Appeals Court’s remand of its cross-ownership rule rewrite.

The questions from the justices and, in particular, how the FCC’s legal counsel addressed some of them, was just one of the topics Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth co-Managing Member Davina Sashkin discussed in an exclusive conversation with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

What was on the mind of the justices? What happens now? When can the broadcast media industry expect a ruling? Sashkin shares all in this podcast, presented by DOT.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Davina Sashkin” on Spreaker.

NAPLES, FLA. —Beasley Broadcast Group wholly owned subsidiary Beasley Mezzanine Holdings has announced that it intends to offer $280 million in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes, subject to market and other conditions.

It can do so to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

Beasley says the notes are expected to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the company and each of Beasley’s existing domestic majority owned subsidiaries and certain future material domestic majority owned subsidiaries on a senior secured first-priority basis, subject to certain exceptions, limitations and permitted liens.

It’s a new debt for old debt swap.

Beasley Mezzanine Holdings expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay in full existing indebtedness under the company’s senior secured credit facilities and certain other indebtedness, with remaining proceeds to be added to BMH’s balance sheet and used for general corporate purposes.

The Notes and related guarantees will not be registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

— GlobeNewswire

Over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, word surfaced that The E.W. Scripps Co. was enjoying strong after-hours trading for its stock because of a report offered by a Smarter Analyst Wall Street observer that took note of a Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure from noted investor Warren Buffett.

While Smart Analyst’s Ben Mahaney said Buffett’s “Berkshire Hathaway” has snagged “a 24.9% passive stake” in Scripps, that’s not what’s happening.

According to Scripps, Buffett is helping Scripps out with its ION Media purchase.

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Four years ago, the American Enterprise Institute played a key role in establishing a policy and regulatory path for an FCC under Republican Party control, led by Chairman Ajit Pai.

As AEI visiting scholar Mark Jamison looks back on the Commission’s Trump-era actions, as it concludes January 20, he believes Pai will be remembered “as one of the most consequential Federal Communications Commission chairmen in history.”

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MIAMI BEACH — Normally, a collection of some of the broadcast TV industry’s most influential figures, from Nexstar Media Group founder Perry Sook to Byron Allen, can be found walking the halls of the Fontainebleau while attending a major global conference that also regularly attracts key representatives from top media brokerage Kalil & Co.

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NATPE Miami conference is a virtual affair. And, it kicks off Tuesday (1/19) with four days of sessions that very much includes production — in addition to content, research and investment.

Indeed, the key themes for each day include Revenue (Investment, Advertising, & Subscription), Audience (Research, Marketing & Promotion), Content (Acquisition & Distribution Sales), and Production (new content).

Additional topics include Station Groups, and Web Series.

The January 19 sessions are focused on Revenue topics. For January 20, Audience is the track of choice. Then, on Thursday and Friday, respectively, are Content and Production sessions.

“The BIG Opening,” scheduled for 9am Pacific/Noon Eastern/6pm CET, is focused on the vision of television in 2021 and features a “fireside” conversation with an industry leader. 

As RBR+TVBR previously reported, it’s a two-part affair that begins with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Chairman Mark Lazarus participating in an interview with NBC News’ TODAY co-host Hoda Kotb.

That’s followed by an interview with Univision Communications Chief Digital Officer Sameer Deen, conducted by familiar NATPE Miami presenter Sara Fischer, the Axios journalist.

The two-part opener lasts an hour, and that’s followed by a 45-minute session those in the tech world that serve the broadcast TV industry may want to sit in on.

Court Stroud

“A New Day for TV Stations” starts with a presentation from Nielsen VP of Audience Insights Justin LaPorte precede a panel discussion moderated by veteran Hispanic media executive Court Stroud. He’ll chat it up with Catherine Herkovic, EVP and Managing Director of Local Television for Nielsen, and the SVP for NBC’s COZI TV multicast network and newly launched millennial-focused NBCLX offering, Meredith McGinn.

And, there’s a digital session that is likely of interest to many.

For those focused on Production, a full day of sessions on Friday is likely of keen interest.

The day kicks off with a discussion on MVPDs and the “programming, packaging, and promotion of content.” Then, there is a discussion on international co-productions, followed by what could be a very lively chat on whether or not  networks and local stations creating opportunities for affordable content in 2021.

In this two-part session, a leading distributor, Ira Bernstein, discusses the push and pull of the deal. The second part sees no-longer-retired comedian and Tonight Show host Jay Leno discuss his return to broadcast TV with the remake of the classic game show “You Bet Your Life.” He’s joined by Co-Host Kevin Eubanks and Producers Tom Werner and David Hurwitz.

Other highlights include a 1pm Wednesday conversation with FOX Television Stations CEO Jack Abernethy on the best strategic practices for retaining and growing audiences. That’s followed by a discussion between Meredith Vieira, Sherri Shepherd, and FOX EVP/Programming and Development Stephen Brown on the creative side of content as an uplifting force, especially in difficult times.

— With reporting from Adam R Jacobson

To download the full agenda, please click here.

Swagger Institute, P1 Learning and the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations (NASBA) have teamed up to again provide a virtual sales and management training summit.

The two-day event, branded “Rising Above,” is scheduled for January 27-28.

Featured participants include Arland Communications President and founder Dave Arland, Media Staffing Network CEO Laurie Kahn, and Bonnie Hagemann, who serves as CEO of Executive Development Associates, a boutique consulting firm specializing in top-of-the-range executive development.

Rising Above will also feature live entertainment from BMI recording act LOCASH and singer/songwriter Patrick Woolam.

Registration for Rising Above is free for those with membership to some 29 participating state broadcasters associations.

“Speed and I are so excited about our January event”, said Swagger Institute founder Derron Steenbergen, whose business is expressly designed to reinvigorate a sales organization. “Rising Above says what our industry and our broadcasters must be and do. Do we have challenges? Yes. But in these stressful times comes opportunity and embracing the blessings in this storm is crucial to not only surviving this, but actually thriving in it. Our industry is strong, and our people are resilient. Simply, Rising Above is about reminding us why we have been successful and outlining a path so we continue to rise.”

For more information about Rising Above: A Virtual Sales & Management Summit, visit risingabovesummit.com

Digital audio and podcast player Triton Digital has been selected to aid a podcast producer and distribution in the delivery, monetization and measurement of its content.

The partnership allows Kast Media to use Triton’s podcast technologies, which include the Omny Studio publishing platform and Podcast Metrics audience measurement service.

“Triton’s suite of podcast technology delivers a mix of power, sophistication, and feature-rich capabilities that are best-in-class,” said Kast Media CEO Colin Thomson. “We share a vision to drive the podcast space forward in both listener experience and revenue optimization. We are thrilled to be working with Triton and look forward to leveraging their tools and knowledgeable team to scale our podcast content, reach more people, and further increase revenue.”

Sharon Taylor, Managing Director at Triton Digital, added, “We are pleased to be providing Kast Media with all that they need to seamlessly grow, promote, measure and monetize their podcasts. We are confident that our comprehensive podcast platform coupled with our transparent advertising technology and validated measurement service will provide Kast Media with the tools, automation, and insight needed to grow and scale faster than ever before.”

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