Radio+Television Business Report

Next year will likely be another record-breaking political cycle. How big? One competitive ad intelligence SaaS company is projecting $8.9 billion in political media spend — the highest ever for a midterm cycle.

When asked for a breakout of broadcasting and cable dollars, and for dollars only going to broadcast media, there’s clearly some substantial growth.

But, there’s also one big question that can be asked: Where are 96.4% of the dollars that aren’t going to broadcast media going?

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Audacy employees who receive their pay check via Direct Deposit were left scratching their heads, and perhaps deeply concerned of a major problem, after waking up on Friday, checking their bank accounts, and not seeing their normal infusion of funds.

What happened? A “technical issue” is to blame, and it was quickly resolved.

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Marketers have asked for it. Now, thanks to Media Framework and Nielsen, they’re going to get it.

In one week, the “most comprehensive and validated diverse-owned media list in the industry” will be released. And, it will be paired with a “Diverse Owned Media Planning and Investment Guide” full of profiles and aggregated metrics of diverse-owned media on TV, radio and digital platforms and their related audience descriptions, estimated reach and gross impressions.

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The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation is putting the final touches on Tuesday’s presentation of the 46th Annual Gracie Awards.

The fete, which celebrates women in the industry who “continue to inspire and support
others, break down barriers, and lead by example in creating opportunities for
future generations,” will be hosted by Lauren Ash, the Canadian actress and comedian known for her role as “Dina” on the NBC sitcom Superstore.

The event, which will be held 7pm ET/PT on October 5, also features performances from recording artists Jewel and CeCe Winans.

The 46th Gracie Awards will stream exclusively at @AllWomenInMedia on Facebook.

The list of Presenters is as follows:

● Adam Rodriguez will present to Caitriona Baife.
● Angela Yee will present to Selenis Leyva and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
● Beth Behrs and Tichina Arnold will present to This Is Us
● Candice Patton will present to Sara Sidner
● Charissa Thompson will present to Erin Andrews
● Devery Jacobs will present to SciGirls
● Gabriel Iglesias will present to Gina Brillon
● Hailie Sahar will present to Between the World & Me
● Judge Judith Sheindlin will present to Robin Roberts
● Kandi Burrus will present to Hoda Kotb & Jenna Bush Hager and
Morgan Radford
● Kelly Hu will present to Mobituaries: Anna May Wong – Death of a
Trailblazer
● Marin Hinkle will present to Eve Lindley and Shannon Thornton
● Marla Gibbs will present to Black-ish
● Medalion Rahimi will present to The Estelle Show and Julie Anne
Robinson
● Omose Ighodaro, AWM Foundation & Ford Motor Company Fund
Scholarship Recipient to Mrs. America
● Paula Madison and Dr. Imani Walker will present to Lindsay Czarniak and
DeDe McGuire
● Yvette Nicole Brown will present to Kelly Clarkson, Alexa Mansour and
Aliyah Royale

Sponsors of the Gracie Awards include Crown Media, Ziploc, CNN, Apple Music,
FOX Sports, Premiere Networks, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet &
Television Association, Meruelo Media, Beasley Media Group, Marketplace and
TEGNA.

At present, the FCC is conducting a review of its broadcast and cable Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) rules and policies.

As such, it is accepting comments on the matter, officially known as “MB Docket No. 98-204.”

For Foster Garvey PC and a coalition comprised of 18 licensees, the Commission’s proposed rule for how the Commission can recommence the collection of data on the Broadcast Station Annual Employment Report needs an update.

The gender choices listed simply aren’t enough, given today’s USA.

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“What a set of circumstances.”

Twenty months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the automobile industry’s agenda appears to be completely upside down. Chip shortages have wreaked havoc on many an automotive brand, including Hyundai.

What’s a broadcast ad sales leader to do? Jason Stein, CEO at Flat Six Media, painted the automotive portrait of today for TVB Forward Conference attendees during a Thursday address.

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The “very hot topic” of Measurement was a major part of the discussion at the TVB Forward Conference on Thursday.

And, it was a subject addressed first and foremost by Sinclair Broadcast Group President of Broadcast and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer Rob Weisbord during an afternoon Q&A session conducted by Operative CEO Lorne Brown.

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With thousands of industry executives participating online from their computers and tablets, TVB Forward Conference 2021 kicked off on Thursday morning with welcome comments from both President/CEO Steve Lanzano and the Chair of its Board of Directors, Debra OConnell.

For OConnell, who serves as President of Networks at Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, a highly positive and encouraging tone was struck.

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Every day we hear of another ransomware attack or data breach, and it seems that the cyber adversaries are taking over companies, catching them off-guard and ill-prepared.

How are the cyber adversaries doing it? Why are people and companies in the dark when it comes to cybercrime? What should you do to protect your organization?

A Forecast 2022 session featuring the founder of Cybersecurity Ventures and Editor-in-Chief at Cybercrime Magazine is a must-attend for those who don’t want to deal with the issues many radio station owners and one big tech company serving radio just suffered through.

Cyber security expert Steve Morgan chats with WABC-AM in New York’s Juliet Huddy at Forecast 2022, November 16 at the Harvard Club in midtown Manhattan, for a provocative interview delivered free of technobabble.

Morgan has written more than 500 articles for Forbes, CSO, and others. He is co-author of the book “Women Know Cyber: 100 Fascinating Females Fighting Cybercrime” and named on numerous lists including LinkedIn’s 5 Security Influencers to Follow, Onalytica’s Who’s Who in Cybersecurity, and the Top 100 Cybersecurity Influencers at RSA Conference.

 

“The value of a business depends largely on how well it guards its data, the strength of its cybersecurity, and its level of cyber resilience,” Morgan says

Forecast 2022 explores the most critical challenge facing business and industry today — cyber security — with a session packed with information you need to know and answers to questions you have – or should have. Seating is limited. Register today for Forecast 2022 and take advantage of early bird pricing. Registration include admittance into the Broadcast Leadership Reception honoring the 2021 Top Radio and Television Leaders. Always a great networking event, this may be a one-of-a-kind opportunity this year!

 

PLATINUM SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS TOP 40 PLAQUE SPONSOR CORPORATE SPONSORS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS

Who knew that the Chief Research Officer of the not-for-profit trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry would be as hard-hitting as a 60 Minutes journalist?

Hadassa Gerber proved to be quite the moderator at a TVB Forward Conference session on “the future of measurement,” the first of a series of panelists delivered across the TVB’s virtual affair on Thursday.

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On August 2, the end of an era — and the leadership of a broadcast media company — came for Ralph Oakley.

The President/CEO of Quincy Media, Inc., formally retired, as the Illinois-based owner of over-the-air TV stations completed its sale to Gray Television, with spinoff stations going to Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.

Oakley was saluted for his accomplishments at the virtual TVB Forward Conference on Thursday, marking perhaps his final industry appearance.

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In mid-September, Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned Dielectric first shared how the company literally changed how FM broadcast antenna manufacturers validate directional pattern studies for new FM broadcast antennas.

This led Dielectric to submit a Petition for Rulemaking with the FCC. And, if the FCC moves forward with a NPRM and subsequently approves the rules, a process that could take just months, a move from physical to AI-driven simulated modeling could come to fruition.

The engineering guys may get this, but those in the C-Suite may already have eyes glazed over. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Dielectric VP/GM Keith Pelleiter explains this so the only thing glazed in their office is a Krispy Kreme donut.

 

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast – Keith Pelletier” on Spreaker.

The Holladay family has become well-known for their ownership of radio properties across the Deep South.

Now, Bryan Holladay is signing of on an acquisition. Pending FCC approval, it will see the transfer of control of three FMs to his Meridian Media Group.

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Strengthening our Communications Networks to Meet Consumers’ Needs

That’s the key topic up for debate and conversation at an upcoming legislative hearing announced late yesterday by the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the head of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee.

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The local broadcast TV industry in 2022 will generate $21 billion in advertising revenue, with $19.3 billion in over-the-air (OTA) revenue and $1.7 billion in digital.

Those fresh estimates are courtesy of BIA Advisory Services. And, they point to a healthy 26.5% increase over 2021 for the industry.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Enforcement Bureau of the FCC has entered into a Consent Decree with ViacomCBS that settles an investigation over violations of the Commission’s accessibility rules at the company’s Pluto Inc. TV service.

As such, ViacomCBS is paying a civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and is not being fined by the Commission. A compliance plan has also been agreed to by both parties.

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Three leaders associated with the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) have submitted comments with the Commission in response to a Media Bureau docket that seeks a review of EEO compliance and enforcement in the broadcast and multichannel video programming industries.

In short, the MMTC leaders believe that, “While data collection is one essential element of an EEO compliance program, it is hardly the only element.”

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Zoom fatigue entered our lexicon early in the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Dry eyes, neck pain, and dysmorphic disorder spiked as we overdosed on video conferences.

In case you’re wondering, the latter symptom of video meeting exhaustion has to do with obsessive attention to perceived defects in our facial features. Cosmetic surgery boomed during the pandemic.

More than a year later, Zoom burnout persists as virtual meetings have become a daily fixture of remote and hybrid work environments. This column from Rosemary Ravinal offers a half-dozen ways to combat Zoom fatigue.

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The Phoenix-based production and broadcasting studio used by a popular host known for the latest news on everything digital — including technology, and security threats and scams — is for sale.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation that two House Members who sit on the powerful Energy & Commerce Committee say would free up new airwaves for wireless broadband use by the public has been teed up in the lower body of Congress.

For the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology’s Chair, the legislation would “make as much spectrum as possible available for improved broadband service for consumers and to promote new, innovative uses of our airwaves.”

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