With esteemed WFAA-8/Dallas VP/Station Manager Carolyn Mungo pinch-hitting following the retirement at the end of 2020 of John Remes, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate Minneapolis has been seeking his formal successor.
TEGNA has now found that individual. As such, its KARE-11 is preparing to welcome the News Director since 2018 of Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliate in Seattle.
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LOS ANGELES — The largest independent sell-side advertising platform has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire SpotX from RTL Group for $1.17 billion in cash and stock.
SpotX is one of the leading platforms shaping Connected TV and video advertising globally.
And, it is poised to become a part of Magnite.
When combined, Magnite and SpotX will create the largest independent CTV and video advertising platform in the programmatic marketplace.
“Sellers have been looking for a scaled independent alternative to the giant companies who dominate the CTV marketplace,” said Michael Barrett, President/CEO of Magnite. “The combination of Magnite and SpotX will make this a reality by bringing together the best CTV technologies and teams at a critical time. Ad-supported CTV is just beginning to draw budgets from linear TV and we will be well-positioned to participate in the strongest segment of industry growth for the foreseeable future.”
Mike Shehan, Co-Founder and CEO at SpotX, added, “As CTV flourishes and the media industry continues to turn to programmatic, there is a huge opportunity for an independent scaled company to offer the single most comprehensive technology in the market. We built SpotX with the mission of becoming the leading global video advertising platform, and our goal is now coming to fruition with Magnite. I am thrilled about what we will achieve together.”
Together, Magnite and SpotX will serve some of the world’s leading programmers, broadcasters, platforms and device manufacturers, including A+E Networks, Crackle Plus, The CW Network, Discovery, Disney/Hulu, Electronic Arts, Fox Corporation, fuboTV, Microsoft, Newsy, Philo TV, Pluto TV, Roku, Samsung, Sling TV, Tubi, ViacomCBS, Vizio, Vudu, WarnerMedia and Xumo.
Transaction Details
Magnite is targeting in excess of $35 million in run-rate operating cost synergies, with more than half of the synergies realized within the first year of combined operations.
Magnite plans to finance the transaction with cash on hand, 14 million shares issued to RTL Group and committed financing from Goldman Sachs. The company expects the transaction to close in the second quarter, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Until the transaction closes, both companies will continue to operate independently.
Goldman Sachs and LUMA Partners acted as financial advisors to Magnite and Goldman Sachs is providing committed financing for the transaction.
Gibson Dunn provided legal counsel to Magnite.
In early 2019, Community Broadcasters, the company led by Bruce Mittman and Jim Leven, agreed to sell their radio stations serving the Twin Tiers of New York and Pennsylvania to a growing radio station owner led by CEO Kristin Cantrell and COO Jim Loftus.
Nearly one year later, in December 2019, Cantrell’s Kentucky-based company struck again, snagging three more stations serving a portion of the region that includes Corning, Elmira and Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Guess what? Seven Mountains Media is at it again, and this time two other players are involved.
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In the Spanish language, “humo” means smoke.
But, there’s definitely no smoke and mirrors behind a new effort from NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises that gives a breath of fresh air — and life — to parent Comcast’s free ad-supported streaming TV service.
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Locast, the donation-based broadcast TV-via-IP service that the Big Four television networks and the NAB despise for its unique weave-round regarding retransmission consent, has now entered its 29th market.
The service is now available in a city some refer to as “The Big Tomato.”
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It’s share price is now higher than where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in stay-at-home edicts and, with it, a sharp financial downturn on Wall Street, Broad Street and on stock markets across the globe.
With that positive momentum, Nielsen Holdings plc‘s Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend.
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By Thomas Urban
Fletcher Heald & Hildreth
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For nearly a year, the world has battled a pandemic defined as Coronavirus-19 or COVID-19. This virus has caused enormous damage worldwide in terms of human life, health, and economic devastation. This destruction has been acutely felt here in the United States, with the death of hundreds of thousands of Americans and the long-term illness of millions, as well as severe economic loss due to factors beyond the control of those who have been affected.
The COVID-19 pandemic also has had a significant effect on the U.S. legal system.
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On February 12, 2020, a Seattle FM will officially kickoff a yearlong celebration of its 50 years serving the Pacific Northwest’s biggest metropolis with rock ‘n’ roll music — and a little talk, too.
Today an Entercom Communications station, KISW-FM 99.9 is celebrating its longevity in Seattle with “The 50th Anniversary Weekend.”
Special programming will pay tribute to the station’s legacy with stories and memories from KISW alumni; local civic, sports and business leaders; and bands and artists from both Seattle and around the world.
KISW debuted as an Album-Oriented Rock station on February 14, 1971.
Guests are set to include bands Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Greta Van Fleet, Heart, Alice In Chains, Disturbed, Judas Priest, athletes from Seattle Mariners, Seahawks, Kraken and Sounders, Mayor of Seattle Jenny Durkin, singer-songwriter Sammy Hagar, and actors Joel McHale and Rainn Wilson.
“There are only a handful of radio stations that can brag about thriving for 50 years in a particular format, and KISW is one of them,” said Jack Hutchison, SVP and Market Manager for Entercom/Seattle. “KISW is synonymous with Seattle. We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many talented people who have been and still are part of this journey. They know the secret to our success has been to – first and foremost – recognize and immerse ourselves within the community. We’re not done, so stay tuned for the next 50 years. They are going to be fun.”
Dave Richards, Entercom’s Rock Format Captain, added, “To be able to celebrate a milestone like this is a rarity, and we don’t take that lightly. We celebrate this golden anniversary with everyone who has been along for the ride.”
Back in 1971, KISW was owned by Kaye-Smith, with Frank Sinatra a minority owner. Like many rockers, it started out with a progressive rock feel before evolving.
Over the years, personalities and shows like “Robin and Maynard,” “Langan and West,” “Crowe and West,” “Bob Rivers Twisted Radio,” Howard Stern, “BJ and Migs” and “The Mens Room” have helped KISW attract listeners.
Now, it is looking back as it sets to enter its sixth decade of service.
Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Home is Where the Connectivity Is
It’s a trend Nielsen believes is important for brands and advertisers looking to stay in touch with consumers as their habits—and their habitats—shift.
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Comcast Advertising’s Agency Leadership Council (ALC) recently commissioned Advertiser Perceptions to find out how more than 300 cross-screen TV advertisers and marketers are approaching measurement in 2021.
The results are now here, and they examine advertisers’ and marketers’ openness to new providers, and what may be holding them back from moving more quickly on new measurement currencies.
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EUREKA, CALIF. — For local television viewers that wish to watch the local NBC and CBS affiliates, it’s been a difficult start to 2020. First, Altice USA-owned Suddenlink, the dominant cable TV services provider across Humboldt County, blocked its customers from viewing them in the absence of a retransmission consent agreement.
Then, as soon as that “blackout” ended, another one transpired, with AT&T-owned DirecTV preventing its subscribers from seeing the stations — owned by Cox Media Group.
The local Member of Congress is irate. And, he’s going so far as to seek the elimination of the so-called “UHF discount” in legislation he’s set to introduce — a new wrinkle to Rep. Jared Huffman‘s efforts in Washington to end retrans impasses such as these.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — One of the world’s best-known audio equipment manufacturers has asked the FCC to reverse a decision made by the Pai Commission by reconsidering the merits it believes a dedicated UHF television channel for wireless microphone use would bring to its users.
Under former Chairman Ajit Pai the FCC declined to provide at least one “vacant” 6MHz UHF channel in each market for its exclusive use by wireless microphones.
It was tied to the FCC’s termination of a “vacant channels” rulemaking opened during its 600 MHz incentive auction.
Shure Incorporated disagrees with the FCC’s conclusions and rationale for terminating the proceeding. Now, with acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel at the helm, it believes a change from Republican to Democratic leadership may be ripe for a relook.
In a petition filed the Commission, Shure argues that the wireless microphone community needs clear spectrum now more than ever. That’s because, it says, the 600MHz band has been reallocated to mobile phone use. Add to that the post-spectrum auction “repack” of broadcast TV stations, which moved many TV stations to the 500MHz spectrum.
“At the same time, broadcast, performance, and sporting productions continue to demand more channels of wireless microphones than ever before,” Shure said.
It added that the “alternative” frequencies identified by the FCC in 2017 for wireless microphone use at 900MHz, 1.4GHz, and 7GHz “fall far short of addressing the needs of wireless microphone users. These bands do not have the same characteristics and operational flexibility as UHF frequencies. Because these bands are occupied by licensed users in other industries, access to these bands for wireless microphone use is conditioned on sharing requests, which can be lengthy and ultimately denied.”
Further, Shure argued that the 600MHz duplex gap and VHF frequencies offer interference and other considerations that constrain use. “Together, these other spectrum resources are helpful but are not practical alternatives to UHF, and the certainty of having access to at least one vacant UHF channel is important to meet demand for wireless microphone use. The designated UHF channel would also be important for applications that include intercom, IFB and others.”
Ahren Hartman, Vice President of Corporate Quality, commented, “With the loss of 700MHz, 600MHz, and the DTV repack into 500MHz, we are at an all-time low for access to UHF spectrum. However, the need for open and clear wireless microphone spectrum is higher than ever before.”
RBR+TVBR Washington Bureau
Tru Optik, which offers “identity resolution” in the streaming media world for marketers and advertisers, has struck a new partnership with WideOrbit, the sell-side processor of premium digital and linear advertising.
To learn how this can benefit Radio as it grows its podcasting and streaming audio delivery business, RBR+TVBR spoke exclusively with John Morris, VP of Streaming & On-Demand at WideOrbit. He’s Adam R Jacobson’s guest in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by DOT.FM.
Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: John Morris, WideOrbit” on Spreaker.
“Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Networks has resolved and withdrawn the lawsuit against Charter Communications.”
That’s the entire “official joint statement” released late Wednesday (2/3) by both companies, settling a matter that dates back several years for the broadcast media mogul.
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Of course, there’s a lot more detail to the matter that deserves explanation.
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From the 1970s through the start of the 1990s, radio broadcast stations from a “distant” locale could be received via cable television systems. It’s how Ulster County, N.Y. FM radio listeners were able to receive New York City-based stations some 90 miles north of the Empire State Building.
It seems that distant retransmission of radio broadcast signals by cable TV systems is still a thing, and the Copyright Royalty Board is seeking comment on a proposed royalty rates and terms settlement that also covers the distant retransmission of broadcast TV signals.
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Thank you, Georgia.
With ownership of the CBS affiliate in Atlanta, along with unaffiliated “Peachtree TV,” Meredith Local Media was one of several broadcast media company that saw bonus political dollars flow through the end of 2020 — thanks to twin U.S. Senate runoff elections.
Those extra bucks, along with non-election spot television advertising improvements from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, led Meredith’s broadcast TV arm to achieve a 141% year-over-year adjusted EBITDA increase in its fiscal Q2 of 2021.
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Sunday, February 29, is the final day for WGN America. It’s set to rebrand as NewsNation, the name of the prime-time news block that debuted in September 2020 as part of a systematic relaunch of the network under Nexstar Media Group ownership.
Its News Director won’t be around to carry out the network’s rechristening.
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Call it a reimagining of the annual mid-May dog-and-pony open bar parade across Midtown Manhattan called the Upfronts.
Or, you can call it, as NBCUniversal is, “a new annual gathering designed to offer a global view of the insights, stories, entertainment, and technology connecting consumers to businesses.”
However you spin it, “ONE21” is set to combine “the magic of the media and entertainment industry with the strategic insights and solutions of a platform developer conference.”
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He’s had a 46-year career in radio that included roles as CBS Radio/San Francisco SVP/Market Manager from 2005 through late 2017. He was also VP/National PD for the former EZ Communications.
In May 2018, he was lured to lead Cumulus Media’s Bay Area stations.
Now, Doug Harvill is ready to conclude his career in radio broadcasting.
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For two hours on Wednesday, with a second two-hour session set for Thursday, the 12-year-old Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) took to Zoom and conducted the first of its two virtual sessions comprising the 10th annual Cross-Platform Video Measurement & Data Summit.
What did Managing Director and CEO Jane Clarke, who hosted the event, have to share? For starters, the four “building blocks” to cross-media measurement were shared.
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