Radio+Television Business Report

On March 6, Audacy stock topped the $6 mark, repeating a feat achieved in early February. All seemed bright for the company formerly known as Entercom, as its stock price had been stuck in the $1.50 range until the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election for months.

Since that early March finish, Audacy shares are down 41% in value. The latest dip comes on reports that its Top 40, or Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR), stations, on Thursday saw a culling of its air personality roster.

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It’s Virginia’s home for public media, headquartered at 23 Sesame Street in Richmond. It rebranded in August 2019 from Community Idea Stations.

Now, VPM is gaining attention again, but for the wrong reason. It’s received a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for not making a required public file upload to the Commission’s “OPIF” in a timely manner.

It was also admonished by the Commission.

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The acquisition of three broadcast towers in Norfolk from Com-Ent LLC has closed.

This puts the structures in the hands of an entity that owns or operates more than 1,000 structures across the U.S.

CTI Towers, headed by Tony Peduto, is the buyer, and it will now own tower structures used in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia by Max Media, Hindlin Broadcasting, and Sinclair Communications (not to be confused with Sinclair Broadcast Group).

Michael J. Bergner of Bergner & Co. served as the broker in this transaction. He notes that the towers are “income producing,” and such structures remain in high demand. “I fully expect values to go even higher as 5G services come online,” he notes.

For the second consecutive year, the Radio+Television Business Report is teaming up with Media Staffing Network for an exclusive Sales Compensation Study.

Friday, July 23 is now the final day one can participate by taking the survey.

We know that sales teams have endured many challenges over the past year. What is perhaps the biggest visible change at broadcast TV that Laurie Kahn, CEO for Media Staffing Network, has seen?

Kahn shares her insights, along with why it’s so important for those in TV sales to participate in this study, in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

TO TAKE THE SURVEY NOW, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

 

 

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Laurie Kahn, Media Staffing Network” on Spreaker.

ViacomCBS has completed its leadership transition from Peter Dunn, who led the CBS O&Os until losing his job amid claims gender and racial misconduct, and news division leader David Friend, who was also tied to similar allegations.

As of August 2, there will be a new President of CBS Stations. She will report to President and Co-Head of CBS News and Stations Wendy McMahon.

Who is it? Look no further than the FOX affiliate serving Portland, Ore., which are being sold to Gray Television by Meredith Local Media.

That hasn’t stopped Meredith from naming Roark’s replacement, even as a change in ownership looms.

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It began service in September 1987 with home shopping programming. Its history includes ownership by Paxson Broadcasting, which had hoped to use the property as a flagship for what is today ION Network. It was also earmarked as a New York DMA home for Azteca América some 20 years ago, but the plan collapsed.

Now, this facility using digital Channel 21 is being acquired by the company whose digital multicast network aired on the station from Jan. 4, 2012 until fall 2015: Weigel Broadcasting.

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The individual who will direct the marketing strategies for each of the business units within FOX Entertainment, including the FOX broadcast TV network and free AVOD platform Tubi has been selected.

It’s the man who presently serves as EVP of Marketing for FOX Entertainment.

As such, it’s a promotion for Darren Schillace.

His duties extend to projects from Bento Box, FOX Alternative Entertainment and Blockchain Creative Labs.

But, Schillace’s responsibilities for FOX and Tubi are perhaps the greater focal point of his task list. They include on-air and off-air promotion, brand and program advertising, national media and promotions, digital marketing, strategic partnerships, music, social media, affiliate marketing and production.

He will continue to oversee FOX Entertainment’s strategy for its program development, Newfront and Upfront presentations.

With his expanded purview, Schillace’s direct reports will now include Natalie Bastian, who, as Head of Marketing for Tubi, was recently promoted to Senior Vice President.

The FOX Marketing team will continue to report to Schillace.

Under Schillace’s marketing campaigns, Call Me Kat, starring Mayim Bialik and featuring Leslie Jordan and Swoosie Kurtz in supporting roles, emerged as the pandemic-impacted seasons top new sitcom.

Before joining FOX in 2017, Schillace oversaw all marketing strategies for ABC’s primetime, late-night and daytime programming, spanning on-air promotion, off-network creative, digital marketing, social media, paid media, strategic partnerships and events.

From 2010 to 2012, he was VP of Consumer Marketing for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Before that, Schillace posted his first stint with ABC, where he was VP of Marketing Strategy.

The Pennsylvania State University graduate joined ABC in 2003 from Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, where he handled marketing strategy for EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando. Schillace, who started his career working in production and design at Random House, also worked at a number of advertising agencies, including Ogilvy & Mather and TBWA Chiat/Day.

The affiliate boards of directors of ABC, CBS, FOX Television and NBC will once again meet during NAB Show, scheduled as an in-person event from October 9-13 in Las Vegas.

It’s another sign that the “premier event for broadcasters and the broader media, entertainment and technology industries” isn’t concerned about the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus or increases in positive virus cases tied to personal decisions not to vaccinate.

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The 2021 NAB Shows marks the 12th year the ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliate boards have met in conjunction with the event.

“The challenging, changing times and events we have all experienced in recent memory have reinforced the critical importance of broadcasting, particularly accurate, trusted, relevant local journalism – and the vital need to not only preserve it, but to see that it thrives now and in the future,” said Mike Meara, President of NPG Broadcasting and chair of the ABC Television Affiliates Association. “NAB Show – with industry leaders and representatives all back live and in-person, and the latest, emerging technology on display – provides the ideal platform to explore how to ensure that happens. The ABC Affiliates look forward to seeing and meeting with one another, with our network partners, and with other broadcasters in Las Vegas in October.”

The CBS Affiliate Board Chair is Patrick McCreery, President of Meredith Local Media Group, which could be finalizing the sale of its television stations by the time the NAB Show commences.

McCreery said, “Broadcasters are excited about the future and are poised to capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead for our industry. That is why NAB Show is the right venue for the CBS Affiliate Board meeting — it is where industry leaders, innovators and influencers come together to not only reflect on the current state of our businesses but to discuss and lead the charge into the future. The last two years have shown us that local broadcasters and the trusted journalism we provide are essential to our communities, and no other event provides us with the tools, insights and networking to help us reinforce our commitment to serving our audiences.”

Patricia McRae, president of KHQ Inc. and Cowles Montana Media, chairs the FOX Television Affiliate Board of Governors.

Emily Barr, President/CEO of Graham Media Group, is the NBC Affiliate Board of Directors chair.

As previously announced, signature NAB events including the Sales and Management Television Exchange (SMTE), October 8-9, and the Radio Show, will co-locate with NAB Show in Las Vegas for the first time.

With the promise of a large, demographically diverse audience, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad — the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics — are forecast to bring in record-high advertising revenue.

In fact, Kantar believes the ad dollars will be more than 20% higher than the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

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There will be no blackouts of Spongebob, CBS2 News or BET fare for subscribers of Charter Communications’ Spectrum MVPD services across the U.S. — including New York and Los Angeles.

The continued carriage of ViacomCBS’ portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, news and sports networks on Charter Communications’ Spectrum systems is now assured.

The freshly signed deal between Charter and ViacomCBS, announced Thursday morning, also includes licensing ViacomCBS’s Paramount+, Pluto TV, BET+ and Noggin for future distribution to Spectrum customers.

“We are pleased to have reached a new deal to deliver ViacomCBS’ expansive portfolio of popular brands and premium programming for Spectrum audiences to enjoy, plus greater choice in how they consume our content,” said Ray Hopkins, President of U.S. Network Distribution at ViacomCBS. “Charter is a valued partner, and we look forward to deepening our long-standing relationship.”

Added Tom Montemagno, EVP of Programming Acquisition for Charter, “These comprehensive agreements with ViacomCBS recognize the fast-changing pace of the subscription video business and provide us the flexibilities to adapt for the benefit of our customers while also furthering our strategic interests in the advanced advertising realm and aggregated video store concept with the addition of the streaming apps.”

ViacomCBS and Charter also will expand their existing collaboration around addressable media and advanced advertising.

Others terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

To facilitate regulatory approvals for its approximately $2.825 billion purchase of Meredith Local Media, announced on May 3, Gray Television agreed to divest an ABC affiliate  “to an independent third-party no later than the closing of the Meredith acquisition.”

At the time, RBR+TVBR asked if it was Allen Media Group.

It is now known that this guess was the correct one.

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Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation, the owner and operator of Adult Alternative WYEP-FM and NPR Member station WESA-FM, has appointed a Vice President of Broadcasting.

It’s an individual who has been associated with the stations for nearly two decades: Mike Sauter.

Terry O’Reilly, President/CEO of Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting, commented, “WYEP and WESA share a common goal: to be leaders in the service they provide in music and journalism, respectively. We’re thrilled to take this next important step for our organization, by placing Mike at the helm of our broadcast operations and programming.”

Sauter joined Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting in 2004 as WYEP’s Program Director. He was promoted to station manager in 2019. He began his career in 1984 in Ithaca, N.Y., and his career includes a run as an air personality at WHTG-FM in Monmouth-Ocean, N.J.

 

MESA, ARIZ. — As the first market in the U.S. to experience NEXTGEN TV when it launched in 2018, audiences in the Phoenix area have been among the first to experience the next generation of digital TV broadcasting.

Now, there is an expanded roster of stations using the ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast TV standard available for viewing.

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The national news program from Sinclair Broadcast Group has announced who will be seated in the anchor chairs come September 27 for its late newscasts.

One individual is returning to Sinclair to become a co-anchor. The other is a Sunshine State veteran who left broadcast TV in March 2018.

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It has quietly become one of the biggest media companies serving Spanish-speaking audiences across the Southeast. Now, Norsan Media is growing by bringing one of the region’s fastest-growing markets an Estrella TV affiliate.

To do so, it is buying a low-power digital TV facility in this locale, the nation’s biggest city by square miles.

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One reportedly impacted Cox Media Group‘s TV and radio properties’ streaming capabilities for weeks. Other companies including Audacy, Urban One and Max Media also had their share of headaches because of similar instances.

Ransomware attacks have been particularly vicious to broadcast media companies.

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Committee that oversees the FCC is putting a microscope on these attacks.

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From its corporate headquarters in Central Florida, a family-owned radio broadcasting company with roots in Providence, R.I., operates AMs and FMs across six markets, including Lancaster, Pa.

That market, until now, has involved the operation of two FMs and an AM that combine to serve the area as an ESPN Radio affiliate. The other property is an Adult Contemporary FM with a “Fun” disposition.

That latter FM is about to get a lot of Love, thanks to a deal brokered by Kalil & Co.

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The nation’s No. 1 owner of broadcast TV stations has responded to a Petition for Declaratory Ruling submitted to the FCC on July 1 by Comcast that argues the company is in violation of the national broadcast cap for what it believes is its de facto control of WPIX-11 in New York.

Nexstar Media Group didn’t offer a retort in a Commission filing, however. Instead, it has filed a complaint in New York State Court that the companies believes goes straight to the heart of the real issue at hand: retransmission consent agreements.

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RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION

When it comes to nostalgia, there’s no bigger industry than Radio that likes to recall those golden days of yesteryear, when “Boss Radio” ruled the airwaves and big, booming voices including Dan Ingram, The Real Don Steele, Dr. Don Rose and Joey Reynolds dominated the Hooper surveys.

Thanks to the 2019 film Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood, 93 KHJ enjoyed a renaissance in remembrance. For many today, the Top 40 station born in May 1965 that switched to Country in November 1980 is the epitome of how “great” radio was.

It’s funny how fuzzy memories can create illusions. At high noon on July 24, 1970, with Charlie Tuna at the mic, KHJ offered a perfect example of how awful radio had become. It’s a learning lesson today’s radio industry leaders should absorb, as long spot sets and commercial clutter remains a big topic no one wants to debate and resolve.

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LG Ads, which offers cross-screen media and measurement products for convergent TV, has given the CEO reins to its co-founder — the man who has served as Chief Product Officer since 2013 and gave the entity its original name, Alphonso.

Meanwhile, a new President has been selected at LG Ads. He spent more than 15 years at Comscore.

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