Radio+Television Business Report

The broadcasting company controlled by Apollo Global Management with radio stations in four Florida markets, in addition to three other cities, and a collection of television stations that even includes the NBC and CBS affiliates in Eureka-Arcata, Calif., has inked a multi-year renewal with the nation’s dominant audience measurement and consumer data analytics provider.

The new deal allows Cox Media Group‘s local TV stations in 10 full service radio and TV markets to continue to use various Nielsen measurement services.

The new agreement also includes CoxReps, which provides television sales representation of broadcasters with a wide network of advertising agencies.

Included in the agreement is Nielsen Local Media Impact, which has been licensed by CMG radio stations in Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio and Tampa-St. Petersburg.

CMG radio stations will also have access to the National Regional Database (NRD), a customizable tool of radio listening information for every market that Nielsen Audio surveys.

Furthermore, the new Nielsen pact renews access of CMG radio and TV stations and CoxReps to Nielsen Scarborough, which provides local market research and measures 2,000 market categories. The stations will continue to have access to Scarborough MARS Healthcare Module.

CMG television stations also subscribe to Arianna, which delivers local market overnight TV audience estimates providing analytics on program performance as well as trending programs and time periods, and Nielsen’s Local TV View (NLTV).

There’s more.

CMG will also use Grabix, a web-based application that combines Nielsen’s minute-by-minute television audience metrics to actual audio and video content.

Lastly, Cox also subscribes to Nielsen Radio County Coverage data, which provides local insights by breaking out of the standard Nielsen Radio metro boundaries for a broader understanding of listeners.

While CMG has a presence in some of the nation’s smallest markets thanks to Apollo’s acquisition of Brian Brady’s Northwest Broadcasting and subsequent combination of the TV station assets, it owns and operates TV stations in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Dayton, Jacksonville, Memphis, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Seattle-Tacoma, Tulsa, Spokane, Syracuse and Yakima-Tri Cities, in addition to the small markets of Eureka-Arcata and Yuma, Ariz.; Alexandria, La.; Medford, Ore.; Binghamton, N.Y.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Greenville-Greenwood, Miss.

“We had another very strong quarter, with revenue exceeding expectations,”  Urban One President/CEO Alfred Liggins III said in prepared comments as the company superserving Black consumers released its Q4 results.

On the surface, it appears Urban One didn’t do well, as the results showed net income down while net revenue rose. But, political dollars in Q4 2020 proved to be big for Urban One, too.

So, how did Urban One do in Q4 2021 in comparison to two years earlier?

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It uses digital Channel 30 and enjoys a PSIP of Channel 7. For the past year, it has been owned by Craig Ruark, who acquired the property from a Christian-focused broadcasting entity.

Now, Ruark is spinning the LPTV station serving Southern Nevada.

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The next batch of Q4 2021 earnings results from key media companies arrive on Thursday, with a morning dispatch of Urban One‘s fiscal health report and post-Closing Bell distribution of the Q4 financial results from both Salem Media Group and Entravision Communications.

For Hispanic consumer-centric Entravision, the results could further propel its shares, which enjoyed a strong 6.6% gain to $6.62 on Wednesday.

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The CEO of AMC Entertainment, the owner of cinemas across the U.S., posted its strongest quarterly results in two years. And, its CEO, Adam Aron, can thank Spider Man for besting analyst estimates.

Aron can also perhaps be thanked for propelling Paramount Global‘s shares on Wednesday. Why? The owner of CBS News and Stations could be poised for boffo box office results from its Paramount Pictures arm, after all.

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While the media lifestyles of Gen Z, a generation that has never known a world without internet, are dominated by social media and music streaming, this diverse audience of streamers view long-form TV content with as much frequency as short-form video content.

That’s the big reveal from a new “State of Gen Z 2021” from Horowitz Research.

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It was once a FOX O&O serving Alabama’s biggest market. Today, it is a Gray Television-owned property, thanks to its merger with Raycom.

Now, this TV property, which in July celebrates its 73rd birthday, is getting a low-power sibling in another key city within the big Birmingham DMA — marking another move by Gray to ensure over-the-air reception, market-wide, of its broadcast TV properties.

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The individual who tops RBR+TVBR‘s first-ever ranking of Broadcast Media’s Top Tech Leaders, announced in the Winter 2022 RBR+TVBR Special Report distributed this week at MWC 2022 Barcelona and in January to subscribers, has just been promoted to President to Technology at Sinclair Broadcast Group.

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Fresh off of her excursion to Barcelona to deliver a short keynote address at the GSMA’s MWC 2022, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has made an addition to the Office of Legislative Affairs.

She’s welcoming a Director to the office.

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For nearly three years, she has served as VP/GM of ABC Audio.

Starting today, she’ll serve in the newly created New York-based position of Executive Editor and Senior VP of ABC News.

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The Out-of-Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) has released an analysis of the cost efficiency of any “major” advertising media — including broadcast and cable TV, traditional radio and the hot arena of Podcasting.

What’s the CPM assessment for these media compared to others?

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“Real-time TV measurement” company iSpot has announced it is expanding its cross-platform viewing verification capabilities by agreeing to purchase a TV-viewing data analytics company known for its measurement of consumer viewing in public locations across the U.S.

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Since 2015, he has held the role of Market Manager for Cumulus Media‘s radio stations serving Little Rock.

As of today, he is now Regional VP of all of the company’s Arkansas properties.

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BOCA RATON, FLA. — A South Florida Democrat who in recent years emerged as a major proponent of legislation that would impose new artist royalty payments on broadcast radio stations in the U.S. has announced that he will step down following the Congressional recess for the 2022 midterm elections.

It’s a major blow to groups including musicFIRST and SoundExchange and perhaps a sign that the NAB-supported “Local Radio Freedom Act” has proven successful on Capitol Hill.

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The “streaming war” continues, with players like Netflix facing stiff competition from ad-supported and ad-supported hybrids such as Hulu and Discovery+. It’s a story the digital video PR machine churns out every day in a bid to declare victory over linear television.

While some believe the OTT story is overblown and a bubble could pop in just months, the ad spend for OTT seen in 2021 as determined by MediaRadar is something everyone in broadcast media should take note of.

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How vital is it for marketers to “bridge the gap” between linear television and streaming?

Just ask HDRadio and Tivo parent Xperi Corp., and a cross-channel TV advertising firm that has planned and executed successful TV campaigns for hundreds of brands.

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BOCA RATON, FLA. — The largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States has announced that it has successfully issued $1.368 billion of tower revenue notes secured by its portfolio of 3,526 tower sites.

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BOCA RATON, FLA. — It’s known across South Florida as a “BIG” home for rock and roll favorites ranging from Ozzy Osbourne and Eric Clapton to Men at Work and Tears for Fears. Now, this longtime iHeartMedia property that’s home to veteran local morning host Paul Castronovo could be on the hook for a big fine for a nearly three-year old contest.

Why? The FCC says it violated its rules for failing to be clear on the contest’s eligibility period.

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For two decades, he’s served as Marketing Director for the CBS and The CW Network affiliates serving the Cleveland TV market.

Now, he’s packing his bags and will soon enjoy Sonoran desert sunsets and perhaps a meal or two at El Charro.

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Its assets include NPR Member station WFYI-FM and PBS Member station WFYI-20 in Indianapolis.

Soon, it will be adding a low-power TV station to its property collection — thanks to a donation being made by a prolific trader of late in the LPTV arena.

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