Industry News

The Relocation Payment Clearinghouse LLC is now accepting C-Band relocation claims through an online portal.

The RPC is responsible for collecting, reviewing and distributing payments associated with the relocation, as required by the Federal Communications Commission. This includes those who opted for the lump sum payment option.

“The RPC is ready to accept and review claims,” said Frank Banda, RPC program manager, in the announcement.

“If you have received your email invitation, we encourage you to set up your claimant profile as soon as possible. Setting up your profile and providing the requested information through our Coupa portal is the first step in requesting a lump sum payment or making a claim for reimbursement of actual relocation costs.”

This is the latest in a series of steps related to the FCC’s repurposing of the C-Band (3.7–4.2 GHz) by moving satellite operations to the upper portion of the band (4.0–4.2 GHz) and making spectrum available for other uses through auction.

The RPC website has information about how to establish a profile and submit a claim.

RPC LLC contracted with accounting firm CohnReznick LLP, law firm Squire Patton Boggs, satellite expert lntellicom Technologies Inc. and cable/broadband expert Reed Strategy LLC to perform the duties of the clearinghouse.

Across all users including radio, there are approximately 20,000 registered earth stations in the contiguous U.S. that are classified as incumbents for purposes of the C-Band transition, according to the FCC.

As of May, approximately 1,500 earth station operators, some with multiple licenses, had taken the “lump sum” election, according to data from the FCC. Those licensees that did not accept that option were able to work with their satellite provider or recoup justifiable filter, dish and labor expenses from the clearinghouse, for expenses associated with the transition or relocation.

The post C-Band Clearinghouse Opens Its Claims Portal appeared first on Radio World.

She’s spent 27 years as an active member of the Chicago local TV world.

Now, ViacomCBS is appointing her to the role of President/General Manager of CBS News and Television Stations’ local businesses in Chicago.

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Ronna Corrente has gained national acclaim for her leadership of Gray Television’s FOX affiliate in New Orleans.

Now, Gray is promoting her. She’ll be leading     the company’s Louisville operation.

What does that mean for WVUE, “FOX8”?

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Earlier this year, respected Local TV Leader Marla Drutz revealed that she’s retiring. Now, the Graham Media Group executive who oversees its flagship property in Detroit is formally ready to pass the baton to her successor.

Who’s getting the role?

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The former Chief of Staff and General Counsel at the Federal Communications Commission has joined one of Washington, D.C.‘s most respected law firms as a partner in the communications and information technology section of its regulatory practice.

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In an era of big data, content platforms are seeking personalization now more than ever. Among the newer video streaming entrants, it’s a trend Nielsen has noticed.

In a new observation piece, the nation’s dominant audience measurement and consumer data company shares that, compared with the early days of streaming, a handful of platforms are taking a more focused engagement approach.

This yielded some intriguing findings as to OTT consumption among Blacks and Hispanics.

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In early 2020, a Kansas City radio station operator made headlines for its decision to air six hours of programming each day from Russia-sponsored Sputnik Radio, as a result of a lease agreement with Florida-based RM Broadcasting LLC.

Now, the station’s owner has opted to part ways with a far-suburban silent FM translator. It’s a deal that will bring “vida” back to this dormant facility.

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John Moesch, the Vice President and General Manager of the West Texas Radio Group, oversees a group of radio stations in a region known as Permian Basin — and it’s a place where his company competes against another local operator, and against Townsquare Media.

What should media buyers and planners in places such as New York or Chicago know about locales including Midland and Odessa? How does local compare to national in a region of the country not widely known for its affluence?

Moesch answers these questions and more in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: John Moesch, West Texas Radio Group” on Spreaker.

At the start of the lockdown when our lives migrated to Zoom, a CEO coaching client of veteran PR professional Rosemary Ravinal said he welcomed being distanced from the audience because his legs shake from nerves when speaking in person. He was excited about being able to read from a script on the screen seated with his legs out of sight.

“Can you guess what happened when we practiced for a high-stakes online speaking opportunity?,” Ravinal says.

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On August 16, Gen Media Partners rebooted its radio network sales and affiliate sales arm that was known as Sun Broadcast Group, rebranding it as G Networks. The shedding of the Sun name follows the late July exit of Danno Wolkoff as COO and Laura Wolkoff as Sun’s VP of Operations.

It is now known that their exit was a bit acrimonious. The Wolkoffs have filed a wrongful termination suit against the company.

As first reported in Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink, the Wolkoffs are seeking a $2 million judgment against G Networks and GMP. The Wolkoffs first came into the GMP fold in 2020, when it acquired Envision, the company the Wolkoffs launched in the early 2000s.

The lawsuit alleges that the Wolkoffs received a termination letter alleging “gross negligence and gross incompetence in the performance of their duties and take reasonable measures to cured their conduct and its consequences within 30 days.” The Wolkoffs also say their salaries were also “suspended until further notice as a partial offset of the damages to its business caused by them.”

The Wolkoff suit also claims the termination notice failed to identify any specific conduct of Daniel and Laura Wolkoff that allegedly constitutes gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct. Plus, the notice failed to identify which duties the Wolkoffs allegedly performed with gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct and that the notice failed to identify what reasonable measures it deems necessary to cure the couple’s alleged gross negligence, gross incompetence or willful misconduct.

As reported by Radio Ink, Danno Wolkoff earned $250,000 at the time; Laura Wolkoff was being paid $200,000. They claim they were fired without cause and, as such, are owed  $2.1 million for a breach of their contract.

— Ed Ryan, with additional reporting by Adam R Jacobson