Headlines
Primary Season Has Begun! Here’s What to Expect…
With the first Republican Primary debate finished, “Primary Season” for the 2024 Presidential Election is officially upon us. This makes it the perfect time to dive in and compare what happened in 2020 to what we are expecting in 2024 with a focus on the Primaries.
Pew Research Center Provides Key Facts About Radio Listening In The U.S.
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from BIA Advisory Services, in 2022, average revenue for stations in the all-news format was $17.8 million in 2022 – up from $15.9 million in 2020 but well below the $21 million recorded in 2019, before the pandemic.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Deal Digest: Salem Sells Greenville-Spartanburg Stations
ducational Media Foundation has filed a $6,775,000 deal to buy classic hits “95.5/103.3 Earth FM” WLTE/WRTH and talk “The Answer 94.5 FM” WGTK from Salem Media Group.
Report: BMI Mulling $1.7 Billion Sale To Private Equity Fund
New Mountain Capital is close to acquiring performance rights group BMI for $1.7 billion. Billboard reports that BMI considering the offer from the private equity firm, which has been quietly looking at music assets over the last few years.
MMTC Completes Spin Of A Rural Arizona FM
The MMTC Broadcasting LLC arm of the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council has closed on its sale of an FM radio station that it received via a donation from the owner of Deportes y Música Comunicaciones — one of the first licensees to petition the FCC for 100% foreign ownership.
Television
Cox Launches Neighborhood TV, A Hyperlocal Streaming News Service
The Cox Media Group (CMG) announced the launch of a free ad supported (a.k.a. FAST channel) local streaming news service called Neighborhood TV (NTV).
For TV Stations, IP Transition Moves At Tiptoe Pace
Technology executives from Fox Corp., Hearst Television, CBC, Sony and Florical told a TVNewsCheck webinar last week that the lack of a “trigger point” and a shortage of personnel experts in managing IT infrastructures are among the factors slowing down the pace of the industry’s IP transition.
Radio
Consumer Habits Are Pushing More Audio Listening To On-Demand
In a boost for radio’s increasing focus on podcasting, a pair of longtime media research companies have released new data showing just how far on-demand media habits have come during the past few years.
Digital
Data: YouTube’s Getting Even Longer On Short Videos
While YouTube strategically leans on its new NFL Sunday Ticket deal to plot the future, its present is being increasingly shaped by less time-intensive fare.
Specifically, we’re talking about Shorts, and the growing emphasis on shorter videos both in terms of uploads and views — at least in in the U.S.
FCC
EAS Nationwide Test Scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) have announced that a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) will take place on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 pm EDT.
FCC Invites Comment on Request to Deny Fox TV License Renewal in Philadelphia
Group challenged Fox renewal over 2020 election coverage