Headlines
Affiliates Seek To Change How They Pay Networks for Programming
With pay TV subcribers falling, there’s a shift to a variable model from fixed fees for reverse compensation
Ergen's EchoStar Concedes 'Substantial Doubt' About Its Future
With one analyst calling its debt situation ‘dire,’ the Dish Network parent company admits to the SEC there is doubt about its ability to continue as a ‘going concern’
Mergers & Acquisitions
Following Bankruptcy Auction, Trustee Sought To Oversee Liquidation Of Stolz Assets
Despite the sale of his stations against his will now nearly complete, the courtroom battles involving Royce International Broadcasting owner Ed Stolz are not done yet. Broker Larry Patrick, who was the court-appointed receiver of Royce’s stations during a 19-month period, is asking a judge to convert Stolz’s chapter 13 bankruptcy into a chapter 7 liquidation.
Television
Public Broadcasters Discuss Tech Strategies
As U.S. broadcasters continue their transition to ATSC 3.0, public broadcasters are playing a critical role, from testing new emergency alerting technologies to providing the myriad of services available, from datacasting to on-demand programming.
FCC
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 26, 2024 to March 1, 2024
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations.
Just Because the FCC Can Regulate Broadcasting, Should It?
When you have been representing broadcasters in Washington for as long as I have, you see cycles in regulation of the industry. I was reminded of how long the FCC has been on a deregulatory cycle in reading today’s Washington Post obituary of former Democratic FCC Chair Charlie Ferris, who headed the FCC many decades ago when I interned there and when I later started to work in private practice representing broadcasters.
Media
TVNewsCheck Returns To Inboxes And Online
Beginning today, TVNewsCheck will resume continuous updates to its website and distribution of its AM and PM newsletters, along with its Tech Thursday newsletter.
Verticals
Research Shows There's No Clear Winning Strategy For Political Ads
There's a lot riding on the billions of dollars going to political advertising during this election year, especially at radio, which stands to benefit from increased spending on downballot races to fill state legislature and Supreme Court seats.