Headlines
How Brendan Carr, Trump’s FCC Chair, Is Rattling Media Giants (WSJ subscription required)
Since taking over as chairman of the agency, Carr has revived news bias complaints and launched probes into diversity initiatives at Comcast and Disney. This month, he blasted NBC’s coverage of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia controversy.
AdImpact: New Jersey Political Ad Record Falls While There’s Already Ads In 2026 Senate Races
It may be a quieter year on the political advertising front, but records continue to fall. The New Jersey gubernatorial primary has already seen $51.1 million according to AdImpact.
BIA
Radio Opportunities Abound In 2025
Radio isn’t just surviving in 2025 – it’s evolving. With $12.3 billion in projected local radio and digital radio ad revenue this year, combining both traditional and digital platforms, radio remains the fifth-largest advertising medium in the local market space.
Mergers & Acquisitions
WSJ: Skydance Will Curb Certain DEI Efforts To Close Paramount Deal
“People close to the discussions” have told The Wall Street Journal that Paramount Global will continue “to abstain from particular corporate diversity initiatives,” one step it will take to meet FCC approval of Skydance Media’s proposed merger with the company through an acquisition of the Redstone family’s National Amusements Inc., the controlling shareholder.
These Local Owners Took Stations Back, What Happened?
It was the scenario that many American broadcasters had hoped for, but it was Canada where one of the country’s major chains, Bell Media, divested 45 radio stations to smaller regional groups last February. Even then, the feel good was quickly marred by a Bell executive declaring radio to no longer be a “viable” business.
LiveU Acquires Actus Digital
LiveU, a global provider of live IP-video contribution, production and distribution solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Actus Digital’s business and technology.
FCC
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: April 21, 2025 to April 25, 2025
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.
Television
Good News? Local TV Salaries Beat Inflation by Just a Little Bit
RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University has a new survey out that shows local TV news salaries beat inflation by just a little bit.
Radio
Format Scorecard: Contemporary Christian, News/Talk, CHR Are All in Growth Mode
Contemporary Christian may be just 10th-ranked among all formats in persons 6+ during Nielsen's March 2025 survey, yet its growth trend seems to know no end.