Headlines
Americans’ Complicated Relationship With News
Americans today describe a complicated relationship with the news. Most say being informed is essential for civic life – especially voting – yet many feel overwhelmed, skeptical and selective about how they engage with information, according to a new Pew Research Center study from the Pew-Knight Initiative.
Parks: Budget Pressures Force 30% of Consumers to Cancel Streaming Services
Parks Associates has released new survey results indicating that affordability has overtaken content availability as the dominant reason consumers cancel video services.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Deal Digest: Colorado Ski Country Deal-Making.
Jonathan Ingram’s JWI Holdings has filed a $2 million deal to buy seven stations from Don Tlapek. They including classic rock “The River 98.9” KCOQ, “96.9 Big Country Radio” KBCR, regional Mexican KKSB (1230), and sports KTYV (105.7) in Steamboat Springs, CO; classic hits “93.7 The Point” KRAI-FM (93.7) and country KRAI (550) in Craig, CO; and soft AC “Easy 94.1” KEZZ, Phippsburg, CO.
Station Trading Roundup: 3 Deals, $320,000
The purchase of KRMZ Denver by Syncom Media Group tops the latest list of TV station transactions submitted to the FCC for its approval, according to BIA Advisory Services.
Spectrum News Acquires New England Cable News
Spectrum News has inked a deal with New England Cable News (NECN) and NBCUniversal for the acquisition of substantially all the assets of NECN, including the network’s existing distribution agreements throughout New England.
WKRP Call Letters Go Up For Auction.
One of radio’s most recognizable call signs is about to go on the block.
Television
Competitive Info: E.W. Scripps Unveils Transformation Plan, Signals Job Cuts Ahead.
E.W. Scripps Co. is preparing for potential layoffs as it launches an enterprise-wide transformation plan designed to increase adjusted earnings by up to $150 million over the next three years.
Weigel Says The Quiet Part Out Loud
At its core, Weigel’s argument is straightforward, if uncomfortable: ATSC 3.0 is being advanced less as a consumer upgrade than as a strategic pivot away from traditional broadcasting.
Radio
Katz: Women Trust Radio More Than TV and Social Media
As platforms compete for time and attention across screens and feeds, a new media trust study suggests radio’s relationship with female audiences in the US remains stronger than newspapers, television, podcasts, and social media.
What Broadcasters Get Wrong About Christian Radio
Christian radio is often discussed in assumptions instead of operational reality. Within the broader industry, the format is still frequently labeled niche, outdated, or one-dimensional, even as many operators have some of the most innovative and audience-driven brands.