Headlines
FCC Chair Signals Equal Time Scrutiny Could Extend To Radio
The facts between “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert and CBS over whether he was, in fact, directed not air an interview with a Texas Senate candidate are disputed. But FCC Chair Brendan Carr says there is no disputing the fact that his agency’s equal time rules apply to talk radio as much as TV talk shows.
Mergers & Acquisitions
‘I Support That Transaction’ – FCC Chairman Carr Ready to Approve Nexstar-TEGNA Deal
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told reporters that he wanted to approve Nexstar Media Group’s acquisition of TEGNA, forming a broadcast TV powerhouse with 265 stations that will reach 54.5% of U.S. TV households as calculated under FCC rules.
FCC's Gomez says Nexstar-TEGNA deal should get full panel vote
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said Nexstar’s proposed $6 billion acquisition of TEGNA should be reviewed and voted on by the full Commission, not just the Media Bureau.
Deal Digest: Closings Dominate Week’s Deal-Making.
Thomas Evans’ Loan Media has filed to donate the Reading, PA-licensed translator W207AE at 89.3 FM to Richard Snavely’s Family Life Ministries. The signal will relay contemporary Christian WCDH Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA (91.5) when it returns to the air.
Television
Local Media Needs Consolidation To Compete, But An Outdated Legal Standard Stands In The Way
Twenty years ago, broadcast TV commanded the majority of viewing time and ad dollars. According to BIA Advisory Services, it accounts for roughly 10% of the $182 billion dollar local advertiser wallet share predicted for 2026, with Big Tech and streaming walled gardens absorbing the bulk of local consumer attention and data.
Radio
iHeart Study: Bicultural Latinos Fuel $4T Growth.
iHeartMedia says Bicultural Latinos — consumers who identify as equally American and Hispanic — are not just a fast-growing audience segment, but a cultural and economic engine reshaping the U.S. marketplace.
California Noncom Loses Its License
A noncom FM station in central California has lost its license for sitting silent for more than a year and/or for operating from the wrong location.
Digital
TikTok’s Local Feed Arrives At A Fragile Moment For Local News
Local news in the United States is facing a dual crisis: production and consumption.
FCC
FCC Unanimously Approves A Path Forward For NCE FM Translators
All three vote-makers on the Federal Communications Commission have given their thumbs up to a Public Notice that proposes and seeks comment on certain eligibility requirements and a general limit filed by any applicant in the upcoming noncommercial FM translator filing window.