Radio+Television Business Report

On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee will play host to a “Zoom video webinar” devoted to the “American Music Fairness Act,” proposed legislation that would impose additional royalties on music played by AM and FM radio stations across the U.S.

While the “AMFA” support is dwarfed by that of the “Local Radio Freedom Act,” and no companion legislation for “AMFA” has yet to emerge in the Senate, one advocating pushing for the bill’s passage is calling for the board of directors of two of the nation’s biggest radio broadcasting companies to discuss “how music creators should be paid when their songs are played on AM/FM radio.”

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It’s nearly earnings season for the nation’s broadcast media companies, and ahead of those reports SiriusXM Holdings Inc. on February 1 released its fiscal health review for the final three months of 2021.

How did SiriusXM fare? It surpassed revenue expectations, as the company shared a positive outlook for investors. Better yet, a special dividend is on the way for shareholders.

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If 2021 wasn’t a big year for your radio or television stations, with respect to advertising dollars and reaping stronger-than-ever marketing budgets, then the forthcoming years may be cloudy unless strong growth beyond retransmission fees for broadcast TV and political dollars for over-the-air television and radio no longer drive revenue.

That’s perhaps the biggest takeaway from the just released WARC Global Marketing Index for 2021.

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A small broadcaster with TV stations in its home market of Salisbury-Ocean City, Md.; adjacent city Dover, Del.; Bowling Green, Ky.; Glenwood Springs, Colo.; and two Georgia markets has just agreed to acquire a construction permit for a low-power television station in one of those markets — a move that bolsters its presence there.

It’s another LPTV deal that sees Bob Heymann, of the Chicago office of Media Services Group, serve as the seller’s broker.

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The company known for its audio research and analytics platform has brought to market what it calls “a first-of-its-kind API for audio scoring.”

“With Veritonic’s API, anyone analyzing audio — including publishers, agencies, and technology vendors — can seamlessly view audience engagement scores in whatever system or tools they use,” Veritonic announced Tuesday morning (2/1).

Powered by Veritonic’s Machine Listening and Learning (M-LAL) technology, the API provides users with access to audio measurement scores for several efficacy attributes including recall, engagement, and intent for every asset in their library. “Publishers can then use these scores to make informed decisions around when and where to use their assets, and how they can be further optimized to increase ROI,” the company says. “Every type of audio asset can be scored through this API, including audio logos, audio ads, podcast ads, functional sounds, music, podcast clips, voiceovers, and more.”

Speaking for Veritonic, CEO Scott Simonelli notes, “We remain committed to providing the audio industry with seamless access to the data and insights that are elevating campaign performance and increasing ROI. Our API enables critical audio efficacy metrics to sit alongside an asset for the first time, unlocking unprecedented scale and making analysis and decision-making faster and more streamlined than ever before.”

Michele Arnese, founder and CEO and Chief Creative Officer of amp sound branding, adds, “We look forward to leveraging Veritonic’s API to further integrate audio measurement into our intelligent Sonic OS platform, the one-stop-shop for data-aided evaluation and implementation of sonic identities. This API will enable us to simplify the process of evaluating and optimizing our assets at all stages of the sonic branding development process, creating even more impactful and measurable audible experiences for our clients.”

It’s a Class C 1kw AM radio station with an FM translator serving as the ESPN Radio affiliate for East Texas’ key Nielsen Audio-rated market.

Now, the facilities belong to a new owner, as the transaction has just closed.

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Two of the biggest Spanish-language media companies in the world are now officially united in fiscal matrimony.

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and Univision Holdings II Inc. (together with its wholly owned subsidiary, Univision Communications Inc.) on January 31 completed their merger — a transaction between the Mexico City and New York-headquartered companies that effectively melds Televisa’s media content and production assets with those of Univision.

The new company takes the name TelevisaUnivision Inc. and creates one of the world’s leading Spanish-language media and content companies, joining PRISA on an Iberoamerican level of content distribution and advertiser opportunities.

“TelevisaUnivision will produce and deliver premium content for its own platforms and for others, while also providing innovative solutions for advertisers and distributors globally,” the companies said on Monday.

“The close of our transaction marks a historic moment for our company and our industry,” said TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis. “We are combining two iconic and market-leading companies that have a rich, shared history and an incredible portfolio of assets. This combination will create a business without comparison in the global media landscape. Over the past year both companies have transformed themselves, reaching levels of financial performance and audience resonance that has not been seen for years. The power and momentum of the transformed core business is truly unique and will be a springboard for the upcoming launch of the preeminent Spanish-language streaming service. The new trajectory of our company is supported by our new ownership group, which is well positioned to amplify the efforts of one of the best leadership teams in the world.”

Alfonso de Angoitia, Executive Chairman of the TelevisaUnivision Board of Directors, added that the combination of content assets from Televisa and Univision has created a company with “tremendous potential,” adding, “With our attractive financial profile and history of innovation, TelevisaUnivision is ready to revolutionize the industry by delivering the most comprehensive Spanish-language content offering to audiences around the world.”

In Mexico, Televisa’s four broadcast channels and 27 pay-TV channels, Videocine movie studio, and Blim TV subscription video-on-demand service are heritage brands; the television channels in recent years have come under intense pressure thanks to competition from TV Azteca and, to a more limited extent, satellite channels.

Univision’s assets in the U.S. include the Univision and UniMás broadcast networks, nine Spanish-language cable networks, 59 television stations and 57 radio stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets, and the fast-growing PrendeTV AVOD platform.

As a result of the combination, TelevisaUnivision reaches over 60% of the respective TV audiences in both the U.S. and Mexico. Across television, digital, streaming, and audio, the company reaches over 100 million Spanish speakers each day.

Integration and Position as One Company

Since announcing the transaction on April 13, 2021, Univision and Televisa have each transformed their core businesses in anticipation of the integration.

Ahead of that deal, Univision under Wade Davis has helped steer the company to new ratings and revenue riches.

This included widening and strengthening a long-standing partnership between the two businesses, mainly for content.

According to the newly combined company, Univision’s advertising revenue through the first nine months of 2021 increased by 32.6%, returning “significantly” beyond 2019 levels, while Televisa’s advertising revenue for the same period increased by 24% year-over-year.

Meanwhile, TelevisaUnivision remains on track to launch its previously announced unified global streaming service in 2022, which will include both a free and a premium subscription tier. The service will have the largest offering of original Spanish-language content in the U.S. and Latin America, including dramas, comedies, docuseries, game shows, reality shows, variety programs, movies, musical and cultural events, children’s and educational programs, sports and special events, as well as trusted news programming.

Leadership

• Wade Davis will lead TelevisaUnivision as CEO
• Alfonso de Angoitia will serve as Executive Chairman of the TelevisaUnivision Board
• Marcelo Claure will become Vice Chairman of the Board

The TelevisaUnivision Board will also be comprised of Emilio Azcárraga, Bernardo Gómez, Michel Combes, Gisel Ruiz, Oscar Muñoz, Maria Cristina “MC” Gonzalez Noguera, Eric Zinterhofer and Jeff Sine. In addition, Televisa retains the right to appoint two additional directors.

Content production and operations in Mexico will be led by Bernardo Gómez and Alfonso de Angoitia, Co-Chief Executive Officers of TelevisaUnivision Mexico, who also remain co-Chief Executive Officers of Grupo Televisa. Grupo Televisa’s news operations in Mexico will become part of a new, independent company dedicated to producing news for TelevisaUnivision’s networks in Mexico, and will be led by Emilio Azcárraga, Executive Chairman of the Grupo Televisa Board of Directors.

The company’s new investors include SoftBank Latin America Fund, Google and The Raine Group.

Advisors

For Univision: Guggenheim Securities and J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisors; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Sidley Austin LLP served as legal counsel; and Covington & Burling LLP served as regulatory counsel.

For Televisa: Allen & Company acted as financial advisor; Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C. served as legal counsel; and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP served as regulatory counsel. LionTree Advisors LLC rendered a fairness opinion to the Board of Directors of Televisa.

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP served as legal counsel to the SoftBank Latin America Fund.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP served as legal counsel to The Raine Group.

The annual release of Futuresource’s CE Tech Perspectives report is now available for download.

“We combine existing research from Futuresource along with announcements made during CES to provide you with the latest CE trends and market expectations for 2022,” the British tech advisory and media trends firm notes.

What’s the big takeaway from the latest report?

Futuresource notes, “2021 was seen as a challenging year for the CE industry, with uncertainty surrounding the impact of COVID19 coupled with the ongoing semiconductor shortages and ensuing supply chain issues. Yet the industry shipped almost 4.3 billion devices globally, a 5% increase over 2020, and is forecast to repeat similar growth
during 2022. So, we approach this year with refreshed optimism.’

Overall, Futuresource expects considered progression, rather than impulsive attempts at transformation, as businesses addressing the consumer electronics sector emerge from the COVID pandemic and reassess opportunities for innovation in a world with several “new
normals.”

Here are some of the top trends to watch during 2022:

• A Smart Lifestyle built around Smart TV
• The drive towards high quality, lossless audio
• A wider market opportunity for spatial audio
• The immersive in-vehicle experience
• Advancements in Headphones and Wearables
• Revitalized interest in AR and VR
• Supply chain issues will ease
• The video conferencing phenomenon continues
• Understanding the Metaverse

To download a free copy of this report, please click here.

A company known for its workflow automation, media processing, quality monitoring and test and measurement products in the video production and distribution arena has brought to market a captioning and subtitling software product.

Introducing Stanza, from Telestream.

It uses a subscription-based OPEX business model.

And, to help address the challenges of remote working, the client-server deployment model of Stanza allows captioning editors to work from any location from a browser-based editing console, regardless of where media files are stored. Stanza uses the Telestream GLIM engine to play back original high-res files instantly without any need to create and transfer proxy images.

With the ability to run on Windows, MacOS and Linux, Stanza is platform agnostic enabling editors and captioning agencies the ultimate in flexibility. Stanza includes optional access to the AI powered Timed Text Speech auto-transcription service which supports over 100 languages. Stanza also integrates with the Vantage Timed Text Flip text transcoder and processor to provide automation for captioning workflows.

To request an evaluation copy of Stanza, please click here.

A firm known for its content protection technology products for sports, media and entertainment brands has selected a new Head of Product.

The London-based executive is responsible for the company’s product strategy and managing an extensive product team, expanding its portfolio of video fingerprinting, watermarking and monitoring offerings.

Taking the post at Friend MTS is James Caselton.

“We are extremely pleased to add James to our talented product team,” said Jonathan Friend, Chief Product Officer at Friend MTS. “James and the team will enhance our class-leading feature set and user experience, maintaining and enhancing Friend MTS as the foremost solution in the continuing fight against content piracy.”

With 20 years of experience in mixed channel marketing, product management and sales and business development on a global scale, Caselton has worked for and with many of the world’s leading technology companies. Caselton has served as Marketing Director, EMEA, Dolby Laboratories, where he executed marketing campaigns with leading international partners. Previously, as International Sales & Marketing Manager for Phillips, Caselton managed the full product roadmap for all PC optical storage products for the business line worldwide.

WATERTOWN, MASS. —  Frustrated with problematic updates and poor customer service from their previous automation and playout vendor, a provider of local cable assess TV to residents in this Massachusetts city since 2005 switched to the Cablecast Community Media platform.

It was a move the City of Watertown says was made to improve its operations and meet its future needs.

Based within Watertown High School, Watertown Cable Access Corp (WCA-TV) operates three PEG channels (public, education and government) with a goal of connecting people and strengthening their community.

“We were increasingly unhappy with our previous system,” said Andrea Santopietro, Assistant Director at WCA-TV. “The manufacturer released what they considered major updates to their software, but the upgrades were buggy and seemed more like cosmetic changes rather than what customers like us wanted or needed. Lots of updates that we had been promised were never delivered, and it was frustrating going back and forth with their customer support staff but not seeing any real changes or fixes. Our programming was suffering to an extent, as was the public’s ability to access our content. We were ready to move on to something new.”

WCA-TV’s Executive Director Helen Chatel had worked with earlier versions of Cablecast at her previous station in Connecticut. While the technical and workflow advantages of the newest Cablecast solutions were attractive, Tightrope’s dedication to the PEG market was also a key factor in the station’s decision to choose them as their next platform. “What really led me back to Cablecast was that Tightrope and their resellers deal with Access on a daily basis,” Chatel said. “They understand our business, our urgency, and the need to do things right – especially as we are relied on more by our communities.”

WCA-TV purchased a complete Cablecast solution from Brockton, Mass.-based technology supplier Ockers Company in May 2021. A Cablecast VIO 4 Plus server provides automation and playout for the three channels, while three Cablecast Live units and a Cablecast Pro VOD server power 24/7 live streaming and video on demand. Cablecast CG software running on the Cablecast VIO server drives unique bulletin boards for each channel. Cablecast apps bring live streams and VOD clips to viewers on over-the-top (OTT) and mobile platforms, with digital content delivered over the Cablecast Reflect cloud-based streaming service. Finally, the Cablecast RTMP service lets the station easily integrate Zoom and hybrid meetings into their channels.

The workflow advantages of Cablecast’s scheduling interface proved immediately beneficial.

Cablecast has also significantly improved the station’s VOD publishing and presentation. “Getting content onto VOD with our previous system had become nearly impossible,” recalled Santopietro. “The vendor had released a new version of their VOD server, but we had to manually upload our content to a separate website. It took too many steps and was too time consuming. With Cablecast, there’s no extra work to publish to VOD. The simplicity is awesome.”

Santopietro also notes that Cablecast makes it easier for viewers to find VOD content of interest. “With our previous system, our VOD clips for all three channels were on one page,” she said. “We could put them into a folder for each program, but the folders were simply listed alphabetically. Now with Cablecast we have a distinct VOD site for each channel, and visitors can search across all three. We can also easily group and reorder content to make it more discoverable.”

Switching to Cablecast has already met WCA-TV’s objectives, but the team knows there’s even more to discover. “Cablecast has been awesome for us so far,” Santopietro summarized. “I’ve had such a great experience with it up to this point, but I know I’ve only scratched the surface of what it’s capable of. I’m looking forward to exploring it more and seeing all it can do for us.“

— Brian Galante, in Raymond, Me.

The first Chairman for NBCUniversal Local, the division of Comcast-owned NBCU that houses its NBC and Telemundo owned-station operations, has been selected.

It’s a familiar figure who has been associated with NBC’s O&Os for more than a decade.

Earning the role is Valari Staab, who Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, praised as “an outstanding, innovative leader with a proven track record of success” who “transformed” NBCU’s local business and is a valuable part of the NBCU management team.

A broadcast veteran with more than 35 years of experience, Staab joined NBCUniversal in 2011 as President of the NBC Owned Television Stations group.

Two years later, she acquired oversight of the Telemundo owned stations and used NBCUniversal’s investment in its stations to transform all NBC/Telemundo owned stations to the multiplatform local news providers they are today.

Earlier this month, NBC stations announced the launch of their streaming news channels on Peacock while Telemundo stations in key markets prepare to launch their very own streaming news channels later this year. NBCU’s Regional Sports Networks also plan to debut their own direct-to-consumer products later this year.

In 2021, NBC’s Regional Sports Networks were integrated with the NBC/Telemundo owned stations.

Staab’s most recent accomplishments include assisting with the launch of NBCLX, a digital multicast and streaming network “designed to reach the next generation of local news audiences.”

It was also under Staab’s leadership that “NBC Spot On” entered the marketplace, in early 2020. NBC Spot On is an advanced video advertising business for local/regional CTV and OTT advertisers designed to help boost advertisers’ reach with their intended audiences.

Before joining NBCUniversal, Staab primarily worked at the ABC Owned Television Stations, where she served in a variety of roles in general management, research and creative services across several markets including KGO-7 in San Francisco. Before her time with the ABC Owned Television Stations, Staab worked in marketing and research for KPRC-2 in Houston and KLTV-7 in Tyler, Texas, today owned by Gray Television. Staab began her career at KLTV while attending college.

In related news, Dan Lovinger has been promoted to President of NBC Advertising Sales and Partnerships.

In this new role, he will be responsible for stewarding and monetizing all of NBCUniversal’s Olympic and Paralympic interests, including leading media sales for all Games through 2032 and managing NBCU’s partnership with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Properties group (USOPP), which includes the sponsorship sales for LA2028.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — She’s served as a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the Department of Commerce. She’s also served as a Senior Legal Advisor to former FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, and in May 2017 rose from Deputy Chief to Chief of the Commission’s Media Bureau.

Now, Michelle Carey is moving on from the FCC’s legislative hub for all things involving broadcast media regulatory policy.

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Things are continuing to look up for Townsquare Media.

A top Wall Street market intelligence firm has upgraded the local media and digital solutions company’s outlook.

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The newest member to the company’s leadership team is being asked to lead Audacy Corp.’s audience growth initiatives across brand strategy, creative, messaging, media planning and attribution, while also managing the company’s Alchemy function, “focused on the strategic integration of exclusive content and programming to Audacy’s listeners.”

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Some 75% of Americans who identify themselves as Black say that seeing characters and communities representative of their race, portrayed in positive ways — as well as having a Black actor in a leading role — positively impacts their decision to watch a television program or feature film.

That’s a key finding from Horowitz Research‘s recently released FOCUS Black: Consumer Engagement report.

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The nation’s largest broadcast television station company’s board of directors wants it. Now, it is being put in the hands of its shareholders.

Two classes of Nexstar Media Group common stock face extintion.

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Across 2021, there have been some significant transactions involving television stations, with many deals involving Gray Television. That said, one entrepreneur known for its investment in programming catering to South Asians has emerged as a LPTV collector, buying up properties across the U.S.

Ravi Kapur, once a member of the KGO-7 in San Francisco news team, now has a formidable group of LPTVs through his Major Market Broadcasting. Now, he’s adding two more LPTVs to his stable in a transaction that sees Bob Heymann of the Chicago office of Media Services Group serve as the seller’s broker.

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Addressable advertising has been a vexing matter for many radio broadcasting company leaders, with the technology of bringing audio content to many via AM and FM in juxtaposition to the current marketing mantra that individual messaging — the dream that digital media is built on — matters more.

Has SiriusXM just taken one important step toward bringing personalized ads and promos to audio content consumers?

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While the Spot Ten Radio report for the week ending January 30, 2022, points to a potential slowdown for brands, the latest Spot Ten TV offers a stark contrast as to how diverse the paid ad mix is at broadcast television.

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