Radio+Television Business Report

Roughly eight years ago, an FM facility seeking to serve African American consumers in the Gainesville, Fla., market, downgraded from a Class C3 facility to a Class A FM licensed to Cross City, Fla.

It was part of a plan put together by a licensee that in October 2012 agreed to purchase the station for $325,000. But, something went awry and the new facility was never built. As such, in April 2016 the station’s license was cancelled — something then-Commissioner Mignon Clyburn concurred with, as “spectrum squatting” is a no-no, even in cases where diversity of voices is at stake.

The licensee didn’t give up. But, it faces a losing battle in getting its station back from the dead. And, that fight may be at an end, thanks to the Audio Division Chief at the FCC.

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The audio content creation and distribution company that owns podcast companies Cadence13 and Pineapple Street and the eponymous streaming app formerly known as Radio.com received a much welcomed upgrade from a Wall Street financial house on Tuesday.

The move from B Riley Financial helped Audacy Inc. shares climb by more than 5%, sending volume to more than double its daily average.

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On January 8, 2018, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a Maine permittee a construction permit for an FM translator. The owner of the facility had three years to submit an application for a license. But, it didn’t make that deadline date.

The FCC is accepting the tardiness, but it will come at a price.

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When historians look back at advertising trends and the COVID-19 era, one thing will likely stand out: digital media’s advertiser attraction barely cooled off during the pandemic’s most crushing blows to ad dollar activity.

Now, data from Standard Media Index only cement the oft-repeated stories that converged TV and digital video are must-buys for CMOs and aren’t slowing down for the foreseeable future.

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The nation’s No. 1 radio station owner, by count, and The CW have renewed their multi-year partnership.

What does this mean? The CW will remain the exclusive television broadcast and video streaming partner for both the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the annual holiday iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.

The CW and iHeartMedia have been partners on these events since 2012.

The timing is great for iHeartMedia, as the 2021 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball will air as a national television special on The CW Network this evening (12/15) at 8pm Eastern/Pacific. Performances from Ed Sheeran, BTS, Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Saweetie, and AJR are in the works, as is a special appearance from Jimmy Fallon.

“From the beginning, we have been attracted to The CW’s young audience reach, and this new agreement will extend our partnership with the Network into a second decade,” said John Sykes, President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia. “Each year, the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour attract the biggest superstars in music, and this partnership extends the reach of these iconic events into to the homes of millions of viewers around the country.”

Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO of The CW Network, commented, “As we enter into a new decade of collaboration, The CW is looking forward to serving as the exclusive TV broadcast and video streaming partner of both of these can’t-miss events for years to come.”

It is far and away the most valuable content company in the world. And, its executive team led by Reed Hastings has decided to drop its fourth quarter 2021 fiscal report card on the same day as the Matrix Solutions Media Ad Sales Summit — also the concluding day of NATPE Miami at the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach.

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The NTA is no longer the National Translator Association. But, it is very much devoted to serving low-power broadcast TV stations as its largest advocacy group.

And, not much has changed in its mission as Jack Mills has been elected to replace the retiring John Terrill as NTA President.

As such, Mills will assume the leadership of an organization devoted to serving its members in the same way it always had. Only, it has a new name.

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NEW YORK — The co-CEO and Chairman of the Board of one of the fastest-growing broadcast television station ownership groups in the U.S. has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Golden Mike Award.

Hilton Howell Jr. will be presented with the honor at a black-tie gala on Monday, March 14, 2022, at the Plaza Hotel, adjacent to Central Park.

This year’s event marks the return of the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s biggest fundraiser, which did not take place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Howell, who leads Gray Television, began his career practicing law and spent several years in the insurance industry. He serves on the Broadcasters Foundation’s Board of Directors, and is a former member of the board of directors for the NAB, the Advisory Council of the Center for Leadership and Ethics for the University of Texas at Austin, and the Advisory Board of Curant Health Care. He is also a former member on the NBC Affiliate Board.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America Golden Mike Award dinner attracts a who’s who of broadcast media executives and celebrities. The presenters and performers for this year’s event will be announced shortly. Previous recipients include Dave Lougee, Perry Sook, Emily Barr, David Barrett, Michael Bloomberg, Bob Pittman, Gordon Smith, and Jeff Smulyan.

The Broadcasters Foundation is the only charity devoted exclusively to providing financial assistance to colleagues in broadcasting who are in dire need. Even with the loss of major fundraising events during COVID, more than $1.8 million in monthly and one-time emergency grants will be awarded this year.

“It’s been a challenging year-and-a-half, and we are thrilled to honor Hilton and once again present the Golden Mike Award live and in-person,” said Scott Herman, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation. “Looking ahead, our goal remains to provide financial aid for every broadcaster who qualifies.”

Howell added, “I am honored to be recognized by the Broadcasters Foundation and ask everyone in our business who has made a good living from broadcasting, to consider donating any amount to help our colleagues who have been hit by shattering circumstances.”

Video SaaS platform Stringr has brought to market a new creator-focused video sourcing and production platform.

In the company’s view, marketers, brands, creatives, and entertainment companies can now source and produce original video content “with the same speed and ease” previously only available to broadcast news organizations.

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LOS ANGELES — A 26-year veteran of iHeartMedia who has most recently served as SVP of Programming for FOX Sports Radio and in the concurrent role of SVP of KLAC-AM 570 has been elevated to EVP/Programming for what is now being called “iHeartMedia Sports.”

Earning the promotion is Don Martin.

According to iHeartMedia, its sports audio network is among the largest in the U.S., with products across broadcast, streaming, digital, podcast and experiential. The portfolio includes the iHeartSports Network, which provides customized local, regional and national sports content and updates across more than 490 stations; the Fox Sports Network, home to veteran hosts Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd; and 78 dedicated sports radio stations.

Additionally, it features the iHeartPodcast Network, with more than 40 national and 100 local sports podcasts plus exclusive podcast agreements with the NFL and NBA.

In his new role, Martin will lead Sports radio operations and oversee recruiting for on-air talent, program directors and board operators for the iHeartMedia Markets Group and Premiere Networks. In addition, Martin will identify opportunities to expand iHeartMedia Sports partnerships – including leagues, teams, podcasting and broadcast. He will continue to oversee the programming, promotions, operations and sales for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Chargers, UCLA and others.

Martin will also continue his operational, programming and sales responsibilities for KLAC, the AM sports station serving Southern California that competes against KSPN-AM 710, which Good Karma Brands is agreeing to purchase from The Walt Disney Company.

 “The iHeartMedia Sports Network would not be what it is today without Don’s years of experience and innovation,” said Kevin LeGrett, President of iHeartMedia Sports and iHeartMedia Los Angeles. “He is the perfect choice to lead our ever-expanding network, bringing us the most exciting new partnerships and team members.” 

Martin added, “In life, you are only as good as the family around you. I have had the privilege of working with three of the most incredible families in the business – from KOA in Denver to AM 570 and FOX Sports Radio in LA, and now the family just gets bigger! Thank you, Greg Ashlock, Kevin LeGrett, Julie Talbott, and Tom Poleman for your belief and trust in me. I am a blessed man!”

Before trekking up Interstate 5, straight in a line, Martin oversaw the 2013 merger of XTRA Sports (XETRA-AM 690 in San Diego and KXTA-AM 1150 in Los Angeles) and was responsible for moving XTRA Sports to KLAC. Martin has also served as Program Director of KOA-AM 850 in Denver.

As of today, real-time cross-platform TV ad measurement company iSpot has a 54-month licensing deal in hand for all smart TV data from the advertising and data platform from LG Electronics.

The deal gives iSpot access to LG on-the-glass program and ad data from more than 20 million opted-in smart TVs from a broad range of TV makers in addition to LG.

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One year ago, Beasley Media shares were priced at $1.45, and were on the rise from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic-fueled lows seen across Wall Street.

For Audacy Inc., its stock was at $2.24, and also on the rise.

Today, the stock for each of these radio station owners who seek to describe themselves as audio media content and distribution companies has retreated to prices that aren’t much better than they were in mid-December 2020.

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That’s what some began asking upon reading a filing with a Nevada Federal bankruptcy court overseeing the fate of three FM radio stations once licensed to Royce International Broadcasting, the company led by embattled radio station owner Ed Stolz.

The filing, made Monday (12/13) by the attorney for U.S. Trustee Tracy Hope Davis, contains language suggesting Stolz be given back control of three stations stripped from him by California Central District Court Judge Jesus Bernal.

The legal counsel representing the receiver Bernal handed control of the three FM properties to, Larry Patrick, says otherwise.

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In late November, RBR+TVBR reported about a group of plaintiffs that has sued four audio media companies in a Dallas Federal District Court, arguing that they should be held liable, in some way, for airing programming tied to “a known fraud recidivist.”

It turns out that RBR+TVBR‘s belief that one of the companies named in the suit shouldn’t have been there was accurate.

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He’s been an active buyer and seller of media properties across Texas for more than a decade. Now, Gerald Benavides has signed off on a deal giving him ownership of a FM station licensed to the city of Stanton.

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Since July 2020 he has served as President/GM of WGAL-8, the NBC affiliate serving the Lancaster-Harrisburg-Lebanon-York, Pa., market owned by Hearst Television.

Now, he’s likely singing the lyrics to a classic rock and roll tune by Wilbert Harrison as Sarah Smith readies for retirement.

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Broadcast media executives are well appraised of the mega magnets embedded in advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) platforms serving U.S. consumers. But, just how many dollars have been generated in the 12-month period ending September 2021?

Kantar has the answer, and the figure is in the $3 billion range. One AVOD platform gets the majority of those dollars.

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On September 20, 1995, CBS officially completed its acquisition of what until December 11, 1994 was Detroit’s FOX affiliate, WGPR-TV. The transaction was messy, and saw the city’s African American leaders seek to block the sale of WGPR by the Masons, which made the station the first in the U.S. to be wholly owned by Blacks. Lansing-based real estate investor and broadcaster Joel Ferguson stepped in, ultimately failing in an attempt to buy it or at least form a partnership with CBS.

Twenty-six years later, what would become “CBS62” under the WWJ-TV call sign is a unique O&O for ViacomCBS. It hasn’t ever had its own local news department, with Graham Media’s NBC-affiliated WDIV-4 left to compete against The E.W. Scripps Co.’s ABC-affiliated WXYZ-7 and WJBK-2 — that former CBS affiliate which today is a FOX O&O that remains a key viewer magnet.

Thanks to Wendy McMahon and Adrienne Roark, this will soon change, finally making Detroit a local news hub for CBS.

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One month ago, a Fresno FM branded as “New Rock 104.1” briefly ceased transmissions due to complications tied to the long-running KNP Complex wildfire; Lotus Communications loaned the licensee a lower-power transmitter to resume on-air broadcasts.

Now, the licensee is seeing a change in interest, with a 8 1/2-year partnership between two local radio broadcasters headed for dissolution.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — PILOT, the NAB‘s innovation initiative, has launched the PILOT NEXTGEN TV Fellowship program with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Structured like an early-stage start-up, the fellowship will focus on exploring capabilities of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard and developing a concept for a NEXTGEN TV product or service.

Alongside industry experts, fellows will gain “practical, first-hand experience” with NEXTGEN TV technology. The eight-month program will include product training, seminars and one-on-one coaching with NEXTGEN TV standard experts and AWS representatives. The fellowship will conclude with fellows presenting their projects at the 2022 NAB Show in April in Las Vegas.

The 2021 fellows are current Howard University students Mikaela Mosley and Sulaiman Bastien.

Mosley is a senior television and film production major and political science minor and serves as the GM and producer for Howard University’s Spotlight Network/WHUT-TV. Mosley recently completed an internship with Amazon Studios as a Drama Development intern.

Bastien is a senior television and film production major and computer science minor, with a concentration on directing and software engineering. He recently completed an internship with NEXTGEN TV promotional and rollout entity Pearl TV as an application developer.

Howard University is partnering with local broadcast television stations to bring NEXTGEN TV to local stations in Washington, D.C., with Howard University’s WHUT serving as the host station. Other participating stations include WJLA-7, WUSA-9, WTTG-5 and WRC-4.

Fellows will also participate in NAB Leadership’s Technology Apprenticeship Program (TAP). TAP is a complimentary career development program that is designed to train, inform and recruit the next generation of leaders in the broadcasting industry. Between these two innovative programs, fellows will be poised to launch a cutting-edge career as an engineer or technology professional in the broadcasting industry.