Radio+Television Business Report

From KLOS-FM to "Arrow 93" in Los Angeles, he was an admired and affable on-air talent. He was also heard on Classic Rock stations across the U.S. as a syndicated program host. Now, many fans and radio industry veterans are pausing to pay tribute to Benson, who has lost his battle with Parkinson's Disease.

He'll also be charged with working on digital broadcast television technology in emerging markets for ATSC, which is shepherding the shift from the current over-the-air standard in the U.S. to ATSC 3.0, which empowers NEXTGEN TV and BPS technology.

It’s the biggest night for one of broadcasting’s most outstanding charitable organizations, and WNYW-TV in New York anchor Natasha Verma is set to emcee the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s 2026 Gala and Fundraiser on Monday, March 9 at the Plaza Hotel.

With speculation rampant that the FCC will grant approval of Nexstar Media Group's rule-busting merger with TEGNA, issuing waivers of its ownership cap, the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau has given the green light to a $34.5 billion merger that will reshape the cable television and broadband services business.

BTPM head Tom Calderone calls the shifts for WNED-FM and WBFO-FM — Western New York's noncommercial Classical and NPR-fueled spoken word stations — part of a long-term sustainability plan drafted in the wake of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's dissolution.

The sale of four radio stations serving the small cities of Luverne, Minn., and Madison, S.D., are now officially licensed to Christensen Broadcasting. That's according to Kalil & Co., the broker of record in the deals involving the company founded and led by Jeff Warshaw.

For Mike Steib and the TEGNA C-Suite, it is very much business as usual as the company patiently awaits word from the FCC and DOJ that its game-changing merger with Nexstar Media Group will receive regulatory approval. With Q4 results arriving soon, TEGNA's board has just declared a regular quarterly cash dividend.

The NAB has announced that it will expand the "Sports Summit" aligned with its annual conference and expo in Las Vegas to a four-day affair, bringing leaders from across leagues, teams, broadcast networks, streaming platforms and technology companies to the hub of television and radio's present and future growth.

The New Jersey Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives that got the ball rolling on the still-stalled AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has teamed up with a Republican from West Texas in introducing legislation that would "ensure greater transparency and accountability" in the FCC's license review process.

He was the individual behind radio station owner Pembrook Pines, which had in its arboretum such brands as "94 ROCK" in Elmira, N.Y. In August 2025, it became known that Bob Pfuntner had died at the age of 83. Now, with the company under executrix control, it is agreeing to sell a Class A FM serving Hornell, N.Y. 

The FCC has rejected, en masse, a round of requests to waive the statutory 25% late payment penalty on overdue FY 2023 and FY 2024 regulatory fees, underscoring that relief is reserved for rare, extraordinary circumstances outside a payer’s control.

It is licensed to serve the Central Valley of California's largest population zone, and holds a Construction Permit for a 250-watt signal at 100.1 MHz from a broadcast tower in the heart of the Mural District of Fresno. Pending FCC approval, it will no longer be owned by a noted media industry attorney.

Three radio brands serving the Gadsden, Ala., listening area to the northeast of Birmingham have been placed in the hands of a court-appointed administrator overseeing the estate of the late licensee, who passed away on January 18.

The licensee led by Bill Yuhnke that owns WEBR-AM 1440, a Class D facility with a signal covering Niagara County and Buffalo in addition to Niagara Falls, Ont., enjoys FM band access thanks to a 250-watt FM translator in Lockport, N.Y., to the east of Niagara Falls, N.Y. Now, this Classic Hits station is getting a MHz-band boost.

For more than a decade, a Scranton TV station has served as a prime example of what a company can do to operate a station it cannot legally purchase due to the FCC's national TV ownership reach cap. Now, Sinclair is taking the step to make this station an O&O, prompted by expected FCC deregulation.

It's a division of a company with its roots firmly established with the family that formerly owned The Washington Post. And, its parent, Graham Holdings, on Wednesday released its Q4 2025 earnings report. How did Graham Media Group perform? Poor comps cloud the fiscal health assessment.

A Hearing Designation Order issued to two parties involved in the proposed transfer of control of two AM radio stations and an FM in El Paso, Tex., has been terminated.  Why? Those involved in the proposed sale have requested a withdrawal of the sale applications. 

The trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry with a sales focus has concluded that "TV," when viewed on a television screen, has the highest reach and time spent of all media platforms studied.  This carries for all age groups and categories measured, the TVB study indicates.

With likely rule "modernization" thanks to the return of President Trump to the White House and the leadership of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, The E.W. Scripps Co. has disclosed that it wants to reacquire the properties — assuming it can secure Commission waivers ahead of any rule change.

With revenue and adjusted EBITDA exceeding expectations, Gray Media is more than satisfied with its fiscal prowess during the final three months of 2025 as it propels into this year with renewed vigor and a hopeful outlook on "the likelihood of local ownership reform that would help level the playing field for our industry."