Industry News

The superb work of the Broadcasters Foundation of America can continue only when money is coming in; however, the process has been badly disrupted by COVID-19. Now the foundation is asking for our help.

It said it is in need of donations “to counter the loss of funds from major fundraising events that were cancelled due to the pandemic.”

The organization provides help to broadcasters and their families to help them cope with serious illness, accident or catastrophe. Over the years it has put $13 million into the hands of broadcasters who really needed that help.

The group hasn’t been able to hold its Celebrity Golf Tournament, Golden Mike Award or the Philip J. Lombardo Charity Golf Tournament.

A request for aid comes from Chairman Scott Herman and President Jim Thompson. “These men and women are our colleagues, and unthinkable tragedy has left them unable to work. We cannot turn our backs on them,” Herman said in an announcement.

Personal and corporate donations can be made at www.broadcastersfoundation.org/donate. Personal donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society.

The post Broadcasters Foundation Asks for Your Help appeared first on Radio World.

There’s a new VP/GM at a onetime NBC affiliates that’s seen a particular resurgence in recent years as an unaffiliated news-focused free-to-air property serving the San Francisco Bay Area.

He takes his new duties at the Nexstar Media Group property on May 17.

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It’s always a vote of confidence to longterm investors when an officer of a company purchases a big chunk of its own publicly traded shares.

That’s just happened at Beasley Media Group. And, while financial blog Simply Wall St. says “it may not be a huge deal,” it is good to see.

But, just who acquired the shares?

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To recognize outstanding community service among local broadcasters, the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation announced the finalists for the 2021 Celebration of Service to America Awards.

The 2021 awards will be broadcast on television and radio stations across the country in the form of a one-hour award ceremony featuring celebrity guests, past honorees and policymakers. Those awards will premiere on July 10, and run through Aug. 14.

During 2020, the finalists devoted a total of 3,528 hours of airtime to public service and provided more $43.4 million in funds and donations. The 2021 award finalists represent 20 states and 28 cities.

“America’s local broadcasters’ fundamental commitment to public service continues to shine brighter than ever, and this year’s finalists embody the close bond between stations and their communities,” said NAB Leadership Foundation President Michelle Duke. “We look forward to celebrating these outstanding stations and honoring their critical work informing, supporting and strengthening the public in a year of unparalleled difficulties.”

There are eight separate categories and the 28 finalists represent a broad swath of community voices. For example the Service to Community Award for Radio in a large market includes the WBAL Kids Campaign from AM station WBAL. This campaign, which is designed to help children around the greater Baltimore area through education, experiences and donations, this year campaign raised more than $193,000 for various partner charities.

Small market radio campaigns were recognized too. For example, FM station KLQL in Luverne, Minn., worked with the local chamber of commerce and newspaper to launch the “Share the Luv” campaign that invited listeners to call in and purchase gift certificates for local businesses. The station matched $25 for every $100 purchased to give local businesses an extra boost, the station said.

The awards recognize small-, medium- and large-market radio and TV stations in the following categories.

Service to Community Award for Radio — Ownership Group

Service to Community Award for TV — Ownership Group

Service to Community Award for Radio — Large Market

Service to Community Award for TV — Large Market

Service to Community Award for Radio — Medium Market

Service to Community Award for TV — Medium Market

Service to Community Award for Radio — Small Market

Service to Community Award for TV — Small Market

See the complete list of the NAB Leadership Foundation finalists.

The post 2021 Service to America Award Honors Stations for Community Work appeared first on Radio World.

Inovonics is about to begin shipping a new version of the DAVID IV broadcast processor, one that adds important remote and networking features.

The DAVID IV 719N FM/HD Radio Broadcast Processor With Network Interface adds web access for setup, control and increased networking capabilities.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

The retail price is the same as the current model 719, which is $3,150. Users who purchased a 719 processor since the beginning of 2020 can receive an upgrade that is free except for the cost of shipping. Users of older units can upgrade for $500.

President/CEO Ben Barber said in the press release, “Adding the Network Interface to our popular 719 processor really gives it two very important features. One, the Web GUI can be controlled from any web enabled device; and two, adding SNMP makes remote management and control a breeze.”

Info: www.inovonicsbroadcast.com

The post Inovonics DAVID IV Adds Network Interface appeared first on Radio World.

RBR+TVBR Analysis

When the members of Townsquare Media‘s C-Suite look back on some of the company’s key achievements and pivot points, 2020 will certainly be recalled as the year of change.

Yes, radio is very much an integral — and important — revenue source for the company. That said, Townsquare became a digital first company in 2020. The result? It is among the first media companies to dare to compare the first three months of 2021 with that of Q1 2019.

That’s a good thing, as live events are already coming back while Townsquare Interactive is igniting, no pun intended, the entire company.

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For advertisers seeking to reach audiences via “live radio,” streaming music and podcasting, there’s a new solution — courtesy of a company built on siphoning in-car audio consumers away from AM and FM stations.

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As is the case with nearly all of the media companies in the MoffettNathanson coverage universe, AMC Networks is in the midst of what Senior Analyst Michael Nathanson and analyst Robert Fishman call “a pivot from legacy linear networks businesses to direct-to-consumer platforms.”

Yet, as the respected financial research house has emphasized in the past, “the economics of this pivot are vastly different for each company.”

What does this mean for AMC? “All-in-one mass streaming services” aren’t in AMC’s best interests.

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DISH Network Corporation on Monday announced that its DISH DBS Corporation subsidiary plans to offer, subject to market and other conditions, approximately $1.25 billion aggregate principal amount of its senior notes.

The net proceeds of the offering are intended to be used for general corporate purposes, including refinancing of indebtedness.

The notes will only be offered and sold to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in offshore transactions in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

The offering is more good news for a company with its stock price at its highest levels since January 2018. Ahead of the Opening Bell on the Nasdaq GlobalSelect market, DISH was trading at $46.60, up 7 cents in pre-market trading on Monday.

TEGNA earnings, and its growth plan, have come under scrutiny by one renegade shareholder: Soohyung Kim-controlled Standard General.

His efforts to gain influence on corporate decision-making have been thwarted, twice, as shareholders overwhelmingly rejected his TEGNA Board of Directors nominees in 2020 and again in 2021. Now, TEGNA has released another positive quarterly earnings report that further hinders his desire for change at the broadcast TV station owner.

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