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A newly released analysis by media buying firm Guideline finds that linear TV ad spend decreased significantly in the fourth quarter.

In fact, it marked the biggest dip since the company began ad spend tracking in 2017.

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Women holding the General Manager position in 2023 increased from last year, showing healthy gains from 2004. However, lingering industry challenges point to the need for continued growth in gender equity, new data released Thursday by Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc., show.

MIW annually compiles and analyzes the number of women in radio broadcasting who are rising to the ranks of management. Data gathered for an annual MIW Gender Analysis Study specifically tracks the progress of female professionals holding General Manager, Sales Manager, and Program Director/Brand Manager positions.

The latest data show 22.17% (2,356 stations) had women holding the General Manager position in 2023. This is almost 2 share points of growth from last year. But, MIW says, this continues to show growth from 2004, when the percentage of female General Managers was 14.9%.

In the Top 100 markets, 23.96% (828 stations) were managed by women. This, MIW says, is also more than a full percentage point up from 2022 and still continues to run a bit higher than the national average.

SALES PROWESS

Overall, the best management opportunities for women in radio continues to be in sales management. Some 34.37% or 3,476 stations had a female Sales Manager in 2023.

Yet, that number is basically flat from 33.45% in 2022.

In the Top 100 markets, although the numbers run slightly higher than the national average, the story showed a 3-point percentage drop for 2023. Some 35.16% or 1,379 stations had women serving as Sales Managers in 2023, versus 38.05% in 2022.

The greatest challenge for women in radio management continues to be in the area of Program Directors/Brand Managers. Women currently program 11.50% AMs/FMs (1,173 stations). This, too, is flat from 2022.

In the Top 100 markets, the news was even more grim as female programmers now represent only 10.14% of the total number of Program Directors/Brand Managers.

This, MIW says, reflects a drop of over 3 share points from 2022.

MIW Board President Ruth Presslaff commented, “Navigating today’s landscape poses unique challenges for both the industry at large and women in particular. Our commitment to fostering change remains unwavering. Through MIW’s array of mentoring initiatives, we not only recognize but also amplify the voices of women. We are beyond grateful to the companies and individuals who champion our mission. As we press forward, we eagerly anticipate seizing new opportunities to empower even more women in the year ahead.”

One year ago today, the FCC’s spectrum auction authority expired as it was not extended by Congress, for the first time ever.

Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel took note of that unwelcomed anniversary, issuing a statement that put a spotlight on the potential next steps “in light of this reality for the agency.”

“For more than thirty years, the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction the nation’s airwaves proved to be an indispensable tool for harnessing the promise of new wireless technologies while also spurring economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening our national security and international leadership,” she said on March 7. “However, in light of the reality the agency has faced for almost a year, we are now compelled to ask what we can do with our current unassigned spectrum in order to keep innovation moving ahead in a global market for wireless that is not slowing down. I remain hopeful that the FCC’s auction authority will be restored quickly so that this important program is once again able to produce results for consumers and the economy. The agency stands ready to work with lawmakers to ensure we don’t find ourselves in the same place next year.”

Given the agency’s current lack of spectrum auction authority, the Commission on Thursday (3/7) opened a docket to explore how its existing regulatory tools and current statutory authority could provide the public with access to its inventory of currently unassigned spectrum in bands previously licensed for wireless services through auctions.

In doing so, Rosenworcel said she remains committed to working with Congress to restore the agency’s auction authority as originally outlined in Section 309 of the Communications Act.

In the energy sector, companies such as Devon Energy Corporation in recent years have turned to variable dividend payments in response to quarterly cash-generation fluctuations. Now, radio industry pure-play operator Saga Communications has followed a similar path, as its Board of Directors on Thursday (3/7) declared a healthy variable dividend.

The payment reflects the company’s quarterly earnings performance for the final three months of 2024, which also arrived on Thursday morning.

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As Comscore CEO Jon Carpenter sees it, 2023 had both highs and lows for the business. Unfortunately, the audience measurement company’s fourth quarter brought a big earnings surprise that led shareholders to sell their stock in “SCOR” on Thursday.

Revenue missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.46%, while the EPS was significantly below expectations.

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On October 18, one of Australia’s leading media companies — home to the LiSTNR app and brand, the Hit and Triple M radio networks and regional television stations — received a “non-binding indicative proposal” from another media company and its financiers.

Southern Cross Media Group Limited on Thursday formally responded to the unsolicited offer by rejecting it — for now.

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Auddia has dropped its effort to acquire the AM/FM radio streaming app Radio FM.

It released a statement from Executive Chairman Jeff Thramann: “We have been pursuing an aggressive AM/FM streaming app acquisition strategy by negotiating with three targets simultaneously. It is now clear that market conditions are unfavorable for securing the largest acquisition as our first target.”

Auddia is an AI-based company whose stock trades on NASDAQ, though it has recently been taking steps to avoid being delisted.

CFO John Mahoney said, “As we executed the purchase agreement for Radio FM and began to explore financing options in the current market, it became clear that a far more capital efficient process would be to proceed with acquiring target #2 followed by target #3, both of which require substantially less cash at closing.”

Auddia had hoped to add 4.6 million users through the deal. Completion of the agreement was subject to financing.

The acquisition was priced at $13 million cash with an additional $2 million paid in six months if certain performance milestones are met.

The two parties terminated their purchase agreement. Auddia said it hopes to “reengage” with Radio FM later.

The company recently completed a 1-for-25 reverse stock split to avoid being delisted on NASDAQ. In December it named a new CFO, John Mahoney, to succeed Tim Ackermann, who resigned last summer.

It owns the audio app faidr, which allows listeners the ability to listen to any AM/FM streamer with added personalized content and no commercials, as well as podcasts with an interactive digital feed.

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The post Auddia Drops Bid to Acquire Radio FM appeared first on Radio World.

Congressional legislation that would require the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other purposes, is one step closer to getting approved in the House of Representatives.

The AM For Every Vehicle Act has reached the number of co-sponsors needed to pass the legislation through the lower body of Congress.

Now, it is up to the House of Representatives to schedule a vote on the House version of the bill, introduced by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.).

While Gottheimer took time to note that his proposed legislation had reached 218 co-sponsors, as of Thursday morning (3/7) a total of 223 co-sponsors have signed on to H.R. 3413, introduced in the House in May 2023.

There were four new co-sponsors that signed on to the bill on Wednesday — a sign that lobbying by the NAB and state broadcaster associations on Capitol Hill yesterday proved successful.

The newest House Members to sign on to H.R. 3413 are Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.), Rep. John Rose (R-Tenn.), and Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.).

Since February 23, House Members have given an abundance of support to H.R.3413. Since then, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Tex.), Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), Rep. Brian Babin (R-Tex.), Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), as well as Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) have signed on to the legislation.

Stacey Plaskett, Delegate to the U.S. Virgin Islands District at Large, also contributed her support; she is a non-voting member of Congress.

The Congressional version of the AM For Every Vehicle Act, led by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), is only three co-sponsors away from its own simple majority of 51. The measure has been waiting to be scheduled for a vote by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) since July. The majority of votes is needed, after Kentucky Senator Rand Paul blocked a bipartisan-driven majority consent vote in November. Paul is seeking to override the AM mandate and instead use the legislation to end electric vehicle subsidies under the American Vehicle Tax Credit.

As the bill gets nearer to its goal, the agency led by Buttigieg is ready to implement the act once signed by the president. Speaking recently on Nexstar Media Group’s WGN-AM in Chicago, Buttigieg addressed the Act, saying that he is “ready to run with [the Act] the moment Congress gets it done.”

The Act has garnered mass public support, with more than 400,000 emails, letters, and social media posts directed to Senators and Representatives.

— With reporting by Cameron Coats, in New York

A principal NPR and PBS Member serving the Commonwealth of Virginia has received the FCC’s blessing to add a channel to its Table of Allotments for a city between the college town of Charlottesville and Staunton, along the busy I-81 corridor to the south of the home of James Madison University.

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As RBR+TVBR reported on February 29, Xperi Corp. lowered its Q4 net loss significantly, with revenue up year-over-year. Among the big takeaways are three new DTS AutoStage contracts as CEO Jon Kirchner said that within the Pay TV segment of the company, “our goal is to deliver more than 10 additional TiVo broadband wins.”

That caught the attention of one influential Wall Street investment influencer, which just upgraded Xperi shares in a big way.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — C-SPAN’s long-serving co-CEOs will leave their posts in 2024, the nonprofit cable network announced today.

That said, C-SPAN Chairman Pat Esser has been working with the two individuals on a succession plan for more than a year. Now, with C-SPAN board approval, a search for a new CEO has started.

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A woman who formerly served as ProPublica’s Data Editor has been hired to serve as the new head of ABC Owned Television Stations’ Data Journalism unit.

It’s a role that will see her take on her new duties April 1, reporting to the President/GM of KGO-7 in San Francisco, Tom Cibrowski.

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A Board Director of broadcast TV station owner Sinclair Inc. has notified the FCC of the disposition of a significant amount of shares in the company, netting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sale.

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The SVP/Market Manager for Audacy Inc.‘s Phoenix stations is adding similar duties for its radio stations serving the Seattle-Tacoma market.

The additional responsibilities come as the individual who has held the role since 2009 is retiring.

With Jack Hutchison stepping aside, ending a 26-year run at the company once known as Entercom, Dave Pugh will gain oversight of KSWD “94.1 The Sound,” KISW-FM, KKWF “100.7 The Wolf,” KHTP “Hot 103.7,” KNDD-FM “107.7 The End,” and KNDD HD2’s Channel Q.

Pugh will continue to oversee KOOL-FM “Big 94.5,” KALV-FM “Live 101.5,” Country KMLE-FM 107.9 and the KALV HD Channel Q offering serving the Valley of the Sun.

Audacy Regional President Doug Abernethy commented, “Moving forward under Dave’s leadership, we are well positioned to continue delivering exceptional content to our listeners and super-serving our clients.”

Speaking of Hutchison’s decision to conclude his time at Audacy, he said, “After over 25 years of outstanding leadership and contributions to our company and industry, Jack has decided to retire. We extend our deepest gratitude to him and wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.”

Pugh added, “Our success and the performance-based culture we built in Phoenix has led to this opportunity, and I am excited to lead the Seattle market. I look forward to building upon the incredible foundation established by Jack.”

Pugh has served as the head of Audacy’s Phoenix stations since joining the company in 2016. Prior to that, he spent 19 years with iHeartMedia in leadership roles involving stations in Milwaukee; Michigan; San Francisco; and Washington, D.C.

Pugh’s experience also includes leadership roles at Veritone.

The senior Republican Commissioner on the FCC has spoken out in favor of bipartisan Congressional legislation aimed at fully addressing “the risks” posed by popular social media app TikTok by banning it in the U.S. — unless it “genuinely” divests from its ties to the Communist Party of China.

“TikTok’s own conduct makes clear that it is beholden to the CCP and presents an unacceptable threat to U.S. national security,” says Brendan Carr. “Indeed, TikTok has been caught engaging in a pattern of illicit surveillance and making false statements about personnel in Beijing accessing sensitive U.S. user data. These facts were laid bare for the world to see when the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a TikTok oversight
hearing last year. That is why there is now a broad, bipartisan consensus that TikTok cannot continue to operate in the U.S. in its current form.”

This explains why Carr is cheering the introduction on Tuesday of the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” by House Select Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.).

In his view, the act would “definitively resolve the serious threat TikTok poses to America’s national security.”

And, to Carr’s pleasure, soon-to-retire House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) has confirmed that her committee will vote on the bill Thursday (3/7).

While Carr can’t cast a vote in Congress, he’s certainly offering his endorsement. “This is a smart, threat-specific bill that would address a clear and present danger,” he concluded. “I hope that this bill will soon become law.”