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Not knowing the answer to a question when you’re in the spotlight can generate brain freeze. Prepare for the unexpected and respond with grace and aplomb with some words of advice courtesy of veteran public relations professional and public speaking expert Rosemary Ravinal. They could help you answer difficult or off-topic questions while safeguarding your credibility.

 

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The CEO of Taylor Communications, through a newly formed company, has emerged as the winning bidder of all 10 stations put up for auction in a bankruptcy court to resolve debt associated with Rocking M Media.

A February 15 court date to approve the auction is the final step in the process. That’s all but a formality, as Kansas Broadcasting Co. is already looking forward to taking over the properties until today associated with Monte and Doris Miller.

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In a transaction that was just announced at RBR+TVBR‘s Thursday news deadline, Gray Television confirmed that is engineering a facility swap that will see it depart two Wyoming markets.

In return, it is poised to get a future broadcast TV station serving DMA No. 27.

 

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The E.W. Scripps Company has taken the lead of industry peer Gray Television by deciding to schedule its Q4 2023 operating results on the fourth Friday of February.

The broadcast TV station owner, which trades as “SSP” on Nasdaq, said Thursday that it will report its Q4 2023 operating results before trading begins on Friday, Feb. 23. A call with the company’s senior management team, including CEO Adam Symson and local media head Dean Littleton, as well as Scripps Sports head Brian Lawlor, will take place at 8:30am Eastern.

Scripps shares are considered to be undervalued by analysts on Wall Street, who peg the company’s Q4 ’23 earnings per share to come in at $0.11. However, that consensus estimate from 4 analysts polled by Yahoo! Finance is based on wide variations, as the high estimate is $0.46 per share while the low estimate is for a loss, coming in at -$0.11.

Six analysts chimed in on Scripps’ Q4 revenue. The consensus estimate is $602.33 million.

Any station that has received a letter of inquiry or notice of apparent liability from FCC knows the potential risks that come from being under the commission’s scrutiny. A recent white paper from Wiley Rein LLP partner Thomas M. Johnson Jr. discusses how a Supreme Court case argued last year may mean changes in how the FCC conducts regulatory oversight.

Johnson focuses on SEC v. Jarkesy, which was before the court in November 2023; the court has yet to issue a decision in the case. Johnson notes that at the core of the Jarkesy case is the ability of a regulator to issue fines in administrative procedures. The petitioner argues that such fines are a violation of the Seventh Amendment, which guarantees jury trials in civil cases where more than $20 is at stake.

Given the current makeup of the Supreme Court, which has ruled in other cases to limit the power of federal regulators, Johnson notes that the Jarkesy case could lead to the need for significant reform of how the FCC wields its enforcement powers.

In the white paper, Johnson goes on to suggest ways the FCC could maintain its ability to police rules violations and protect the public interest by reforming how it conducts investigations and increasing opportunities for broadcasters to challenge enforcement decisions.

Johnson notes that his proposals are not a comprehensive roadmap for regulatory reform, but they do provide some interesting questions for the FCC and broadcasters to both consider ahead of a ruling in Jarkesy.

Download the full white paper here.

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The post White Paper Outlines Potential FCC Reforms appeared first on Radio World.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. — It is one of three signals serving regional Mexican listeners across the agricultural communities of Okeechobee County, Fla., and the fast-growing Treasure Coast cities of Fort Pierce, Stuart and Port. St. Lucie.

Now, the owner of a station used for “La Ley” has decided to part ways with the property by selling it to the company that’s been leasing it. It guarantees its AM signal remains a source of Spanish-language fare for Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

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“My client is fighting the Russian empire on the home front.”

That’s how veteran Washington, D.C., communications law-focused attorney Arthur Belendiuk sums up an effort by the Ukranian Congress Committee of America to convince the FCC that an AM radio station owned by Arthur Liu is in violation of commission rules for broadcasting “paid Russian state propaganda.”

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NEW YORK — NBCUniversal has launched an automated precision tool designed to, in its words, bring “simplicity, efficiency, and precision” to local auto advertisers buying premium connected TV video for the first time.

In particular, it is designed to bring a digital dollar addition through a more complete local media spending opportunity.

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The 2024 NAB Show is teaming up with Future Media Concepts (FMC) for the launch of a live, innovative workshop series designed to enhance digital creativity and technical prowess using the latest AI technologies.

Designed for both enthusiasts and professionals, the AI Training & Certifications programs offer “practical, hands-on training” both online and at the Las Vegas affair, targeting creatives in both broadcast and digital video to stay ahead of the curve and refine their skills.

 

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CHICAGO — The Museum of Broadcast Communications is now accepting nomination suggestions for the Radio Hall of Fame’s 2024 induction class.

The window is open through the end of the day on Sunday, March 31.

Twenty-four names will be selected as nominees to be voted upon by industry personnel later this year, leading to the selection of the 2024 Radio Hall of Fame Induction Class. The induction will take place later this fall, with information on this year’s induction ceremony coming this spring.

Dennis Green, Co-Chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame, commented, “We look forward to learning the names suggested for nomination to the Radio Hall of Fame from around the country. There are so many that are deserving of this recognition. It is an honor to lead the committee in selecting those who have made their mark contributing to radio’s rich history and who will comprise the nominees for the Class of 2024.”

Kraig T. Kitchin, Co-Chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame, commented, “The input from fellow radio industry members and listeners alike helps our Nominating Committee contemplate so many more individuals worthy of a nomination. We’re grateful for the input and the ideas offered.”

To submit suggestions for possible honorees for consideration by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, please visit https://www.radiohalloffame.com/nominate.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.

Some 866 respondents in Borrell’s spring 2023 survey of local ad buyers were asked what types of media were budgeted for increases in 2024. This includes new buying opportunities along with dollar increases.

While 58% say they plan to add or increase spending on something in 2024, they are barely looking at local over-the-air television. And, radio isn’t so popular, either.

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The woman who most recently served as VP/GM of The E.W. Scripps Co.’s NBC affiliate serving Tulsa has been appointed to a similar role at Sinclair Inc.‘s two broadcast television stations in Oklahoma City.

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With Kalil & Co. serving as the exclusive broker in the transaction, a portfolio of tower assets in Tennessee and Mississippi has been sold by a company headed by Alex “Trip” Barzizza III.

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Jack Perry has gained a reputation for broadcast technology innovation as the founder of TitanTV, the first electronic program guide with built-in DVR capabilities. Now leading Syncbak, which fuels various OTT platforms used across the U.S., is launching a new streaming platform focused on “in-between binge sessions.”

In other words, Zeam seeks to attract viewers to local news and information when taking a break from the shows they enjoy on such platforms as Netflix, bridging SVOD and AVOD to broadcast TV’s online capabilities.

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The connected TV/OTT advertising platform for regional and local advertisers owned by TEGNA has acquired what is being described as “a next-generation demand-side platform” focused on the same segment of the ad pie as TEGNA’s Premion LLC.

The acquisition of Octillion Media, TEGNA says, widens Premion’s capabilities in the growing connected TV marketplace by combining Octillion’s technology with Premion’s applications.

While TEGNA did not disclose how much it is paying for Octillion Media, it said it will cover the cost of the acquisition with available cash on hand. This, TEGNA added, will not have a material impact on TEGNA’s cash or leverage levels.

The transaction is expected to be free cash flow and EPS accretive within 12 months and is not expected to have a material impact on TEGNA’s 2024 financials, the company added.

“Octillion is precisely the type of smart bolt-on acquisition we have long considered to accelerate our already successful organically grown Premion business,” TEGNA President/CEO Dave Lougee said.

Tom Cox, president of Premion and SVP/Corporate Development at TEGNA, added, “We built Premion with a local-first mindset from the start. The acquisition of Octillion Media provides us with a proven purpose-built local CTV platform to further enable product innovation, improve operational efficiencies, and drive accelerated growth. Local relevance remains a top advertiser priority, and the addition of Octillion’s technology will enhance our ability to meet ever-evolving customer needs and drive value for our clients.”

Octillion Media was founded in 2019.

“With our shared belief that transparency, quality, and brand safety are the key pillars of success for local Connected TV advertisers, bringing Octillion together with Premion is a natural fit,” said Gabe Greenberg, CEO and co-founder of Octillion. “We’re excited to continue to build and develop our innovative CTV/OTT product offering and activate the platform’s capabilities backed up by quantified business outcomes across Premion’s network of sellers and clients.”

As part of the transaction, Greenberg and all Octillion employees will join the Premion team.

 

In a transaction that sees Tucson-based brokerage Kalil & Co. in an exclusive role, the Neuhoff Family has struck an agreement that will see it sell its radio stations in both Danville and Decatur, Ill.

The proposed sale, the Neuhoff Family Limited Partnership says, is part of “an overall strategic decision” to exit the broadcast industry after nearly 70 years.

The buyer is Champaign Multimedia Group.

A filing in the FCC’s LMS detailing the terms of the transactions is forthcoming.

With the Commission’s approval, it will sell the following stations:

• WSOY-AM & FM, WCZQ-FM, WDZ-AM and WDZQ-FM in Decatur, Ill.
• WDAN-AM, WDNL-FM, WRHK-FM in Danville, Ill.

The deal includes NowDecatur.com and VermilionCountyFirst.com, respectively.

Julian Hickman and Makena Neuhoff, trustees of the Neuhoff family, signed off on the transaction.

Hickman said, “We are proud of what broadcast ownership has meant to our family, our employees, and the markets we serve. Our grandfather, Roger Neuhoff, began his ownership in the business during the mid-1950s. He loved the broadcast industry and was proud of the way our radio and television stations served their local communities.”

Makena Neuhoff said, “We would like to thank the incredible teams of local broadcasters in Decatur and Danville. We are proud of their daily dedication to their listeners, clients, and communities.”

Hints of a possible sale emerged at the end of November 2023, when Neuhoff Media President Mike Hulvey was named as Erica Farber’s successor as the head of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB).

Hulvey said, “We are pleased to see the iconic local media brands of Neuhoff Media’s Danville and Decatur markets all brought together through this historic transaction with the Champaign Multimedia Group. The next chapter for the Danville and Decatur radio stations and digital platforms will create something very special for each community.”

Neuhoff succeed Beth Neuhoff in July 2022; Ms. Neuhoff founded a related entity, Neuhoff Communications in 2003, with her late husband, the son of Roger Neuhoff.

The Neuhoff Family Limited Partnership expects to make additional announcements regarding future agreements as the Neuhoff divestiture process moves forward, it said.

Neuhoff Family Limited Partnership and its local companies own and operate 24 broadcast signals, along with multiple digital platforms, in the Indiana market of Lafayette and in Bloomington and Springfield, Ill.