Radio+Television Business Report

More and more consumers are choosing streaming video packages and are opting out of pay-TV video bundles.

The finding from S&P Global Ratings affirms the belief that “cord-cutting” hasn’t ceased, despite pandemic-fueled reports of a resurgence in MVPD subscriber rolls.

And, S&P Global Ratings views more cord-cutting and fewer pay-TV bundles as a negative for the entire television sector’s credit quality.

It’s a new view on the impact of MVPD abandonment among U.S. video content consumers, leaving a strong broadband internet connection as the lone reason they’d be a customer to Comcast, Charter Spectrum, Cox or any other entity some still view as the “cable company.”

The report, “How The Decline In The U.S. Television Ecosystem Could Squeeze Credit Ratings,” updates S&P Global Ratings’ U.S. pay-TV video subscriber forecast, which it based on a rollup of our individual company forecasts.

S&P last updated its forecast in January 2020.

“Even though cord-cutting trended downward in the second half of last year compared to the first half, we estimate the rate of legacy pay-TV subscription losses was modestly worse in 2020 at about 7.9% versus 7.3% in 2019,” S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Naveen Sarma said. “We’ve updated our pay-TV video subscriber forecast and, in this report, discuss how any changes could affect our ratings on companies in the pay-TV ecosystem.”

The report notes that the ratings impact of the decline of pay-TV on the cable sector will be muted due the strength of its broadband service. Media companies will feel the heat on their TV operations, but it’s difficult to say which companies could face negative rating actions because many have diversified businesses.

Importantly, S&P notes that this report does not constitute a rating action.

Nielsen Holdings plc has selected its newest member of the company’s board of directors. She took her seat on Wednesday (4/21), and will also serve on the board’s audit committee.

The news came as Nielsen revealed when it will share its first quarter 2021 financial results.

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In a August 2017 webinar moderated by Radio INK editor-in-chief Ed Ryan, Veritone ‎Managing Director of Enterprise Radio Solutions Paul Cramer offered participants some eye-opening details on a new, “AI”-powered way to “aircheck” for an advertiser of an AM or FM station.

The webinar came on a day when Google’s Chrome browser was experimenting with a “mute” setting for autoplay video ads that start playing when one scrolls to the ad on a web page.

The timing was perhaps perfect, and still resonates today.

How many people do you know hit a “mute” button when a commercial comes on the radio station they are listening to?

The very idea is absurd, and gives the radio industry yet another weapon in its advertiser ammo box.Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Concerns about higher capital gains taxes, courtesy of President Biden, fueled a sharp decrease in general indices on Wall Street.

Did the Thursday dips include media stocks?

Nope.

Audacy reversed a downtrend with a 2.6% improvement, bringing AUD to $4.75.

Also up: Cumulus Media, rising 4 cents to $9.63, and iHeartMedia, rising 17 cents to $19.62.

Among broadcast TV companies, Nexstar Media Group shares finished at $154.32, rising 31 cents. Sinclair Broadcast Group stock improved by 70 cents, to $32.36.

The day’s big gainer: Dish, which gained $1.01 to $41.95 on word that its Sling has an audience measurement accord in place with Comscore.

PHILADELPHIA — Content protection services provider Friend MTS has agreed to an “expanded partnership” with Akamai, one that allows each company to offer content owners, broadcasters and operators a smart server-side A/B variant watermarking product based on the Friend MTS ASiD OTT Edge-switched technology and Akamai’s Access Revocation solution/technology.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FCC has adopted new sponsorship identification requirements to require broadcasters to disclose when foreign governments or their representatives lease time on their airwaves.

The Order, the Commission says, “increases transparency, ensuring audiences are aware when a foreign government, or its representatives, uses the airwaves to persuade the American public.”

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NEW YORK —  A syndicated service reported via Nielsen’s NPOWER audience insights platform has been launched.

Introducing Streaming Video Ratings from the nation’s dominant audience measurement and data analytics firm.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FCC has launched a proceeding to consider allowing Wireless Multi-Channel Audio Systems (WMAS) — an emerging wireless microphone technology that would enable more microphones per megahertz of spectrum.

It’s an efficiency the Commission believes “can greatly benefit music venues or convention centers with multiple performers or speakers.”

Television broadcasters should take note of this proposal.

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He was most recently the head of programming for Cumulus Media‘s Country WDRQ-FM and Hot Adult Contemporary WDVD-FM in Detroit, a role recently given to David Corey.

Now, he’s the Program Director for a pair of similarly formatted FM radio stations in the home market for SummitMedia.

Lance Tidwell has been placed in the PD chair for Country WZZK-FM and Hot AC WPYA-FM “Mix 97.3” in Birmingham.

“Lance is one of the best programmers in the nation and I am thrilled to have him join
our fantastic team,” said John Walker, President of Summit’s Birmingham station group. “He brings tremendous insight, skill, knowledge and forward-thinking, which makes him
perfectly suited to lead these amazing brands and digital assets into the future.”

Randy Chase, selected as SummitMedia’s EVP/Programming following the death of Bill Tanner, added, “Lance’s multi-format experience, strategic foundation and ability to drive ratings is exactly what WZZK and WPYA need.”

Tidwell’s experience includes roles as a manager for Cumulus Media’s seven stations in Kansas City. He has also been a SVP/Programming for iHeartMedia.

The move to Birmingham brings Tidwell back to his roots. “I grew up in 90 minutes from Birmingham in Alexander City, Alabama,” he says. “I’m excited how SummitMedia is growing in the market and to join a top-notch team focused on the future.”

Lance Tidwell was recently named 2021 Radio Ink’s Top 35 Country Radio Program Directors of the Year.

Was it a result of a failed geography lesson? Until now, Florida Public Radio has been the licensee of a 500-watt Class A poised to get a huge upgrade to 100kw Class C1 status.

It’s not in the Sunshine State. Rather, it’s in an area of rural Iowa to the southwest of Des Moines. And, it’s now being sold.

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As people’s habits continue to evolve, with the pandemic accelerating those changes, Broadbeam Media conducted research that reevaluates, in a way, assumptions about the lifestyles and media habits of U.S. consumers.

Among the key finds is that linear TV – a.k.a. broadcast and cable channels – remains the most-often watched media. But, social video is close behind, and just behind that is YouTube and Facebook Watch. What does this mean for the broadcast TV station owner?

Broadbeam Director of Strategy and Research Tess Erickson offers up the answer, and more, in this RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Tess Erickson, Broadbeam Media” on Spreaker.

Despite a late-session rally, Audacy shares declined for the second-straight session, putting new scrutiny on a glowing seal of approval on the company formerly known as Entercom from a key Wall Street investor blog.

BIG NEWS COMES FIRST WHEN YOU FOLLOW RBR+TVBR ON TWITTER!

On average volume, AUD finished Wednesday (4/21) at $4.63, down 5.1% from Monday, a day when shares also saw a significant dip in value.

The decline puts AUD at a place it’s not seen yet — technically.

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LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLA. — In a blow to one of the nation’s biggest broadcast television companies, the FCC‘s Media Bureau on Wednesday (4/21) in a memorandum opinion and order denied a “Good Faith” complaint against Frontier Communications in response to the discontinued distribution of the ABC affiliate focused on Sarasota and Manatee Counties of Florida.

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Radio and TV C-Suiters are obsessed with millennials. They’ve been credited with upending entire industries, says an eMarketer analyst, and retail is hardly an exception.

He’s penned a piece on what retailers need to know about attracting and retaining consumers from this consumer group.

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The New York Festivals Radio Awards has named content creators and “global storytellers” Jennie Caltaldo, Helen Shaw, and Carole Zimmer to the Radio Awards Advisory Board.

The 13-member Advisory Council, formed in 2010, is comprised of content creators and thought-leaders within the radio industry. They provide NYF’s Radio Awards competition with ongoing knowledge of emerging trends and critical industry insights.

Cataldo is the VP of Programming and a radio and podcast producer for BMP Audio, owned by Ben Manilla.

Shaw is the Founder/Director of Ireland-based Athena Media. She ran RTE Radio for five years, launching RTE Lyric fm and leading RTE’s digital transformation before taking a sabbatical at Harvard University.

Zimmer is a freelance reporter for The New York Times and host of the Now What? podcast. Her resume includes stints at Bloomberg, NPR, and the CBS and NBC radio networks.

The Radio Awards receives entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from over 30 countries around the globe. The mission of the competition is to honor the achievements of the men and women who make up the global audio storytelling community.

This year is the eleventh year of NYF’s strategic partnership with NAB Show, the ultimate marketplace for people passionate about media, entertainment, and technology. All attendees will have access to the multi-day NAB event which is the world’s largest media entertainment marketplace taking place in October 2021.

The deadline to enter the 2021 Radio Awards competition is May 20. To enter please visit HERE

Across the Southeast’s biggest emerging Hispanic markets, perhaps no company has invested more in reaching this Spanish-language audio content consumer of late than Norsan Media.

Now, it is grabbing what will become its third radio brand in the largest city in the U.S. by square miles.

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Say goodbye to the Westwood One Podcast Network.

Starting May 6, it will have a new name — one that reflects WWO’s parent company.

Introducing the Cumulus Podcast Network.

According to the company led by Mary Berner, the move consolidates Cumulus’ national and local podcasts into one entity, “capturing the full breadth and diversity of the portfolio and providing advertisers with a comprehensive offering of podcasts, in addition to streaming, mobile, social and display.”

There will be no change in duties for Cumulus EVP/Corporate Marketing and Westwood One President Suzanne Grimes, who will continue to manage the company’s podcast sales network. 

“Placing our podcasts under the Cumulus umbrella allows us to offer our advertising partners easy access to the company’s full arsenal of digital products,” Grimes said. “This exciting expansion takes our fast-growing podcast network to the next level, as well as simplifies the buying process for agencies and brands, allowing our partners to seamlessly tap into the full power of our premium on-demand audio content.”

Hearst Television has promoted its Director of Human Resources to VP of the department.

It’s an individual celebrating five years with the company.

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America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) and PBS on Tuesday shared their thoughts with the FCC in response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on changes to the Emergency Alert System.

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One of the nation’s two direct broadcast satellite (DBS) TV services provider just took a further step toward becoming a much broader operator — a better competitor to the traditional MVPD.

And, it is thanks in part to the selection of an Amazon.com company to help get the job done.

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