Radio+Television Business Report

Perry Sook told an investor conference on Monday that the proposed merger of TEGNA and his Nexstar Media Group, which pushes the No. 1 single owner of broadcast TV stations well above current regulatory caps, is the direct result of President Trump winning the 2024 U.S. presidential election. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday confirmed the launch of a new Democratic Commission on AI and the Innovation Economy that will convene throughout 2026. The commission is tasked with developing policy expertise in partnership with the innovation community, relevant stakeholders and committees of jurisdiction.

PQ Media has released its inaugural edition of a forecast devoted to media ad spend for brands and advertisers seeking to lure the LGBTQ+ consumer — a segment long-known for its affluence and vigorous spending habits. The big takeaway: LGBTQ+ media spend growth in the U.S. is on the way down in 2025.

The Byron Allen-controlled Allen Media Group has lured a former TelevisaUnivision ad sales veteran to serve as its Chief Revenue Officer of Advertising Sales. It puts him in a key role for all of AMG's assets — including owned-and-operated broadcast TV stations that will soon be under different ownership.

For nearly a decade, radio stations using the default Barix logins have been subject to hijack. In the most recent situation, a fake EAS tone played on a loop across the afternoon of November 23. The FCC chimed in. Now, Barix is addressing the long-standing issue.

A Class C AM serving Centerville, Iowa, and its FM translator companion are being acquired by a new licensee of radio stations co-owned in a 50/50 split by Austin Anderson and Russell Ocker.

New York-headquartered predictive advertising company Cadent has moved ahead with its purchase of an entity known for its efforts in YouTube video ad planning, optimization, and measurement.

It's been in the works for weeks and weeks: Sunbeam Television's Miami-Fort Lauderdale home in North Bay Village, Fla., along a flood-prone causeway traversing Biscayne Bay, is being replaced with a state-of-the-art facility in Broward County. That move is moving forward, and station leaders are cheering.

Triton, a global technology and services provider to the digital audio, podcast and broadcast radio industries, updated its Omny Studio product by expanding the platform’s capabilities to include comprehensive support for video podcasting.

American Public Media has promoted from within to fill the role of VP/Head of Sales and Underwriting — a key revenue-generating role at APM and Minnesota Public radio.

On October 31, RBR+TVBR first reported on the sale of a Rock station serving Bangor formerly owned by acclaimed author Stephen King, by Rock Lobster Radio LLC. On Monday, details of the deal that will see Mix Maine Media owner and President Jay Hanson add the FM to his stable of stations were revealed.

In March 2018, it was one of four FM radio stations divested as part of the company's Chapter 11 reorganization petition, and placed in a trust overseen by veteran media broker Elliot Evers. It eventually wound up back in Cumulus Media's hands, only to go silent in March. Now, a buyer has been found.

A media lawyer based at a top Washington, D.C. communications-focused law firm and the woman who serves as Chief Communications Officer of Beasley Media Group have been elected to the Board of Trustees of The Media Institute.

The DIRECTV app includes access to its Genre Packs, free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, and "Signature Packages," as well as on-demand content and a personalized viewing experience directly through the TV.

He formerly served as Market Manager of the radio stations in Bakersfield formerly licensed to Alpha Media and now owned by Connoisseur Media. Now, he's heading north on California 99 to serve as VP/Market Manager of Cumulus Media's radio stations serving the Stockton and Modesto, Calif., markets.

Following a French employee works council consultation process, the parties would immediately execute a purchase agreement. The transaction would be expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

The first weekly looks at the play count for commercials airing on broadcast and cable TV stations, respectively, from Media Monitors are out. At Spot Cable, there's an auto insurance specialist that has soared to the top. That said, there's one brand that saw big gains last week at both Spot TV and Spot Cable.

David Ellison is fighting back against Netflix and its proposed $72 billion takeover of Warner Bros. — including HBO Max and the HBO cable TV channels — by commencing an all-cash tender offer that would see Paramount acquire all of Warner Bros. Discovery's outstanding shares at a valuation of $30.

The big takeaway for the three-month period ending September 30? Ad revenues soared and enjoyed the fastest pace since the final stage of the post-COVID rebound in the first quarter of 2022. That said, broadcast media's performance was a bit different.

In one week, customers to Verizon Fios cable TV services in two cities where Cox Media Group owns stations could be left in the dark. That's because the TV stations' owner and the MVPD can't seem to be in agreement on terms for a new retransmission consent accord.