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Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, Tutt Media Group, Inc., Stations WTMH-LD, Kinston, NC; WTMQ-LD, Jacksonville, NC; WTMV-LD, Ogden, NC
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Estrella Media’s PR Lead To Exit
LOS ANGELES — He stayed on with the company following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and transition from LBI Media.
Now, Estrella Media‘s VP of PR and Corporate Affairs is moving on.
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BrandStar Launches a Sports and Entertainment TV Platform
There’s a new platform available now to athletes and celebrities who wish to build their personal brands on the stage — and on camera, too.
It comes from television production and strategic marketing firm BrandStar.
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ViacomCBS Board OKs Twin Cash Dividends
With its stock in a comfort zone following a run-up to $100.34 on March 22 from $36.60 to start 2021, ViacomCBS’ Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend for its Class A and Class B Common Stock.
There’s also another dividend for its 5.75% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock.
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House E&C GOP Leaders Push Broadband Bill To Biden
By Rob Dumke
U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (Ohio) have just paid a trip to the White House.
Why? To talk about the “American Broadband Act” — a topic broadcasting executives may wish to pay more attention to, given the rapid growth of streaming audio and Connected TV/OTT platforms.
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A Keystone State AM Changes Hands
By Rob Dumke
A Class D AM radio station licensed to serve a city just west of State College, Pa., is being sold.
The seller? A licensee that in January 2020 purchased this property. He’s now selling it for a slight loss.
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With Premiere’s Post-Rush News, Another New Offering Emerges
By Rob Dumke and Adam R Jacobson
On February 17, the world lost Rush Limbaugh. It took more than three months for iHeartMedia-owned Premiere Networks to announce the eventual successor offering to The Rush Limbaugh Show, and that won’t arrive for more than three weeks.
For some non-iHeartRadio affiliates, including those owned by Cox Media Group, sticking with programs built around archived audio clips of the late Limbaugh wasn’t something they desired. This led to CMG-owned WOKV-FM in Jacksonville moving market veteran Mark Kaye to Limbaugh’s old slot.
Now, CMG has made a move at its flagship News/Talk property in Atlanta that can be replicated at other stations across the U.S., should it wish to defect from Premiere.
Erick Erickson, the midday host at WSB-FM 95.5 in Atlanta, is heading into national syndication.
And, it will be ready 20 days before the debut of The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, the heir to Limbaugh’s talk radio throne.
The Erick Erickson Show will take the Noon-3pm Eastern slot, starting June 1.
Erickson has already been self-syndicating across Georgia.
“We’re excited to announce this partnership,” said CMG SVP of Radio Rob Babin. “Erick has performed successfully for many years on 95.5 WSB Radio, and no doubt, he’ll make an impact as the Erick Erickson show expands.”
Erickson added, “I’ve been working towards this for a very long time, and I appreciate my long relationship with CMG. We look forward to continued success at 95.5 WSB and many new affiliates across the country.”
Who’s Succeeding Rush? Premiere Has Its Decision
By Rob Dumke and Adam R Jacobson
It was offered as an exclusive to The Wall Street Journal early Thursday (5/27).
And, iHeartMedia-owned Premiere Networks confirmed all of the information in the story as true — ahead of an official announcement scheduled for release at 3pm Eastern.
That’s now happened, allowing all who cover the media industry to say for themselves that a successor offering to the deceased Rush Limbaugh‘s syndicated Talk radio program has been finalized.
Taking on the noon-3pm time slot that is presently the home of freshly produced episodes of The Rush Limbaugh Show that rely on archived commentary to reflect today’s headlines are Clay Travis and Buck Sexton.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Clay and Buck — two incredibly talented personalities from our Premiere family — at the helm of this new program,” said Julie Talbott, President of Premiere Networks. “Rush Limbaugh is irreplaceable, but we’re confident they will continue his legacy by delivering their own brand of intelligent, informed and entertaining talk radio, while providing our partners with a powerful platform to connect with their consumers.”
In an interview with WSJ, Talbott insisted that Travis and Sexton are not replacing Limbaugh. Rather, their arrival is “an evolution of the show with fresh voices—those that grew up on Rush an admired him.”
Travis is 42 and is a lawyer, TV analyst and sports journalist. He is the founder of the sports website Outkick.com and has been hosting Outkick the Coverage with Clay Travis and Wins & Losses With Clay Travis on Premiere-distributed Fox Sports Radio.
He will be paired with Sexton, who is 39 years old and a former CIA offer and a New York City Police Department Counter-terrorism expert. More importantly, he is the host of The Buck Sexton Show on Premiere Networks and was a frequent guest host on Limbaugh’s program.
Sexton currently holds the 6pm hour on iHeartMedia’s Talk WOR-AM 710 in New York.
This will change on June 21, when The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show debuts. Interestingly, the Fox Sports host gets top billing over the Talk host.
Clay Travis and Buck Sexton“I’ve loved spending the past six years building ‘Outkick The Coverage’ into one of the most-listened-to sports talk shows in the country, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to join Buck Sexton as we launch this new program in the most coveted timeslot in the talk format,” Travis said. “While no one will ever replace Rush Limbaugh, Buck and I are excited to continue advancing the causes he held dear, most importantly American exceptionalism, a fervent
embrace of capitalism, and a belief in a robust marketplace of ideas. At a time of rabid cancel culture and toxic identity politics, we will be the voice for many who feel scared to say what they
think for fear of the censorious online mob. We can’t wait to get started.”
Sexton added, “I could not be more thrilled – and am deeply humbled – by the opportunity to host this new program with my co-host. We think it’s important to carry on the
tradition of Rush Limbaugh and bring truth to the masses. One thing I can promise all EIB
listeners out there: we’re with them and we will always fight for them with the show Clay and I do every day.”
CMG’s OTT Arm Selects a President
By Rob Dumke
Over the Top (OTT) provider Gamut, which is owned by Cox Media Group, has appointed Soo Jin Oh as its President.
For the past eight months, Oh has served as Co-Chief Operating Officer at CMG.
And, she’s been with CMG for four years, during which time Oh has been “a driving force at Gamut,” CMG Executive Chairman Steve Pruett said. “As a passionate and respected visionary, she brings a level of unmatched energy, diligence and entrepreneurial leadership to every role she takes on. She has a proven track record of fortifying organizational capabilities that delivers enhanced revenues and customer value, and I am thrilled that we can, once again, tap internal talent for such a critical leadership position.”
Oh commented, “I am excited to take the helm at Gamut, the leading local OTT company with the best-in-class product and the most talented team in the industry. Since Gamut’s inception, our team has rallied around always doing what’s right by each other and our customers with an unwavering commitment to excellent service and performance.”
New Transmitter Is Headed to KSKA(FM)
From our “Who’s Buying What” page:
KSKA(FM) in Anchorage, Alaska, is getting a new transmitter as part of an upgrade and HD Radio activation project.
Nautel reports that it shipped a GV40-HD transmitter on Wednesday.
“This GV Series transmitter combined with Nautel’s HD MultiCast+ Importer/Exporter box will enable KSKA to start broadcasting in HD,” the company stated.
The noncommercial educational station broadcasts with 100 kW at 91.1 MHz and is part of Alaska Public Media.
A view of the inside rear is shown below.
Send info for “Who’s Buying What” to radioworld@futurenet.com.
The post New Transmitter Is Headed to KSKA(FM) appeared first on Radio World.
Urban One: Class D Share Offering Cleared For The Future
On May 17, African American-centric media company and casino owner Urban One entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement with Jefferies LLC.
This opens the door to a Class D share offering, the company tells the SEC.
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Gordon Smith Honored For A Lifetime Of Leadership
Gordon Smith, the outgoing CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, is the recipient of the 2021 Lifetime Leadership Award.
The formal presentation of the honor to the former Republican U.S. Senator from Oregon is set for Radio’s Financial Summit: Forecast 2022, scheduled for November 16 at the Harvard Club in New York.
The announcement was made by Deborah Parenti, EVP/Publisher of Radio + Television Business Report.
“No one could be more deserving of this recognition than Gordon Smith,” Parenti said. “His advocacy and statesmanship over the past twelve years have won many admirers throughout the industry as well as on the Beltway. He has charted a course that will continue to positively impact the industry for years to come.”
Smith joined the NAB as its President/CEO in November 2009. Under his leadership, NAB saw its New York show grow as the Radio Show evolved to a co-production with the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB).
Aside from his time on Capitol Hill, Smith served as a senior advisor in the Washington offices of Covington & Burling LLP.
His successor is the NAB’s Chief Operating Officer, Curtis LeGeyt. He will take over on Jan. 1, 2022. Smith will transition to a 36-month advisory and advocacy role at the end of 2021, as previously reported.
Smith joins a list of previous honorees that includes Ralph Guild, Lowry Mays, Gary Fries, Eddie Fritts, Bill Burton, Dan Mason, Peter Smyth, Cathy Hughes, Bruce Reese, Dick Clark, Frances Preston, George Beasley, and Jeff Smulyan.
More information and registration for “Forecast 2022” can be found Here.
An LPFM Rule Reconsideration On The FCC’s July Agenda
Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has outlined the agenda for the agency’s June 17 Open Commission Meeting.
While radio and TV broadcasting leaders have had little of late to be mindful of, there is a matter involving low-power radio stations that may be worthy of your attention.
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The InFOCUS Podcast: Adam Rymer, Envy Gaming
In mid-March, a Dallas-based entertainment and e-sports company founded in 2007 snagged a multimillion-dollar investment from one of broadcast television’s biggest owner groups, Gray Television.
In this InFOCUS Podcast, that company’s CEO, Adam Rymer, answers key questions many including our editor-in-chief has, about eSports and its future, in particular for those on Wall Street seeking a real revenue driver for an industry seeking ways to combat declining traditional ad revenues.
It’s all here, in this fresh audio offering presented by dot.FM.
Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Adam Rymer, Envy Gaming” on Spreaker.
Here’s The Forecast For Global Pay TV Revenues
Global pay TV revenues for 138 countries have been placed under the microscope by Research and Markets, a British market intelligence shop.
What does their findings show, with respect to growth trends? On a worldwide level, revenue increases stopped five years ago.
While that’s distressing enough, the dip comes as the number of pay TV subscribers rose by 15 million during the same period.
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