Radio & Television Business Report

If there's any doubt that the absence of Indianapolis' ABC affiliate from the local DirecTV channel lineup will be prolonged, due to a retransmission consent impasse between the direct broadcast satellite service provider and the TV station's owner, that was all but erased by DuJuan McCoy as the last day of August began.

Just four days after Charter Communications — parent of the Spectrum MVPD — completed its merger with Cox Communications and merger with Liberty Broadband Corp., the company sued The E.W. Scripps Co. over one of the most contentious topics the industry faces today: retransmission consent.

Days after the results of a close employee-led vote to discontinue SAG-AFTRA representation of its unionized anchors and reporters were shared, a second labor decertification effort has transpired at the Sinclair Inc.-owned ABC affiliate serving the biggest market in the Pacific Northwest.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has declined to move ahead with a fresh look at a District Court's decision that put the kibosh on a $136 million racial discrimination claim against the FCC for Standard General's inability to complete its proposed merger with TEGNA.

TEGNA has a new Board of Directors, complying with an order from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento. The news was shared via a "Status Report" submitted by Nexstar Media Group legal counsel to the judge overseeing its legal battle against DirecTV and a coalition of state Attorneys General.

In late March, RBR+TVBR first reported on the acquisition of a Class A FM serving an area of Western Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, by Family Life Radio. Now, the broadcast ministry led by Rick Snavely has decided to spin the facility. The buyer? Look no further than WYEP and WESA.

The privately held radio broadcasting company led by Jeff Warshaw has agreed to sell a pair of AM/FM combos, serving two unrated markets in Minnesota. The deal, which is being filed in the FCC's LMS for regulatory approval early next week, saw Kalil & Co. serve as the exclusive broker for the transaction.

The FTC has finalized orders requiring Cox Media Group and two other firms to pay nearly $1 million to settle claims they deceived customers by falsely stating they offer an AI-powered service that could target localized ads based on conversations captured from consumers’ smart devices, and that consumers had opted into such targeting.

The FCC's Media Bureau has issued a public notice with the expressed intent of providing "clarification and additional guidance" as it pertains to eligibility restrictions and the comparative selection criteria in its filing window for new noncommercial educational reserved band FM translator station applications.

The Operations Manager for a group of radio stations that includes Midway, Ga.-licensed and Savannah-targeted WGCO "Hot 98.3" has accepted the role of Manager of Station Operations for AI-powered audio tech vendor Super Hi-Fi.

The licensee of a pair of radio stations on the Delmarva Peninsula has filed a Petition to Deny a proposed transaction submitted to the FCC for its regulatory approval. That deal would allow Draper Media to own and operate eight radio stations in the region between Wilmington, Del., and Salisbury-Ocean City, Md.

KNTV-11 in San Jose, branded as "NBC Bay Area," is adding an additional hour of local news to its daily schedule, starting September 7. It happens to be in the time slot that, until today, is held by a popular talk show hosted by the first "American Idol" winner turned pop star. Clarkson is signing off from daily TV.

Have you offered your selection of who deserves to be named to RBR+TVBR's latest Top Local TV Leaders list? In 2026, it is totally up to you. We're accepting selections of individuals actively leading over-the-air broadcast television stations across the U.S. through next week, so be sure to participate today.

It's another big week at Spot TV for the accident attorney specialist who began life as an Orlando-based operation big on local radio advertising and is today the most prominent law firm in its category.

Consolidation, public interest, enforcement priorities, and advertising regulations are all among the policy fights that will shape the industry's 2027. The people steering those fights for the NAB, FOX, and Salem Media are bringing the inside view to New York City at Forecast 2027.

In the coming years, media historians may look back at 2025 as the year Canadian radio and television growth prospects permanently fell behind those of online services. A newly released report from the CRTC offers the clearest illustration yet of just how broadcast media's challenges now stretch to digital encroachment.