Radio & Television Business Report

A pair of progressive political action groups, along with a collection of viewers of ABC stations, have responded to formal opposition to their request to become plaintiffs alongside The Walt Disney Company in its ABC-focused federal lawsuit against the FCC being argued in U.S. District Court.

Seven broadcast television stations owned by Byron Allen-led Allen Media Group won't be giving up their ABC Television Network affiliations anytime soon. A new multi-year agreement is now in place.

A Los Angeles-headquartered multimedia company rooted in U.S. Hispanic media that today derives the majority of its income from digital advertising solutions on Tuesday quietly gave birth to a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel devoted to "noticias." It boasts a four-anchor delivery scheme.

Brendan Carr, appearing Sunday on FOX News Channel's "Sunday Briefing," suggested the issuance of a FCC Public Notice reminding broadcast media licensees of their obligations regarding "fake polls," in particular those he believes are intended to suppress voters ahead of the November midterm elections. 

On procedural grounds, the U.S. Supreme Court put the breaks on a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit that would have prohibited anyone other than a political candidate from eligibility for the Lowest Unit Rate afforded by broadcast media when buying election-based advertising.

It's already omnipresent across the U.S. thanks to its K-LOVE and Worship Music-focused sibling Air1 brands. Now, K-LOVE Inc. is debuting a new brand aimed at reaching the next generation of young believers by targeting current college students and young adults "with the hope of inspiring them to move closer to Jesus."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has told a Salem Media talk host that a much-awaited vote of the 'AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act' will be seen on the House floor at the start of next week. And, it was getting the legislation incorporated into an approve-or-else transportation bill that prompted the Congressman to instead schedule a vote on the bill. 

Local ad dollars and Big Tech competitors are pulling harder than any single strand can withstand. Broadcast groups have to use everything in the playbook, together, to get stronger. A Forecast 2027 panel moderated by newly minted New York State Broadcasters Association President Heidi Raphael tackles the subject.

An AM/FM combo serving Joplin, Mo., and an FM translator giving that kHz band facility a bit of "revitalization" are poised to become the latest possessions of a Pittsburg, Ks.-based media company led by William Wachter.

After five years, the agreement that saw the Dallas Mavericks partner with an iHeartMedia FM that dropped its Hot Talk/Sports Talk presentation during the 2024 NBA Playoffs with a return to its previous Rock branding ended. Now, the team's games will air on an Audacy FM — joining the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers.

A transaction first announced on May 13, with details later surfacing in early June, has closed. This puts stations in two South Dakota cities held by the company founded and led by Jeffrey Warshaw in the hands of Carolyn Becker, thanks to a deal brokered by Kalil & Co.

With a "hold separate" order forcing Nexstar from having any involvement with TEGNA's operation — including being barred from its board of directors — any possibility of merging newsrooms in New Orleans, where Nexstar owns WGNO-TV is a distant one. That was just reinforced with the naming of a WWL-TV ND by TEGNA.

In a further commitment to women's sports and a national television platform for its further fan connection and growth in popularity, Scripps Sports has reached what it calls "a landmark partnership" that represents the first season-long coast-to-coast domestic TV package for a league that's all about women on ice — with sticks in hand.

Sports viewership is up, and it's rising fastest among younger fans. Hub Entertainment Research's latest wave of “Evolution of Sports – What’s the Score?” has all of the details.

With the Trump Administration and Canada's PM, Mark Carney, dancing a tariff tango, some may wonder if the resulting effects will include, to some extent, a pullback on advertising commitments across North America. Not at all, a newly released global ad forecast from Madison & Wall shows.

New capabilities from Comscore AI Intelligence have been brought to market, and the company seeking to provide consumer data and consumption insights believes this can offer brands and publishers the ability to measure sponsored chat-based advertising and establish its impact on digital traffic, engagement, and consumer behavior.