NEW YORK — The Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) has taken a fresh look at streaming trends, and how they may be influencing marketers’ plans. With a look back to 2023, how many predictions and trends were not only proven true, but have in fact accelerated?
Ad-supported streaming is accelerating quicker than anticipated.
The 2024 Major League Baseball regular season officially began on Thursday, and FuboTV is celebrating with new partnerships with four American League teams — including the 2023 World Champions.
The “sports-first” vMVPD, through newly signed arrangements, will enjoy Fubo in-stadium and digital branding in addition to fan engagement opportunities at the home of the Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, respectively.
Fans will also have an opportunity to try Fubo for free.
Fubo is the home of MLB.TV, MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, regional sports networks, local broadcast networks carrying MLB games, and national sports networks ESPN and FS1. Most recently, Fubo expanded its league coverage through carriage agreements with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) and the New York Yankees’ YES Network.
Travel east of Hood River along the Columbia River separating Oregon from Washington, and you’ll reach The Dalles — home to a Classic Country AM with an FM translator.
Pending FCC approval, it will have a second FM translator serving this community.
As the head of Rockwell Media Services, Morgan Skinner has become known as a broadcast media consultant and broker. He’s also generated controversy over the years, including a 1988 spat with Bonneville International for using the “KSLI” call letters on a just-acquired FM in St. George, Utah.
Now, a Utah non-profit Skinner is associated with is donating an FM translator in a rural area of Nevada.
The National Association of Broadcasters is hosting its fourth annual NAB Diversity Symposium during the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas, and the NAB notes that this year’s symposium remains open to all attendees.
However, the program features a new structure that caters to the diversity of the NAB Show audience with individual sessions focusing on inclusion across the wider media, entertainment and technology industries.
“The programming is designed for all attendees – broadcasters, media production professionals, content creators, AI enthusiasts, technology professionals, storytellers and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) advocates,” the NAB notes.
“As we convene for the fourth annual NAB Diversity Symposium, fostering inclusive workplaces and advancing diversity within the broadcast industry is more important than ever,” said NAB Chief Diversity Officer Michelle Duke. “This year’s symposium is about empowering organizations to not just meet but exceed their diversity and inclusion goals. We are providing attendees with the tools, knowledge and strategies needed to cultivate diverse talent, create inclusive environments and drive innovation.”
Speakers include Cassandra Freeman, who is known for her role as Aunt Viv in Peacock’s “Bel Air,” and is also the co-founder of Creatricity, a platform that simplifies the process of finding and hiring vetted, reliable, and diverse talent and crew for television and film projects.
Also appearing are Arun Sundararajan, global expert in technology and business, author and professor at New York University; and Joe Strechay, TV and film producer and blindness consultant on Apple TV+ series “See.”
![Honolulu, from atop Diamondhead [Photo: Adam R Jacobson/RBR]](https://rbr.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5581-2-scaled-e1586964084556-696x512.jpg "Honolulu")
In the last two years, a “Secret Millionaire” featured in a March 2011 episode of the now-concluded ABC reality television series was involved in the purchase and subsequent sale of radio properties in South Florida.
Now, Marc Paskin is investing in a FM radio station with a signal covering the entire Hawaiian island of O’ahu.
As RBR+TVBR reported earlier in March, Audacy Inc. submitted for FCC approval an “engagement and assignment agreement” that saw the placement of a 25kw Class C3 FM licensed to Simpsonville, S.C., into a divestiture trust administered by Kalil & Co. of Tucson.
Ten quick days later, Audacy has a buyer for WSPA-FM 106.3, which will be sold by “The Greenville Divestiture Trust” but by the company directly.
An asset purchase agreement dated March 28 was uploaded to the FCC’s LMS late Thursday, and it shows that the Norberto Sanchez-founded Norsan Media, known for its Hispanic-focused broadcast media properties across the Southeast, intends to purchase the FM for $700,000.
The sale of WSPA was engineered as Audacy, which is exiting debtor-in-possession status after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, is being reconstituted with its emergence. As such, Audacy would have been owner FCC ownership limits in the Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C., radio market that WSPA serves.
A Time Brokerage Agreement will allow Norsan to assume control of WSPA prior to closing.
A 10% deposit ($70,000) is due within 10 days. It is to be placed with law firm Putbrese, Hunsacker & Trent, acting as escrow agent.
At present, WSPA is known as “Magic 106.3,” and is anchored by the Murphy, Sam & Jodi syndicated morning show. “Magic” has been on WSPA since March 28, 2023, when it moved from the facilities now home to WYRD-FM 98.9. Ownership of the “Magic” brand dates to December 1999, when then-Entercom acquired 41 radio stations from Sinclair Broadcast Group. Past owners of “Magic” include River City Broadcasting, Keymarket Communications and Spartan Radiocasting.
Once the transaction closes, Norsan will have its first FM signal in Greenville-Spartanburg, where it presently operates WOLI-AM 910 and FM translator W289BS at 105.7 MHz with its regional Mexican “La Raza” brand. It is possible that “La Raza” will relocate, with the company’s “Latina” Spanish Contemporary format entering Upstate South Carolina. It can be heard in the Charleston, S.C. market on WZJY-AM and FM translator W238CO.
New Hampshire-based Binnie Media, led by President/CEO Massimo Rosati, has promoted the company’s EVP/Sales to the role of Chief Operating Officer.
Taking the new post is Faith Francis. She is an 11 1/2-year company veteran who joined in November 2012 as a regional sales manager.
In fact, Binnie Media dates to 2012, when it acquired radio stations in Maine and New Hampshire, operating from the Granite State city of Concord.
Concurrent to Francis’ promotion, Heath Cole has advanced from Vice President of Programming to the new programming and operations position.
“Both Faith and Heath have been crucial to our success in key areas of the business, and this will give them the ability to affect change on a broader scale,” Rosati said. “We have a profitable, vibrant business and great culture at Binnie Media, allowing people to have flexibility with accountability, and allow long-term employees the opportunity to be promoted from within.”
With GenAI rapidly becoming one of the leading topics of interest at the upcoming NAB Show in Las Vegas, many may be curious as to the extent of artificial intelligence usage by broadcast media that could come in future years.
ENCO will most likely be turning heads — human and virtual, perhaps — with its latest offering.
Gray Television has signed a multi-year agreement with the Arena Football League — a pact that will bring Saturday arena football games to local broadcast TV stations owned by the publicly traded company in at least 34 U.S. markets.
The first AFL games on Gray’s television stations will air on Saturday, April 27, and continue for the 10-week 2024 AFL season.
Gray’s local broadcast AFL games primarily focus on in-state teams matched to Gray’s local television station markets. For example, the Georgia Force (Atlanta) will air on Gray’s Georgia television stations in Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Albany, Macon, and Columbus via Gray’s Peachtree Sports Network. Other Arena teams with in-state games on Gray stations include the Minnesota Myth, Nashville Kats, Louisiana Voodoo, West Texas Hawks, Salina Liberty, Southwest Kansas Storm, Wichita Regulators, and Rapid City Marshals. In addition, many Gray stations in markets that are not currently affiliated with the AFL will air one or more Saturday “Game of the Week” broadcasts of the AFL.
“We’re excited to bring Spring football to local audiences,” said Gray Chief Operating Officer Sandy Breland. “This agreement provides another example of how Gray works to strengthen local communities with local and regional sports content.”
The NFL Network will carry a separate package of approximately 30 games on a national basis on Thursdays and Sundays during the AFL season.
Gray’s Tupelo Media Group will produce AFL games airing on the NFL Network.
S&P Global Market Intelligence has computed its data for North American media and telecom companies’ mergers and acquisitions for the month of February, and it has tallied 96 deals valued at $160 million.
That, S&P Global says, is the sector’s softest showing in M&A activity in 13 months.
MacDonald Garber Broadcasting has established itself as one of the nation’s top local broadcasters in a small market, with eight radio brands serving the Michigan communities of Cadillac, Gaylord, Traverse City and Petoskey.
For one of these brands, it has leased a Class A FM just west of Cadillac for 12 years. Now, it is acquiring it in what is truly a within-the-family transfer requiring the FCC’s blessing.
Gen Media Partners and the Ten-Minute Trainer Network will hold a free livestream event in late April, following the 2024 NAB Show, aimed at empowering political campaigns of all sizes in upcoming mid-term elections.
“Maximizing Political Dollars for Small & Medium Markets” will take place on Wednesday, April 24 at Noon Eastern/9am Pacific and will feature industry experts sharing insights and tips on how to leverage political advertising budgets.
Key Speakers include GMP SVP of Political/Issue Advocacy and Strategic Alliances Roger Rafson, VP/Political Strategies Manager Linley Grande, and Political Broadcast Strategist Heather Karban. They will provide “actionable tactics to maximize every advertising dollar while adhering to legal boundaries,” GMP says.
“Preparation is vital to ensure stations take full advantage of the political cycle,” said GMP EVP Greg Tacher. ” Those who invest less than an hour of their time will benefit greatly from our experienced panel.”
For more information about this event, visit www.tenminutetrainernetwork.
Three veteran executives have earned promotions at Compass Media Networks in moves that will see the trio oversee the content creation, production, and distribution of the company’s play-by-play sports platform.
“For over 16 years, Compass Media Networks has set a standard of excellence for national
play-by-play sports with Chris, Rob, and Tyler playing a vital part in our success,” company founder and CEO Peter Kosann said. “It is our pleasure to give these three talented executives their day in the sun, knowing that they will continue to work incredibly hard to carry on this tradition of excellence.”
Earning the elevated roles at Compass are Robert Blum, Tyler Brewer, and Chris Kleiber.
