Eight affiliates of The CW Network can now be seen by DirecTV streaming customers, thanks to new carrier agreements signed by the direct broadcast satellite service provider and the network’s owner, Nexstar Media Group.
Sirius XM Sued For Patent Infringement By Rothschild
Did Sirius XM Holdings engage in patent infringement, using technology that was unlawfully based on a high-bandwidth content distribution structure created by a Texas limited liability company with an office in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla.?
That’s what the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has been tasked with deciding. And, given the plaintiff, the case could very well be settled before trial.
Hoskins Family Grows A Show-Me State Radio Stable
It might have a company name that suggests it focuses on print media, but Better Newspapers happens to be the owner of four FM radio stations and an AM with an FM translator in Missouri.
Now this licensee, owned by Greg and Scott Hoskins, is officially adding to its station stable some six months after a deal was reached.
A Local Media Growth Story, Fueled By JAM
Local Daily Media publishes online newspapers powered by its radio stations in each of the markets it serves.
That market roster is about to grow, thanks to a deal to acquire JAM Media Solutions‘ properties as that company completes a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding.
LDM, a unit of Williamsburg, Va.-headquartered Davis Media LLC, has agreed to purchase the following properties from Jeffrey Testa, who serves as the Chapter 7 trustee overseeing JAM’s debtor-in-possession resolution process:
- KMCS-FM 93.1, K236CF and KWPC-FM 95.1 in Muscatine, Iowa
- WCXL-FM 104.1 “Beach 104” in Kill Devil Hills, N.C., and WCMS-FM 94.5 in Hatteras, N.C.
- WVOD-FM 99.1 in Manteo, N.C.; and WZPR-FM 92.3 in Nags Head.
An $800,000 purchase price was agreed to. This reflects a substantial loss and a distress sale situation in a difficult climate for transactions. JAM’s Iowa stations were acquired from Prairie Communications for $965,000, while WCXL and WCMS were sold by Max Media for $1.75 million; a Max Media subsidiary sold WVOD and WZPR for $100,000.
As RBR+TVBR reported in October 2023, JAM, founded in 2018 by Jonathan A. Mason, had no choice but to move ahead with the liquidation of its assets in order to resolve its debt. Testa, of Newark-based law firm McCarter & English, became the court-appointed trustee. That decision came two months earlier, after a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition filed in October 2022 was converted to the more devastating Chapter 7 bankruptcy plan.
With creditors including Max Media, Prairie Communications-affiliated WPW Broadcasting, Broadcast Electronics and the major music licensing groups, including SESAC, GMR, BMI and the Radio Music License Committee, funds owed by JAM will now start flowing to them.
At closing, $650,000 will be wired to Testa; $150,000 will be retained to “correct any antenna, transmission line, lighting, structural or maintenance issues” at the WCMS-FM tower site, establishing a maintenance reserve.
A good faith deposit of $25,000 has been made by Davis Media.
The broker in this transaction is Media Sales Group, doing business as Hanna Unwired LLC.
Serving as the buyer’s legal counsel is Brad Deutsch of Foster Garvey P.A.
Operating as “Local Daily Media,” Davis Media LLC saw Treasurer/CFO Adam Crotty sign off on the agreement. Once the deal closes, the JAM stations will join WBQK-FM “Cannon Country 107.9” and WNTB-FM “93.7 The Dude” in the Wilmington, N.C., market; WUIN-FM “98.3 The Penguin” in Cape Fear, N.C.; and WTYD-FM 92.3 “The Tide,” which serves an area to the immediate north of Newport News, Va., and the Chincoteague peninsula of Virginia.
LDM will assume control of the JAM properties on Wednesday, May 1, via a Time Brokerage Agreement.
Seventh Circuit Upholds McCoy Discrimination Case Dismissal
A renewed racial discrimination fight against the nation’s two direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers will not proceed for DuJuan McCoy and his Circle City Broadcasting, thanks to a federal appeals court decision delivered Tuesday (4/16) that upholds a lower court’s dismissal of the case.
Estrella Media Sells Content, Digital Operations To Hot 97, WBLS Owner
MediaCo Holding Inc., a publicly traded company on Nasdaq whose assets include two FM radio stations in New York, has acquired Estrella Media’s network, content, digital, and commercial operations.
To be clear, an asset purchase agreement with required FCC approval has not been drawn up, and Estrella Media will own its current roster of television and radio stations — for now. While the relationship is akin to a shared serves agreement seen across the broadcast media landscape, Mediaco will have an option to buy the radio and TV stations at a future date.
With the deal, which closed yesterday, an executive leadership change is happening at Burbank, Calif.-based Estrella Media.
Watts To Lead CBS’s California ‘Gov’t. Accountability Investigations’ Plan
CBS Stations has named a fifteen-year veteran journalist who has worked at its Sacramento and San Francisco broadcast TV stations to serve as the principal correspondent focused on Golden State politics and how it impacts their constituents.
Longtime Kansas City Rock Jock Loses Cancer Battle
A 33-year veteran of Kansas City radio who most recently served as the afternoon host of top-rated Cumulus Media Classic Rocker KCFX “101 The FOX” in Kansas City has lost his battle with blood cancer.
Brian “Slacker” Adams was 59. Adams was a mainstay at The FOX, spending 16 years at the station, including as its morning host — a role he earned in January 2008. Before that, he spent 17 years in afternoons at KYYS “KY102,” once a major Album-Oriented Rock station serving Kansas City.
In a statement released by KCFX midday Wednesday, KCFX shared the cause of Adams’ death as Acute Myeloid Leukemia, one of the more common forms of the blood cancer. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Brianna. “Slacker had two great passions — his family, and his time on the air in Kansas City,” the station said. “For over 33 years, the last 16 at 101 The Fox, Slacker loved to entertain his radio audience. He helped Veterans with Cars 4 Heroes and many other charities. He pointed out the little absurdities we all deal with, making us laugh at him and ourselves. Named ‘Radio Legend’ by his peers, Slacker was a voice of, and for, Kansas City. Sadly, that voice is now silent. If you choose, Slacker asked that you pray for his family, and all who are affected by cancer. And pick up the phone and talk to that friend you haven’t gotten around to talking to, today. Slacker would like that.”
Adams is a Southwest Missouri State University graduate of the Class of 1985 and also operated Slacker Enterprises as a radio advertising agent.
In memoriam, KCFX will air an hourlong Slacker Special tonight at 6pm Central. It can be listened to via the station’s webstream: https://www.101thefox.net/.
April 21 is World AML Awareness Day. To help bring cures to those with blood cancers, please consider a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Kansas City chapter. For more information please click here.
Farber Saluted By Broadcasters Foundation For Excellence
LAS VEGAS — It has become a tradition for many NAB Show attendees to conclude the annual conference and expo with an early morning breakfast gathering in the Brahms Roomn of the Encore Resort. This year was no different, as the 2024 NAB Show began its final day with a Broadcasters Foundation of America event that saw a radio industry icon receive an “Excellence in Broadcasting Award.”
Erica Farber, who is exiting the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) after 12 years, was saluted for her many contributions to the radio industry. Before joining RAB as its CEO, she led the former beloved industry trade publication Radio & Records. She has also held leadership roles at Interep, and for RKO Radio. Farber even auditioned for the role of Laurie Partridge in the original ABC television series The Partridge Family. Susan Dey got the role; the radio industry got Farber, who rose to lead RKO’s WXLO “99X” in New York in the mid-1970s when actor and comedian Jay Thomas was the station’s morning host.
In addition to Farber’s recognition, several other prominent industry figures in broadcasting have been named this year’s BFoA Leadership Award recipients.
These include Mike McVay, President of McVay Media; Don Bouloukos, a former executive at CBS and ABC Radio; and Traug Keller of ABC Radio Network and ESPN Radio.
On the television front, recipients were Frank Comerford, NBCU Local CRO and President of Commercial Operations; and John Rouse, EVP of ABC Affiliate Relations at Disney Platform Distribution.
Kathleen Kirby, a Partner at Wiley Law, is also among the 2024 honorees.
For over seventy years, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has served as a crucial support network, providing confidential financial assistance to over 1,000 radio and television broadcasters and their families across the United States who face severe financial difficulties. The foundation, supported by its Board of Directors, numerous volunteers, and many contributors, continues to offer aid to those in the broadcasting community in need.
RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION by Adam R Jacobson:
On December 11, 1995, after a few training days at the Washington, D.C., bureau led by Randall Bloomquist, a wide-eyed, cocky, poorly dressed cub reporter with a journalism degree and a passion for the radio business showed up for his first day of work at Radio & Records‘ Los Angeles office at precisely 8:55am. Twenty-five minutes later, when most of the editorial team rolled in, as is typical in L.A., he settled in for what would turn out to be a 10 1/2-year career at R&R. While there was plenty of immature stupidity that led to meetings with Ron Rodrigues and Cyndee Maxwell and lapses of judgment galore, the woman who ran R&R — Erica Farber — was struck by my quick ability to settle in to Southern California just four days after frantically packing and flying out west for the most exciting opportunity one could have dreamed of. I shared with Erica how I found a furnished apartment, mastered the local bus schedules as I had no money for a car (in 1995 this was absurd, compared to today), and had even entertained distant cousins one day after securing a lease. “Would you like to consider a role in our sales team?” she asked. I was flattered … but I was a journalist, and brought to R&R to cover Radio. I stuck with that. And, I made lifelong friends, a few enemies, and met a slew of rock ‘n’ roll celebrities.
With the sale of R&R to VNU and its August 8, 2006, merger with Billboard Radio Monitor, I was moving on — and away from Radio. It was a great run; I was done … until August 8, 2016, when Eric Rhoads and Deborah Parenti gave the keys to a publication that was barely on the radar during my R&R days. Fast-forward to the 2024 NAB Show, and somehow, someway, I’m one of two people tied to my time at R&R that are still covering the industry today. Kevin Carter continues the “Street Talk” legacy, as I offer broadcast media business, legal and financial news with skills carved at R&R. While Gail Mitchell was a marvelous mentor, and Julie Gidlow was the News Editor extraordinaire who deserves tremendous accolades for translating Pig Latin and Stream of Consciousness Essays into intelligent, insight-filled columns, I must congratulate Erica on her retirement and for all she has done for this industry, and for me. Without Erica agreeing to create a position for me, who knows where I’d be right now.
Over the years we’ve always figured out how to say hello. Alas, this year I didn’t get the chance, even as we were steps away from each other at the ENCO booth, or at the ever-popular Encore Lobby Bar. So, here’s to you Erica. Thank you. Mille Grazie. Gracias. I can’t say it in enough ways.
New York Festivals Storytellers Gala Announces 2024 Radio Awards Winners
LAS VEGAS — The government-funded BBC has been honored with the 2024 Broadcaster of the Year Award, one of the biggest accolades to be revealed at a New York Festivals (NYF) Storytellers Gala where 2024 Radio Awards winning entries were shared as part of the NAB Show.
“Engaging audio entries submitted from storytellers around the world mesmerized listeners and were recognized with trophies by the 2024 Radio Award Grand Jury,” New York Festivals notes. Winning entries include entertainment and music specials, podcasts and audiobooks, dramas, and documentaries, and up to the minute news coverage.
Captivating audio entries submitted by the BBC that informed, educated, and entertained were recognized with Gold trophies. including “The Shamima Begum Story- S2” of I’m Not A Monster and Believe in Magic (a BBC Studios Productions Limited production). Silver trophy winners include “The Global Jigsaw” (BBC World Service), “Shiny Bob: The Devil’s Advocate,” and “Crossing the Cuillin Mountains.” Those two programs are produced by BBC Scotland.
Boutique production company Almost Tangible was recognized with the 2024 Radio Production Company of the Year Award. Award-winning entries include their Grand and multiple Gold-winning “Hamlet Noir.”
2024 Grand Awards
The Beatles’ Legacy: Red and Blue by Howlett Media Productions Ltd – Documentary: Music earned the Grand Trophy. Written, narrated, and produced by Kevin Howlett, The Beatles’ Legacy: Red and Blue two-part series reveals the story behind ‘Now And Then’ and examines the power of the most enduring catalogue in popular music, as represented by the two historic double LPs. Since their release in 1973, the Red and Blue albums have acted as an introduction to The Beatles for generation after generation of young music fans.
Hamlet Noir from Almost Tangible – Entertainment: Drama Program was honored with the Grand Award. Hamet Noir is an innovative mashup of Danish and British creativity: fusing the original words of Shakespeare with a modern detective narrative to create a gripping Nordic Noir crime drama, anchored in Shakespeare’s iconic play. Hamlet Noir was awarded 4 Gold trophies.
Bloodlines by CBC Podcasts, BBC Asian Network, BBC Sounds – Podcasts: Narrative/Documentary Podcast tells the story of a generation of children, who In the aftermath of Islamic State, were forced into a reality they never chose. “Bloodlines,” a profound and poignant podcast from BBC Sounds and CBC, delves into the lives of these children, born under the shadow of Islamic State’s so-called Caliphate or taken there by radicalized parents.
Murder in Boston: The untold story of the Charles and Carol Stuart Shooting Produced by the Boston Globe, presented by the Boston Globe and HBO Documentary Films – Podcast: Investigative Journalism Podcast was recognized by New York Festivals with the 2024 National Press Club Award. The National Press Award honors the highest scoring news program across the Breaking News Story Coverage, Continuing News Story Coverage, Nonfiction Series and News Podcast categories.
The New York Festivals Radio Awards 66-year legacy provides a showcase to celebrate world-class storytellers from around the globe. It is noteworthy that the vast majority of honors did not feature U.S.-based content.
Ex-Scripps News Head McLaughlin Joins Graham Media Group
Starting Monday, the owner of broadcast TV stations in Jacksonville, Houston, Roanoke-Lynchburg, San Antonio, Orlando and its home market of Detroit will have a new VP of News.
Taking the role is the former SVP of Local News at The E.W. Scripps Co.
‘Product of the Year’ Honors Revealed By NAB Show
LAS VEGAS — The NAB has recognized and celebrated what it considers “the most significant and promising new products being exhibited” at the 2024 NAB Show, which concludes Wednesday (4 /17) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Among the honorees are Super Hi-Fi, Telos Alliance and Dielectric.
For Super Hi-Fi, an award for Audio Production, Processing and Networking in the “Create” category was given for its Voicetrack Fusion product. In the Streaming subcategory, it also won honors for its HLS+ product.
Additionally, a joint award went to Super Hi-Fi and Orban for the sleek Orban OPTIMOD 5950: Super Hi-Fi Edition, which RBR+TVBR saw a live demonstration of during a Monday meeting with Super Hi-Fi executives at the Encore Las Vegas resort.
In the “Radio” category, Telos Alliance was honored for its Omnia Forza FM product while its ip-studio took an award for the Studio Zero offering.
In the “Connect” category, a Cloud Computing and Storage award was handed to SwXtch.io for its CloudSwXtch Intelligent Media Network, as MultiDyne was honored for its MDoG Series products.
For the Monitoring and Measuring Tools subcategory, Dielectric won an award for its OptiLoad RF Load Solution.
In the “Capitalize” category, ENCO took an award for its enCaption Sierra product, while Futuri Media‘s SpotOn also earned a Product of the Year nod. So did Veritone‘s “Ask Veri” tool.
The awards, which recognize and celebrate the most significant and promising new products being exhibited at the NAB Show, included dozens of other winners, which were selected by a panel of industry experts in 19 categories. To be eligible, nominated products must be from companies exhibiting at the 2024 NAB Show and available for delivery within the 2024 calendar year.
“These winners represent the most cutting-edge advancements and technologies shaping the future of content creation, distribution and monetization,” said Eric Trabb, SVP/Chief Customer Success Officer at NAB Global Connections and Events. “They are driving the industry forward, and we are excited to recognize them as they break through with a remarkable range of solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible in our industry. We’re excited to see how these advancements will empower storytellers and connect audiences in entirely new ways.”
Cadent, Stirista Team To Advance TV Ad Targeting Capabilities
NEW YORK — An independent converged TV advertising specialist is teaming up with a provider of data-driven marketing tools that will see cross-product integrations designed to bring targeting across linear, addressable, digital and connected TV platforms.
PBS KIDS Integrates American Sign Language into Content
New accessibility to children and/or parents who are deaf or hard of hearing has come to a slate of programs under the PBS KIDS umbrella, thanks to the integration of American Sign Language interpretations into multiple series.
What’s The Biggest Blocker To Transformation?
The media and advertising landscape is, in the minds of many, in its next phase of its evolution as global media leaders now look to data, AI and a more collaborative client-agency approach to navigate an era of rapid change and drive efficiencies in transformation.
Transformation is progressing, creating stronger, more strategic partnerships with brands and their agencies. But what is the largest obstacle to transformation?