Radio+Television Business Report

Nearly one year ago, Philip Falcone exited HC2 Holdings Inc. under some not-so-favorable circumstances. There were accusations that he defaulted on loans, resulting in HC2’s next chief executive, Wayne Barr Jr., signing off on non-core asset divestments in order to raise capital.

For Falcone, HC2 is very much in his past. He’s now at the helm of Sovryn Holdings, and its just snagged its latest big-market LPTV property.

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He’s in charge of sales for a standalone station in Market No. 108, a city that is dominated by iHeartMedia, Cumulus Media and Southern Stone Communications.

How is Adult Contemporary “Mix 96.9” in Huntsville, Ala., able to survive and thrive, in particular today?

That’s just one question GM and GSM Nate Adams tackles in this new InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM — hosted by RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Nate Adams, WRSA/Huntsville” on Spreaker.

TEGNA has made a decision on what company to use to power its needs for “cross-platform, closed-loop measurement and attribution.”

That company is TVSquared, from which the broadcast TV station owner aims to achieve incremental reach and web, location and app outcomes for local data-driven linear television and CTV and OTT campaigns.

“TEGNA’s footprint of 64 stations in 51 markets, which serve 48 million TV households monthly, and Premion’s directly-sourced inventory from 125+ branded networks delivering premium CTV and OTT impressions, combined with TVSquared’s ability to process hundreds of millions of impressions monthly, make this one of the largest TV measurement and attribution initiatives for converged TV,” TVSquared claims.

“The TV ecosystem is in the midst of an evolution that demands cross-platform analytics,” said Jessica Daigle, vice president of sales intelligence at TEGNA. “TVSquared is the right partner to prove the value of our media and grow our advertiser’s local businesses.”

TVSquared President Jo Kinsella added, “TEGNA has always been a trailblazer in bringing transparent data and analytics to the TV marketplace. The scale of this cross-platform initiative is a huge signal to the market about the advancements happening to make TV more accountable. We are thrilled to partner with TEGNA and Premion on this game-changing solution and arm its diverse client base with the transparency and intel needed to leverage the power of cross-platform TV advertising.”

Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on local television revenues in 2020. But the 2020 elections ultimately kept the industry in a good position by year’s end.

That’s the conclusion from new data released today by BIA Advisory Services.

According to its 2021 Investing In Television Market Report, over-the-air (OTA) revenue reached $18.3 billion last year.

Add in $1.4 billion from digital revenue, and the grand total for 2020 is $19.7 billion. This reflects a rise from $18.3 billion in 2019.

Political advertising accounted for $4.4 billion in 2020 to deliver what BIA calls “a softer landing to an otherwise negatively impacted industry.”

What was the year-over-year dip for core advertising? It was bad. But, it could’ve been worse. OTA revenue minus political advertising drove industry revenues down negative 23.1%, similar to the COVID-19 impact on broadcast radio.

But, BIA predicts the rebound will “slightly begin” this year, with OTA advertising expected to rise 5.4% on revenue of $14.9 billion for 2021. In 2022 total local over the air station revenues are forecasted at $17.8 billion.

“This past year demonstrated that local television stations are doing the right thing by continuing to strengthen their digital and multi-media sales efforts,” said Dr. Mark Fratrik, SVP and chief economist at BIA Advisory Services. “They also need to continue to develop strategies that incorporate over-the-top (OTT) sales to reach specific audiences, while simultaneously reaching the broader local viewers. OTT increasingly is becoming a competitive and complementary advertising platform for local television station operators.”

While auto and general services dollars are expected to bounce back for TV, growth in core advertising this year will come from business verticals that are hyper-focused on market needs — such as consumer lending, clothiers, health insurance and auto insurers — and new entrants like Online Gambling, Fratrik added.

Here are the revenue numbers, in brief:

2019

• OTA – $17b
• Digital – $1.3b

2020

• OTA – $18.3b
• Digital – $1.4b

2021

• OTA – $14.9b
• Digital – $1.5b

2022

• OTA – $17.8b
• Digital – $1.6b

On August 17, 2017, WAY Media‘s board chairman announced that, after “an extensive national search,” it has found its new Chief Executive Officer. This individual was selected to succeed Bob Augsburg, who founded the Christian broadcast ministry in 1987 with his wife, Felice.

WAY Media today is now faced with a renewed need to find a CEO, as the person chosen to fill Augsburg’s shoes has departed.

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The Digital Division of Nexstar Media Group has promoted its Connecticut-based VP of Strategy and Business Intelligence to the role of Chief Strategy Officer and EVP/Strategy & Data for the digital segment of the broadcast TV station owner.

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A key voice for Sooner Nation sports fans is heading to a new owner.

It is the result of the death of this AM’s licensee, and the transaction includes an FM translator.

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Advertising intelligence company Standard Media Index (SMI) has brought to the marketplace a “Pricing Intelligence Suite,” which includes Digital CPM for streaming video as well as Traditional and Advanced Audience eCPM (effective CPM) for Linear TV.

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Comscore has secured its first national programmer to agree to formal participation in its National Addressable TV programmer trials.

But, it’s a delayed announcement, as this owner and operator of cable TV channels, which is merging with Discovery Inc., began the effort more than six months ago.

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A privately owned television group owned by the Manship family that dates to 1955 has taken the forward-thinking approach of signing a content distribution agreement with the Las Vegas Strip-based sports media company dedicated to those who wager on sports and make sports betting a multibillion-dollar industry.

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For those keeping score of the radio station transactions of note that have been filed with the FCC for approval since the start of 2021, two things appear to be abundantly clear.

First, station valuations are in the toilet. Second, cash-rich religious broadcasters are now able to gain properties they couldn’t get a decade ago.

The latest deal to involve a Christ-focused radio station operation has been consummated. The seller is one of the largest TV broadcasting companies in the U.S.

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The Hispanic-focused multimedia company with revenue coming from pan-Latin digital and U.S.-based television and radio stations has confirmed its presence at an investor conference set for June 16 and 17.

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Here is an audio recap of all of the stories appearing at RBR.com, freshly prepared for the afternoon of June 8 and morning of June 9, 2021. You can find these stories every business day following the Closing Bell on Wall Street in the RBR+TVBR Daily Headlines Email and at RBR.com. Due to ongoing internet connectivity issues across June 8, the third-party distributor of the RBR+TVBR Daily Headlines Email was inaccessible. As such, the newsletter could not be distributed as normal. Streamline Publishing is aware of the problem, which also impacts Radio Ink and Podcast Business Journal. Please follow us across social media and at RBR.com for the latest from Washington and Wall Street — and YOUR street!

Listen to “RBR+TVBR Daily Headlines for June 8, 2021” on Spreaker.

Adam R Jacobson
Editor-in-Chief
Radio + Television Business Report

McDonald’s was the most recent company to say it’s committing to a Black-owned media budget increase.

Now, “an inaugural group of 20 clients” has pledged to spend at least 2% of their total annual media budgets in such entities as Urban One — without naming the companies poised to benefit from the verbal promise.

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LOS ANGELES — Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has taken the next step to fuel the fast grow of its free streaming platform Local Now by signing an agreement with Los Angeles-based OTT white label service OTTera Inc.

The new partnership allows Local Now viewers to view 12 additional free streaming channels, adding to the existing array of content.

New channels to be added to the platform’s OTT offerings include the rapidly growing Canela TV, created for U.S. Hispanics as a connected TV/OTT offering; Motorvision TV; 
podcast video focused POD TV; outer space-focused news and entertainment offering Space Channel (not to be confused with Canadian cable TV channel Space); Party Tyme Karaoke; cocktail-focused DrinkTV; The Love Destination; Cooking Panda; martial arts and combat sports-focused Channel Fight; Treehouse Gaming Network; and family-friendly comedy offering Novocomedy.

— RBR+TVBR West Coast Bureau

LAKE WALES, FLA. — Media production workflow product provider vCreative has partnered with radio broadcast “dynamic visual” tech company Quu on a new integration offering.

This means vCreative’s users can now publish messages on car dashboards for their clients that use Quu’s advertising services.

Quu’s business model is built on giving radio stations the ability to put messages on car dashboards, which it calls “Visual Quus.”

The vCreative partnership now means radio stations can produce and send Visual Quus via vCreative vPPO, the production workflow system used by 19 of the top 20 broadcasters for traditional and digital ad creation.

“This integration underscores our shared commitment to make radio more dynamic and profitable while making life easier for our customers,” said Steve Newberry, Quu’s CEO. “vCreative’s broad adoption as the premiere workflow solution across our industry is unparalleled. It’s the perfect time to expand our reach as vCreative begins its exciting next chapter under Susie’s leadership.”

On May 27, iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks finally announced what its long-term plan was with respect to the successor offering to The Rush Limbaugh Show. 

It’s going with a new show featuring FOX Sports Radio host Clay Travis and Premiere-syndicated talk host Buck Sexton.

Sexton will shift from afternoon drive, Pacific Time, to take the slot. Now, Premiere knows what will fill Sexton’s current three-hour time period.

Introducing The Jesse Kelly Show, which will air from 3pm-6pm PT and is already on the lineup of more than 200 affiliates nationwide.

Kelly, a former Arizona candidate for Congress who lost his 2010 campaign against Rep. Gabby Giffords, starts his new duties on June 28.

He’s a U.S. Marine combat veteran, and his stature grew even as he never successfully won an election. In 2018, his growing Republican Party status led iHeartMedia to give him an hour on KPRC-AM in Houston. This was later expanded to two hours, and in April 2020 grew to a three-hour show before entering syndication via Key Networks, which is ending its relationship with Kelly. Key brought his program to WRKO-AM in Boston.

Now, iHeartMedia says he’ll be called on to “share his unique and entertaining perspective, unfiltered opinions and trademark humor as he discusses the latest headlines and welcomes a variety of guests and experts.”

Kelly said, “I wish I could say I’m humbled, but the truth is that signing with an amazing company like Premiere will only boost my well-established ego. But honestly, I’m beyond
thrilled that now every American will get a chance to hear my voice for three hours a day.”

The radio gig won’t impact his 6pm Pacific OTT-delivered TV program “I’m Right with Jesse
Kelly.” It airs on The First, a digital-only TV offering found on such connected TV offerings as Pluto TV.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Jesse at the helm of our weekday afternoon timeslot,”
Premiere Networks President Julie Talbott said. “His fresh voice will undoubtedly connect
with and engage our audience with intelligent, witty conversation and bold opinions, while
creating impactful opportunities for our partners.”

Kelly’s show is the latest from a political conservative, which overwhelmingly outnumber liberal-leaning talk hosts on commercially licensed radio stations in the U.S.

He offered a keynote address at the 2018 Radio Show in Orlando. He returned to the lineup of guest speakers for the virtual 2020 Radio Show.

Now, Rishad Tobaccowala has booked a trip to Las Vegas in early October to once again deliver a keynote address to Radio Show attendees.

Tobaccowala, who became a Publicis Groupe Senior Advisor in January 2020 after relinquishing his Chief Growth Officer role, will keynote the 2020 Radio Show’s concluding session, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 14.

The session will focus on “the continued transformation happening across the media eco-system, changing consumer behavior, and what it means for radio.”

It’s titled “The Great Reinvention: What Does That Look Like in 2022 and Beyond?”, and will see Tobaccowala also discuss ways the industry can transform in the face of shifting consumer interests.

The 2021 Radio Show is co-locating with the NAB Show in Las Vegas this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a co-production of the NAB and RAB.

Tobaccowala in early 2020 published “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data” through Harpercollins.

This came following a career that included roles as Starcom IP President from 1999-2002, and a 13 1/2-year run at Leo Burnett, starting in August 1982.

Soohyung Kim and his Standard General L.P. have gained considerable notice over the past several years. This is mainly due to his sizable equity interest in TEGNA, the owner of broadcast TV stations he’s unsuccessfully campaigned to gain greater influence and control of.

Kim is also known as Jeff Smulyan‘s partner in Mediaco, the current parent of the former Emmis Communications radio stations in New York, including WBLS-FM and WQHT “Hot 97.’

Now, it’s become known that Kim has attributable interest in the radio broadcasting company led by Mary Berner.

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Streaming and on-demand audio service provider TuneIn, which enjoys a global platform (as opposed to Audacy and iHeartRadio), has ramped up its leadership team by naming a SVP of Business Development and a SVP of Marketing, respectively.

The former position goes to Jennifer Collins, while the latter role is being given to Suzanne Park.

Collins previously served as Vice President of Digital Operations for FOX Entertainment, and has also been the Video and International Business Development Principal for IMDb. She has also served as Vice President of Digital Revenue Development at Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, and as the digital General Manager at Variety.

Collins is based in Los Angeles.

Park was most recently SVP/Marketing for First Look Media, where she led marketing, creative and analytics with a focus on growing Topic, the company’s direct-to-consumer subscription video offering.

Park is based in New York City.