Radio+Television Business Report

The Gray Media-owned dual NBC/The CW affiliate serving Wisconsin's state capital as "15 News" has selected a new News Director. She'll assume the role on September 8.

On August 12, Sinclair Inc. said its board of directors had authorized “a comprehensive strategic review for its Broadcast business.” It's now clear that, as part of this initiative, it is seeking to gain ownership of more stations it controls so it can then spin them to another party free of any shared services agreement needs.

"As radio stations nationwide grapple with AI adoption in creative departments, we're seeing a troubling trend in commercial quality," said Yaman Coskun, founder of yaman.AI and a former creative director with more than two decades in radio creative.

It went independent with its WANF-46 in Atlanta, but that's a unique situation tied to Paramount Skydance's desire to have CBS on an O&O in the South's biggest market and years of anticipation that, one day, the network would land on an owned property. For Gray Media and its FOX affiliates, the situation is very different — and secure.

It was another big week for an accident attorney specialist with Sunshine State roots that has developed a national practice and has gained considerable name recognition among U.S. consumers. A strong and steady video campaign that includes Spot TV is a big reason for that growth.

Protected by Mediocean, a tool used for what it calls "holistic ad verification," is partnering with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in an effort to strengthen safeguards in the digital media supply chain and "help protect children online."

The Graham Media Group-owned CBS affiliate serving Central Florida has promoted its News Director to the position of VP/GM just four months after joining the station.

Come August 19, SET Expo 2025 opens as the largest gathering of broadcasting, media and entertainment executives in Latin America. This year's event in Sao Paulo, hosted by the Brazilian Society of Television Engineering, will showcase a wide range of ATSC 3.0-based innovation supporting Brazil's DTV+ next-generation broadcast TV system.

Media Monitors has announced an expansion of its radio advertising tracking service, increasing national campaign coverage from 106 to 250 markets and committing to permanently store audio files of every ad it captures.

The Audio Division Chief within the FCC's Media Bureau has granted the request from the owner of a Class A FM at 97.9 MHz to move it a little closer to greater San Antonio.

The FCC's Media Bureau is proposing the allotment of Channel 226C3 at Enterprise, Utah, as the community's second local service and first competing FM local service. A comment window has opened for the public to chime in on the plan.

Gray Media has promoted from within to fill the role of Chief Technology Officer. He succeeds David Burke, who on July 31 formally retired and will continue advising the broadcast TV station owner through the end of 2025.

After climbing steadily from 2000 to 2017, the share of U.S. young adults living with their parents has fallen somewhat in recent years. That's according to data from Pew Research Center that could prove important to radio and television broadcasters seeking higher audiences — and more advertiser support.

PBS station managers received an e-mail on Wednesday from President/CEO Paula Kerger informing them that its current budget will be reduced by 21%. This was a decision approved August 13 by the PBS board, as a vote that sees a reduction in PBS dues paid by local broadcast stations was approved.

As RBR+TVBR first reported on April 8, an entity owned and operated by Webb Collums agreed to acquire a group of Imagicomm Communications properties as it is winding down its broadcast station ownership era. That transaction has officially closed, strategic advisor Kalil & Co. has shared.

University of Washington Athletics and Huskies Sports Properties have agreed to a multi-year extension of their partnership with iHeartMedia in Seattle, a move that deepens the station group’s role as the collegiate teams’ flagship radio partner.

A group claiming to be pro-consumer that has been largely aligned with the interests of the Cable TV industry, has provided answers to the FCC with respect to a mandated end to ATSC 1.0 broadcasts from direct broadcast satellite service provider DirecTV. It wants any forced ATSC 3.0 change date prevented at all costs.

A habitual South Florida broadcasting buccaneer who repeatedly thumbed its nose at the FCC Enforcement Bureau has been arrested and charged with a felony for continuing to operate his unlicensed radio station out of his home in Biscayne Gardens, a community just south of the Golden Glades Interchange in Miami.

With support for the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act continuing to build in the House of Representatives, the buying and selling of kHz-band stations continues. On August 14, several deals were filed with the FCC, seeking its regulatory approval for changes of control on these AM radio stations.

In Las Vegas and across South Florida, watching National Hockey League match-ups featuring the local team doesn't require cable TV anymore. In the Metroplex of North Texas, fans of the Dallas Stars will soon be able to watch some 17 games via over-the-air broadcast TV across the 2025-2026 pre-season and regular season.