Audacy to go private The FCC approved a controversial Audacy bankruptcy plan in a politically divided three-to-two vote in which Soros Fund Management becomes the biggest shareholder in the company with a 57 percent stake through the Laurel Tree Opportunities Corporation. As a result, Audacy – who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, will go private and David Field […]
Creates the largest pay-TV provider in the country with an estimated 18 million subscribers As anticipated amid rumors over the weekend, DirecTV has agreed to purchase rival satellite TV provider Dish DBS (direct broadcast satellite) from Echostar for $1 and the assumption of $9.75 billion in debt. The transaction, subject to government approval, will create the largest pay-TV conglomerate in […]
Also: WGN-TV’s Jewell Hilary gets promoted; FCC head rejects Trump ABC license revocation request Three months after its official announcement, the Sun-Times reported Thursday the new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) is close to a deal with DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, and U-Verse. This comes as an email was sent to YouTubeTV subscribers (including me) Wednesday stating NBC Sports Chicago – the […]
Must also sell station in twelve months In a decision that could have ripple effects for local television, the FCC has fined both Nexstar and Mission Broadcasting over their relationship with one another regarding WPIX in New York City, the market’s CW affiliate. The FCC has also ordered Mission to sell the station in the nation’s largest media market. The […]
Year-old division of Shaw Media expands even further into radio with a four-station purchase Shaw Media, who owns about eighty local newspapers across Northern Illinois and websites here and in Iowa, is making a push to get into radio. Christened Shaw Local Radio, the division announced last Thursday it was purchasing three Illinois radio stations: Dixon’s Oldies WIXN-AM (1450) and […]
it’s Elon Musk, 2023 had No Chance In Hell to be a quiet year. (LA Times) A year dominated by labor strife, awful Chicago sports teams, and – oh yeah, Elon If you watched the WWE, you remember Vince McMahon playing himself as an arrogant CEO and billionaire, ruling over anything and everything – the ultimate heel. It’s a real-life […]
Comes a day after a former Nexstar exec says it could happen [Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.] News of a potential ABC sale picked up Thursday after Bloomberg reported The Walt Disney Co. was in talks for either Nexstar or Allen Media Group (led by Byron Allen) to purchase ABC and its owned eight stations, after a Deadline […]
But vote divided mostly among partisan lines as five Republicans cross over to vote for her After three years of waiting, the FCC finally got their fifth member as Anna Gomez was finally voted in by the Senate to serve. But as a confirmation vote in the past would sail through the Senate easily with both members of either party […]
William H. Dilday, Jr. was the nation’s first Black TV GM at station once known for intolerance William H. Dilday, Jr. – who became the first Black television GM in the industry, died July 27 after complications from a fall he suffered in his Newton, Mass. home, confirmed by his daughter. He was 85. Dilday was born in Boston, and […]
A distinguished Chicagoan, he helped create public television and was known for famous speech declaring TV a “vast wasteland” One of the most prominent figures in early years of television as a government official has died. Newton Minow passed away Saturday at the age of 97, surrounded by family at his Chicago home. As many of you know, he’s best […]
Also: Hulu pulls plug on White City; Alpha Media and Sirius/XM announce layoffs; BET up for sale; Sohn withdraws FCC bid In stunning news, Oak Lawn native and Rays radio broadcaster Dave Wills passed away unexpectedly Sunday at the age of 58. Wills was at Rays spring training camp and broadcasting games last week, but did miss the last two […]
Also: local Atlanta station removes popular syndicated show to air more news; controversial political ad removed from local airwaves; the GOP looking to deregulate the media business even more; Ramsey Lewis dies [Editor’s Note: There is an update to the second story in this piece. See below.] Thursday Night Football may have left Fox, but its owned stations certainly haven’t […]
Ad featured a darkened Mayor Lightfoot and violent images, but is it enough to be rejected by local TV stations? For those hoping local TV stations would reject an obviously racist and violent campaign ad running for the past week, it may – or may not happen. In the last week, a Political Action Committee – or PAC, bought time […]
Moves to a membership model instead It’s rare for a newspaper to drop its paywall, given it helps pay the bills because as you know, journalism doesn’t come free. But the Sun-Times is betting a new model would attract more readers and visitors to its website. Crain’s Chicago Business reported Thursday the paper is dropping its paywall five months after […]
LGBTQ battle shifts to the tube It would be only a matter of time before politicians would set their sight on television in their war with Disney over LGBTQ rights. In a stunt no doubt timed to curry over favor with their constituents with an election around the corner, five Republican senators are demanding the TV Guidelines Ratings Board […]