Radio+Television Business Report

The NAB has revealed the recipients of the Digital Leadership Award, NAB Engineering Achievement Awards for Radio and Television and the Service to Broadcast Engineering Award.

The winners were honored during “The Future of Media and NAB Technology Awards,” a special event hosted exclusively on NAB Amplify.

NAB Digital Leadership Award

Established in 2015, the Digital Leadership Award honors an individual at a broadcast station, group or network who has played a role in significantly transforming a traditional broadcast business to succeed in the digital sphere. The 2021 Digital Leadership Award was presented to Adam Wiener, executive vice president and general manager, CBS Local Digital Media.

Wiener is a member of NAB’s Digital Officers Committee and is an Affiliate Board Member of Digital Content Next.

NAB Engineering Achievement Awards

Established in 1959, the NAB Engineering Achievement Awards are given to individuals who are nominated by their peers for significant contributions to advancing broadcast engineering. Awards are given separately for radio and television.

David L. Hershberger is the recipient of the 2021 Engineering Achievement Award for Radio. Having retired as Continental Electronics’ senior scientist, Hershberger worked for Harris Broadcast, Grass Valley Group and Axcera, focusing primarily on exciters and modulators for transmitters, and low-level signal processing. Hershberger co-developed the world’s first digital FM exciter as an experimental prototype and holds 21 U.S. patents.

David A. Folsom is the recipient of the 2021 Engineering Achievement Award for Television. He is the technology lead for Pearl TV specializing in the advancement of Next Gen TV through operational and technical education. Formerly, he was the chief technology officer of Raycom Media Inc, now part of Gray Television. Folsom has worked in broadcast and engineering management for more than forty years and holds two television equipment design patents.

Service to Broadcast Engineering Award

The Service to Broadcast Engineering Award is presented periodically to individuals who have provided extraordinary service to the industry. This year’s recipient is Brady Dreasler, corporate director of engineering and technology at Quincy Media, Inc. Dreasler began his career almost 50 years ago with Quincy Media, Inc. at WGEM-TV. He held various positions, including operations manager, local television sales manager and account representative. Throughout his career, he has gained experience in virtually every department of a television and radio station. Dreasler also serves as vice chairman of the NAB TV Technology Committee.

 

It owns radio stations in Victor Valley, California and Yuma, Arizona.

Now, it has launched a unique mobile app platform for all of its radio station brands as a way to gain more ad dollars in challenging small Southwestern U.S. markets.

The company winning the account: RadioFX Inc.

That’s the selection from El Dorado Broadcasters. 

Led by EVP/GM Chris Fleming, he says “I have long been a proponent of radio station brands becoming platform agnostic. Mobile is of primary importance as it is ubiquitous. Of almost equal importance is having the interface with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, making our brands part of the in dash experience.”

Mark Mitchell, VP Programming for El Dorado Broadcasters, adds, “The primary benefit will be the streaming capabilities for the user, but our stations will be able to do in app, unique contesting, audience polling, and we will have a chat function with our on-air staff – giving or audience yet another unique experience.”

John Wanuzng is the CEO of RadioFX Inc. He says, “Local radio broadcasters are the heartbeat of the American audio experience, and the family of El Dorado Broadcasters stations shines a bright light on how radio delivers a meaningful, entertaining and impactful listener experience to its local communities.”

Bitmovin, known for its online streaming video technology, has announced that VuClip, which delivers on-demand entertainment to emerging markets, has achieved “scalable, high-performance video encoding” with Bitmovin’s products on Google Cloud.

The deployment is part of a new Bitmovin service offering, “Bitmovin Cloud Connect,” that enables over-the-top (OTT) content providers such as VuClip to deploy the company’s cloud-agnostic encoding solution on all existing cloud platforms.

VuClip delivers on-demand entertainment to active users in emerging markets such as India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Bitmovin was able to achieve scalable high-performance encoding on Google Cloud by increasing VuClip’s probability of securing and using preemptive virtual machines (VM). Bitmovin does this through segmented transcoding, which enables VuClip to utilize Google Cloud virtual machines in parallel and reduce the cost of encoding. Bitmovin’s API is designed to efficiently move data with varying amounts of excess capacity so that less data is stored and less bandwidth used to distribute  acceptable, high quality video across CDN to diverse audiences.

The Bitmovin encoding solution is cloud-agnostic and supports multiple codecs such as H.264/AVC, H.265/HEVC, VP8, VP9, and AV1. It also offers advanced features such as per-title and three-pass encoding to guarantee that the streaming service is providing the lowest possible bitrate on video assets. These features ensure the delivery of video despite bandwidth restrictions. Bitmovin also releases SDKs that developers can customize enabling flexibility and fastest time to market.

A look at the latest Spot Ten TV report shows a pharmaceutical brand is now the leader at the stations monitored by iHeartMedia-owned Media Monitors.

That hardly takes away the continued fight for consumers being waged by auto insurers through the use of spot TV.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

The latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report is littered with in-house promotional announcements from Media Monitors owner iHeartMedia.

Is that a sign of a spot slowdown for national radio advertisers?

Answering that question may not be an easy one, as play counts may not equate to dollars spent by CMOs and brand managers at the radio stations tracked by Media Monitors.

Still, six of the top 10 spots represent fully paid brands, and Progressive was beaten by iHeartRadio Music Festival promo spots that likely aired only on the company’s own radio stations.

As such, the lone campaign of note for the week ending June 20 is for Liberty Mutual Insurance.  From nowhere, LiMu has grown in name recognition and brand value through quirky TV spots. Now, it is attracting potential customers via spot radio.

As RBR+TVBR has reported, HC2 Broadcasting has been selling various non-essential properties as part of an effort to raise capital — a major campaign being waged by chief executive Wayne Barr Jr. following the exit one year ago of Philip Falcone.

Within HC2 is DTV America Corp., and that licensee is selling properties, namely unbuilt construction permits. In the latest deal to involve yet-to-be-constructed LPTVs facing a July 13 sign-on deadline, DTV via HC2 is parting ways with three mini-stations in Wisconsin and a fourth in Texas.

The buyer is a family-owned entity based in Central California.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

In Grand Junction, Colo., Gray Television enjoys a formidable presence, with ownership of NBC/Telemundo/MeTV affiliate KKCO-11 and a low-power TV station that serves as the western Colorado market’s home for ABC, Ion Network and The CW Network.

Gray is adding another LPTV property to the mix.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

There will be a new Vice President of News, who will also serve as Managing Editor, of NewsNation, come July 19.

She will oversee the Nexstar Media Group-owned network’s day-to day news gathering and production process and supervise a staff of more than 100 reporters, producers, writers, and photojournalists.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In reply comments filed with the FCC regarding its plans for FY 2021 regulatory fees, the NAB says the Commission has the authority to ensure that all industries pay for their “fair share” of the agency’s indirect costs.

As such, “Big Tech” companies and other unlicensed spectrum users should pay regulatory fees “to more accurately reflect” the FCC’s work.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Exactly one year ago, the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic led Saga Communications to join the list of audio media companies to put its quarterly cash dividend for shareholders in a cryogenic state.

The Saga board has just brought out the EKG machine, breathing new life into a historically robust dividend that will reward SGA shareholders in mid-July.

Saga’s Board of Directors on Monday (6/210 declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share.

The dividend will be paid on July 16 to shareholders of record on June 30.

The aggregate amount of the payment to be made in connection with the quarterly dividend will be approximately $960,000, and Saga says the quarterly cash dividend will be funded by cash on the company’s balance sheet.

Including this dividend, Saga will have paid over $72 million in dividends to shareholders since the first special dividend was paid in 2012.

Saga adds that it currently intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends in the future as declared by the Board of Directors. “Consistent with returning value to our shareholders, the Board of Directors may also consider declaring special cash dividends, stock dividends, and stock buybacks in the future,” the company adds.

Saga owns or operates 79 FM and 35 AM radio stations in small and mid-sized U.S. markets.

As of 12:10pm Eastern, Saga shares were priced at $20.97.

Saga in 2020 suspended its dividend to conserve the company’s cash position. This included reducing planned capital spending and seeking discounts from vendors.

 

There’s a new President and GM for the FM radio stations serving the Denver market owned by Max Media.

It’s an individual who started off his career in radio as an Account Executive at iHeartMedia’s properties due south on I-25, in Colorado Springs.

Taking the role, which will see him lead KJHM-FM and KFCO-FM, is Sean Rhoads.

He jumps up from VP of Sales, a role Rhoads earned in 2016. Rhoads joined Max Media in 2010 as a Sr. AE, and rose to the posts of Digital Sales Director and General Sales Manager across the next six years.

“We have an incredible team here in Denver and we’re ambitious to take Denver to new heights,” Rhoads said. “Our company has always placed the highest value on results for advertisers, enjoyment for listeners and happiness of employees. I’m excited and honored to carry on with this mission.”

Concurrent with Rhoads’ rises, Max Media/Denver GSM Jeff Silver has been promoted to a VP.

Silver is a veteran sales leader with over 20 years of experience leading sales teams for Entercom (now Audacy) in Denver and the stations under prior owner Lincoln Financial Media.

Univision Communications has unveiled its plans for what it calls “a comprehensive global streaming service” that includes both free ad-supported and premium subscription-based options.

This service would launch in the U.S. and Latin America in 2022.

The two-tier streaming service will offer “a differentiated product proposition, vast content scope, expansive library and more Spanish-language originals than any other streaming service,’ Miami-based Univision boasts.

And, what is poised to become Univision-Televisa, following the completion of Univision’s blockbuster merger with the iconic Mexican media operation, will be fueled by full access to the Televisa content library.

It will incorporate content found on its PrendeTV platform, and on its VIX and Univision NOW services, with each of those unique entities “transitioned and unified into one global service and brand.”

But, brand and pricing information are forthcoming. Furthermore, a specific launch date for the service will be announced following the close of the Televisa-Univision merger later this year.

The ad-supported tier (AVOD) will be anchored by PrendeTV, the free Spanish-language streaming service that’s gained considerable attention since Univision snagged it in early 2021. “This free tier will feature an upgraded, broadcast quality content proposition, including select originals, major studio films, premium Spanish-language titles, an expanded live sports offering and a unique 24/7 news service,” Univision said.

The 24/7 news service could see a particularly fervent battle for viewers, as Estrella Media — the former LBI Media now led by CEO Peter Markham — has invested heavily in a 24/7 news operation for Spanish-speaking U.S.-based audiences.

For the Univision AVOD service, the no-cost tier will feature more than 100 linear channels and wholly owned and acquired content that will also be offered in VOD form.

The new premium subscription tier (SVOD) will feature more than 6,000 hours of Spanish-language content and more than 30 original productions exclusively on the service within its first year, Univision says.

“The original productions for the service are being developed by some of the most notable established and up-and-coming creators in Spanish-language content today,” Univision notes.

With that, Univision is announcing projects with Maria Dueñas, Santiago Limon and Mario Vargas Llosa, “with many more to be announced in the coming weeks.”

Univision adds that the vision for the premium SVOD offering “is to bring audiences more originally produced Spanish-language content than any other streaming service globally.”

To execute on this vision, Rodrigo Mazon has joined as EVP & GM of SVOD, reporting directly to Pierluigi Gazzolo, President and Chief Transformation Officer at Univision.

With more than 10 years experience in streaming, Mazon joins Univision from Netflix, where he most recently served as VP of Content. Mazon will be responsible for all elements of the SVOD service, including content and programming strategy, original content production, talent relations, content acquisitions from third-party producers and subscriber growth and retention.

Mazon’s appointment follows the recent addition of Michael Cerdá as Univision’s EVP of  Product and Engineering/Streaming.

Rafael Urbina, Univision’s EVP & GM, AVOD Streaming, continues to lead PrendeTV, and will lead the future free ad-supported tier both in the U.S. and internationally.

The SVOD tier will launch with more than 30 original productions throughout 2022, Univision says.

BEHIND THE PRODUCTIONS

Dueñas is the author of “El tiempo entre costuras” (The Time in Between) and “La templanza” (The Vineyard). She signed a first-look deal with Univision for her future content and novels and will develop her first-ever series exclusively for Univision’s SVOD streaming service.

Peruvian author and Nobel Prize winner Vargas Llosa will have his 2006 novel “Travesuras de la niña mala” adapted into a television series, which will be executive produced by Patricio Wills from Televisa’s W Studios. The novel is a love story set in the 1960s across various cities in Europe.

Limon is the creator and co-writer of the film “Hasta que la boda nos separe” and director and executive producer of the reboot of teen band-focused telenovela “Rebelde.”

Univision CEO Wade Davis, in prepared comments, said, “With today’s announcement we are giving an early view into the scale and scope of our streaming ambitions. My partners and I closed on our acquisition of Univision less than six months ago, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made to date … Pierlugi has brought together some of the best streaming executives in the industry. Michael has built, scaled and globalized one of the most successful streaming products in the world. Rafael has extensive experience scaling large, ad-supported video audiences, and Rodrigo is a pioneer in premium Spanish-language streaming and content. With this team and the resources we are allocating, we will launch a service that is differentiated, high quality and best in class.”

Two years ago, he was appointed Director of Sales for Univision Communications’ radio and television properties in San Antonio. Now, with rumors swirling that Univision wishes to sell some of its radio stations, this media ad sales veteran with experience at Urban One and iHeartMedia is joining Cumulus Media.

He’ll be leading up the company’s audio properties in Birmingham, Ala.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Of the media companies that have seen the most excitement on Wall Street across 2020, Urban One is perhaps tops when it comes to radio and television industry assets combined with a growing casino gaming operation.

It’s stock burst upward one year ago, fueled by new commitments from advertisers to Black-owned media. Earlier this month a second burst in share value came. Both times, shares receded following those big gains.

Now, SEC disclosures show that a former Urban One board member and two current members have obtained a chunk of Class D shares in the African American-focused company.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

On November 9, sports data and iGaming affiliate platform QL Gaming Group (QLGG) officially became an Entercom Communications entity, as the company now known as Audacy closed on its all-cash purchase of QLGG.

In late January 2021, that deal gave birth to the BetQL Audio Network, with programming created expressly for the sports gaming community. Now, Audacy has rebranded four CBS Sports Radio stations, eliminated “The Score” in one market, and dropped Spanish-language sports programming from a heritage Washington, D.C., AM to help spread the “BetQL” brand.

Starting today, the following stations will take on new branding as “The Bet”:

• Baltimore – WJZ-AM 1300
• Detroit – WXYT-AM 1270
• Houston – KIKK-AM 650
• Kansas City – KWOD-AM 1660
• Las Vegas – KXST-AM 1140
• Washington, D.C. – WJFK-AM 1580

On June 28, an additional station — WWWL-AM 1350 and its FM translator at 92.9 MHz — will switch from “New Orleans Classic R&B” to “The Bet.”

The rebranded stations follow the launch earlier this year of “The Bet” on KEZW-AM 1430 in Denver, and on FM HD multicast signals in Chicago and Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, WQAM-AM 560 in Miami will air select BetQL Network programming, as will WRNL-AM 910 and FM translator 105.1 MHz in Richmond and WTEM-AM 980 in Washington, D.C.

Future stations will be announced in the coming months as markets legalize sports betting, Audacy says.

Furthermore, Audacy plans to distribute the network via affiliate opportunities with additional network providers. Details to be announced in the coming weeks.

However, an Audacy spokesperson tells RBR+TVBR that the company is not rebranding CBS Sports Radio, and that the stations the company owns that aren’t making the change to BetQL Network programming will keep things as is.

“When we launched the ‘BetQL Network’ in January, we committed to giving our national audience a home for compelling sports betting content as this new landscape was rapidly growing,” said Audacy EVP/Programming Jeff Sottolano. “This expansion is the next step in that goal and we’re pleased to bring new and dynamic ‘BetQL Network’ programming to nine additional markets and new digital platforms. We are proud to build on our local and national sports audio leadership position with this expanded commitment to production and distribution of entertaining sports betting content to audiences across the country.”

As of 11:42am Eastern, Audacy shares were trading at $4.15.

Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink and Radio + Television Business Report are pleased to announce that Forecast 2022 will be back in New York on November 16 — with RBR+TVBR a co-presenter for the first time.

The one-day conference, which attracts C-Suite media executives and Wall Street observers each year to the Harvard Club, grows in its 19th year with the addition of  broadcast television industry topics of conversation, insight and growth.

With this expanded focus, Forecast will be co-chaired by Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Media Networks President Debra OConnell and Bill Wilson, CEO of local media and radio broadcasting company Townsquare Media.

“We are especially excited about this year, not only for the chance to re-convene in person, but to have two such outstanding media executives chair this year’s Forecast,” said Deborah Parenti, publisher of RBR+TVBR and Radio Ink. “The fresh focus, energy, and direction they will bring to the agenda will add greatly to the event.”

“After the last year, it’s more important than ever to come together across our industries and share key learnings and best practices,” OConnell said. “I’m thrilled to be co-chairing with Bill and working with the Forecast 2022 team on an event that enables us to share all the valuable learnings of the last year, and more importantly, help us identify and drive long-term growth strategies for the radio and television businesses moving forward.”

OConnell oversees operational leadership including P&L oversight of all of Disney’s linear television channels, as well as business planning, network/channel commercial marketing, and audience strategy for the ABC broadcast network and eight ABC Owned stations, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN Networks, FX Networks, Freeform, and National Geographic Networks.

OConnell has been associated with ABC’s owned stations for more than two decades and previously served as President/GM of WABC-7 in New York. In this role, she had overall management responsibility for the station and all of its ancillary businesses, as well as Live with Kelly and Ryan. In 2020, she was recognized by Radio + Television Business Report as a Top Local TV Leader.

Wilson, who has been associated with Townsquare Media since September 2010, said, “Forecast 2022 will be an important opportunity for broadcasters to fully examine and understand the consumer and advertiser trends in local media post the pandemic, including which trends were permanent and were accelerated as a result of the pandemic. Many challenges, yet many more opportunities. I am very pleased to be co-chairing this year’s event with Debra OConnell.”

Register for Forecast 2022 today.

GOLD SPONSOR TOP 40 PLAQUE SPONSOR PARTICIPATING SPONSORS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS

The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is now in the past. Plans are in the works for the 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas. One group of CFOs and other key financial leaders in broadcast media have successfully navigated through stormy seas and are positioned for sunny days ahead.

In recognition of their efforts, the readers of RBR+TVBR have once again spoken, with nominations for the Broadcast Best Finance Leaders of 2021. It’s a ranked Top 15 list, as it was in 2020, and honors industry professionals who have demonstrated leadership prowess, fiscal skill, and the acknowledged respect of their peers.

Who’s at No. 1?

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Want to take your coaching game to the next level?

This column from expert sales trainer Barrett Riddleberger is worth six minutes of your time.

Here, he provides a list of “proven” techniques that effective sales managers use to improve sales performance.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

When it comes to long-term investments, the company’s stock is still a big winner. Still, Urban One shares trading as “UONE” have been as up and down of late as a rollercoaster at Kings Dominion.

On heavier-than-average volume, Urban One stock was down sharply in midday trading on Friday — continuing a plunge that began on Tuesday (6/15). Why are shares down, following a sharp rise at the start of June?

Some are pointing to the registration of 2,928,906 Class A shares — a $58,373,097 offering for Urban One — made this week by the African American-centric media company and casino gaming operator.

The move allows Urban One to sell, from time to time, up to that amount of stock. There’s no guarantee that Urban One will execute a sale anytime soon. But, the mere possibility spooked those looking for a quick payout from a stock that shot up in value after months of tepid, uninspiring activity in the wake of social justice protests and a newly stated commitment from big companies to invest in Black-owned media with their advertising budgets.

That was exactly 12 months ago, when Urban One soared from prices in the $1.30 range to $36.30 as of June 15, 2020. By September 7, UONE was down to the mid-$3 range. For long-term investors, gains were threefold. For day traders, the pain was severe.

Then came mid-May. In the last month, UONE moved from $5.43 to $9.56 on May 20, only to dip to $7.35 on May 28. Then came a big burst of buying activity, as investors learned of Urban One’s coming casino operation in Richmond. Shares shot up to $18.57 by June 8 and climbed to $20.95 on Monday, June 14.

That finish was the best for UONE since that June 2020 rise-and-recede activity.

But, another rise-and-recede story is underway. At 1:40pm Eastern, UONE was priced at $10.81. This reflects a 48.5% share value slide for the week, should UONE close June 18’s trading session at that level.

Urban One’s “UONEK” shares are also down, but not as significantly, and were trading at $4.64 in midday trading Friday. On June 7, a $6.45 closing price was seen; UONEK was trading in the mid-$1 range through late April 2021.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — With 100 watts from a small broadcast tower on city-owned property, Morro Bay, Calif.-based KEBF-FM serves this bucolic Central Coast community as low-power locally focused “The Rock.” It simulcasts on a 9-watt signal overlooking Paso Robles, famed for its vineyars.

It’s just one of many LPFMs that could benefit from a rule change brought forth by the FCC this week.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)