Barr: Where Will The FCC Overreach End?
The newly constituted FCC under Chairman Brendan Carr has just re-opened a complaint filed by the Center for American Rights which had been dismissed by then Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. Television news networks are not licensed by the FCC, but local TV stations are, so this lawsuit was actually filed against WCBS-TV in New York as a proxy for CBS News. In theory, should a license revocation occur, it would necessarily follow that all CBS stations that aired the 60 Minutes episode at issue would be subject to the same license revocation.
Programming Everywhere: Resetting The Economics On Sports Rights
Scripps Sports’ Brian Lawlor explains how professional teams have doubled and tripled their audiences in a new era for sports rights in this preview of TVNewsCheck’s Programming Everywhere conference. “It really allows people to have the visibility to be able to find games, to watch games and to build a loyalty and fandom for teams,” he says. “People are watching television as families together and live.”
Ten K.C. Royals Games Get Broadcast Television Simulcasts
The Kansas City Royals are poised to have the games, originating from FanDuel Sports Network — the Royals rightsholder partner — air on Gray’s CBS-affiliated KCTV-5 or on MyNetworkTV sibling KSMO-TV. “This agreement gives our fans the power to watch however they want, whether that’s on cable, streaming, or local TV. We are thrilled to partner with Gray Media, and know their experience and expertise will be beneficial for both the Royals and our fans,” said Royals President of Business Operations Brooks Sherman.
Nielsen, Hubbard Agree To Limited Local TV Measurement
Hubbard Broadcasting has just signed a new multi-year agreement for local TV measurement from Nielsen in three of its markets, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth-Superior, and Rochester-Mason City-Austin.
Katz Media Group to Receive The 2025 Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award
The Broadcasters Foundation of America has announced that the 2025 Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award will be presented to Katz Media Group and accepted by its CEO.
Where Are Brands Planning To Spend Their 2025 Media Budgets?
Despite the rise of digital media, traditional media is far from extinct. Linear television, for instance, saw a 3% increase in media spending in 2024, thanks in large part to high-profile sporting events and record-breaking political ad spending.
Grammys Draw 15.4 Million Viewers on CBS
Music’s biggest night drew 15.4 million viewers on CBS Sunday night.
That’s down 12% from last year’s Grammys, which brought in 17.5 million viewers on CBS, per Nielsen Live + Same Day ratings. Those figures do not include streaming and online viewership from Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app.
January Auto Sales Update
Honda Motor Co. reported sales rose 3.8 percent in January, with a 12 percent gain in light trucks offsetting a similar drop in car deliveries. Sales rose for the 30th consecutive month at Subaru, with more gains for the brand’s bestsellers, the Crosstrek and Forester.
Sports Fans Value Local TV Spots
Sports fans are ten times more likely to have a positive and trusting view of a brand when they air their spots in locally-televised sports programming, according to a new study released by Locality.
Nielsen Expands Out-Of-Home Panel – 100% Coverage Just in Time for the Super Bowl
Nielsen has expanded its National TV out-of-home (OOH) panel, increasing coverage from 65% to 100% of U.S. TV households, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. The move enhances the company’s ability to measure television viewing in public spaces, including bars, restaurants, hotels, and airports. This expansion is made possible by adding more homes to its Portable People Meter (PPM) Wearables footprint, improving Nielsen’s ability to track communal TV consumption.
Buyers Are Glad Nielsen Is Moving Away From Panel-Only Ratings
Nielsen plans to discontinue panel-only ratings later this year, integrating big data into its measurement approach. Ad buyers welcome this move, viewing it as a positive step toward more accurate TV ad measurement.
Study Cites Need To Connect With Black Audiences
A new study from Nielsen finds that Black audiences continue to be heavy TV users, spending 46 hours and 13 minutes per week watching TV, compared to almost 35 hours for the total U.S. population. The findings come from a Nielsen Diverse Intelligence Series report called “Engaging Black audiences: How brands impact, grow and win with inclusion.”
Paramount Re-Ups With Nielsen For Audience Measurement
Paramount Global and Nielsen agreed to a new, multi-year deal, announced Monday 2/3. The partnership includes measurement for all Paramount platforms, including the CBS Television Network and CBS Owned Stations.
Nominations Window Opens for ‘Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders’
For the seventh consecutive year, RBR+TVBR is calling on the broadcast media industry to help their leadership team in selecting the top-ranked individuals who oversee free-to-air broadcast TV stations across the U.S. — from the biggest groups to the smallest privately held operations. Who’s made the list, and where they rank, will be revealed in RBR+TVBR’s Spring 2025 Magazine. It’s set for digital distribution on April 7, with print distribution at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas. DON’T DELAY! The deadline to vote is Friday, February 14, 2025 at 5pm Eastern.
Operational Efficiency, Workflow Optimization Becomes Critical Focus for Broadcasters
While broadcast television remains a cornerstone of the media ecosystem, the pressure to do more with less has never been more acute. Industry leaders in recent Industry Insights roundtables from NewscastStudio cite automation, cloud technologies and artificial intelligence as key drivers of efficiency gains across production and distribution workflows.
Kia, Hyundai Score Record January
Hyundai and Kia posted double-digit U.S. sale gains, setting records for January, says Autonews.com. Kia sales rose 12 percent to 57,007 last month over January 2024, while Hyundai reported 54,503 sales, up 15 percent.
The ‘Sales of Advertising’ vs. The ‘Business of Advertising’
To succeed in today’s complex media sales landscape, you must master both the sales of advertising and the business of advertising. Ultimately, when you help your clients reach their sales goals, you will reach yours. Their success is your success!
u.s. Auto Industry Is in the Tariff Crosshairs
If you add up all the tariffs that are going to apply to U.S.-made vehicles, they could easily end up dwarfing total tariffs on finished cars imported from Europe, Japan, or Korea.
Far from boosting the U.S. auto industry, these tariffs, if they stay in place for any length of time, could end up decimating it.
Eight Reasons Why Broadcasters Still Aren’t Talking About Precision Audience Targeting
Articles in the daily industry newsletters we all read discuss how digital, targeted, precision ads can be more effective at delivering outcomes and how advertisers and audiences are leaning into ads that are more relevant and effective. So why are we still talking about linear TV as a mass-reach advertising solution that lacks the precision of audience targeting beyond age and gender?
It’s time for the broadcast TV industry to build precision into what is still its largest viewing audiences: pay TV and OTA viewers. It’s time to quit talking about the problem and start building the solutions.
Gray Media Ups Pamela Biddle To WTVM Columbus, Ga. GM
Gray Media promoted Pamela Biddle to VP-general manager of WTVM, its ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ga., effective Feb. 3. Biddle’s professional roles also include serving as general manager of Univision Kansas City, sales manager for Kansas City NBC affiliate KSHB, and director of sales at WPTA, the ABC-NBC affiliate in Fort Wayne, Ind.