Gray Media Accuses Dish of Violating Retransmission Consent Rules
Gray Media has filed a complaint with the FCC accusing Dish Network of violating retransmission‑consent rules by continuing to provide its CBS affiliate WVLT to a Knoxville hotel through Dish’s business‑to‑business SmartBox service after their distribution agreement expired in March. The stations were removed from Dish’s residential lineup earlier this month, but Gray says the hotel still received the channel via the SmartBox platform. Gray is seeking an injunction to stop Dish from offering any of its stations to commercial customers and a disclosure of all post‑expiry distributions. The FCC has not yet indicated whether it will open a formal investigation.
Comcast to Start Selling Peacock Subscriptions Through Roku Channel
Comcast’s NBCUniversal has signed a deal with Roku to sell Peacock Premium Plus subscriptions directly through The Roku Channel. Starting in the coming months, Roku smart‑TV and streaming‑device users can purchase the ad‑free plan for $17 a month, which includes...
National Wrestling Alliance Inks Deal with Sinclair’s Comet
The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) has secured a broadcast deal with Sinclair’s multicast network Comet, launching its flagship show “NWA Powerrr” with a two‑episode premiere on May 1‑2. After the debut, the series will air weekly on Saturdays at 4 p.m., with...
Fox One Adds Podcasts From Fox News Media, Red Seat Ventures
Fox One is expanding its direct‑to‑consumer streaming service by adding eight new podcasts sourced from Fox News Media and Red Seat Ventures. The titles, including “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” and “The President’s Daily Brief with Mike Baker,” debuted on...
ACA Connects Promotes Tomeika Slappy to Director of Operations
ACA Connects has elevated longtime staffer Tomeika Slappy to Director of Operations, marking her transition from Manager of Member Services after nearly a decade with the trade group. In her new role she will drive strategic priorities, boost operational efficiency,...
Roku Passes 100 Million Active Households Worldwide
Roku announced it now serves over 100 million active households across its streaming devices and smart‑TV platform, marking a milestone that underscores its global reach. The company’s operating system, licensed to manufacturers such as TCL and Hisense, now fuels more than...
AccuWeather Moves to Amagi for Broadcast, Streaming Infrastructure
AccuWeather announced a migration of its broadcast and streaming infrastructure to Amagi, swapping its legacy system for an IP‑based, cloud‑native workflow. The new setup consolidates linear channels and free‑ad‑supported streaming (FAST) services onto a single platform managed from Amagi’s Master...
Spectrum Announces Expanded Carriage Deal with Mid-Atlantic Sports Network
Spectrum and Charter Communications have sealed a multiyear carriage agreement that brings the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) to Spectrum TV in select areas of southeastern Maryland, Virginia and eastern North Carolina. The network launches on channels 335 or 440 and...
Samba TV Hires Kelly Barrett From Comscore to Lead Product Management
Samba TV appointed Kelly Barrett as Senior Vice President of Product Management to steer global product strategy for its analytics and audience solutions, emphasizing AI‑driven measurement. Barrett will report to CEO Ashwin Navin and lead the expansion of product, design,...
Spectrum Launches Free App for Google TV, Android TV Devices
Charter Communications has released a free Spectrum TV app for Google TV and Android TV platforms, extending its streaming service to smart TVs running these operating systems. The launch follows a similar rollout on Amazon Fire TV and adds to...
Netflix Sees Modest Bump in Revenue During Q1; Reed Hasting to Leave Board
Netflix reported Q1 revenue of $12.25 billion, a 16% year‑over‑year increase, and operating income of $4 billion, lifting its operating margin to 32.3%. Net income more than doubled to $5.28 billion, helped by a $2.8 billion termination fee from the aborted Warner Bros. Discovery deal....
Amazon Faces Class-Action Lawsuit over Fire TV Sticks
Amazon is facing a California class‑action lawsuit alleging it stopped software updates for first‑ and second‑generation Fire TV sticks without clear consumer warnings. The plaintiff, Bill Merewhuader, says the lack of updates forced his 2018 devices to slow dramatically, compelling...
Sean McCabe Returns to Cineverse as Chief Financial Officer
Cineverse announced the return of Sean McCabe as chief financial officer, effective April 20, succeeding Mark Lindsey who will shift to a senior consulting role by May 10. McCabe previously served as Vice President and Corporate Controller at Cineverse (2023‑24)...
CBS CEO Says Late Night Deal with Byron Allen Is “Temporary”
Paramount’s CBS announced a one‑year paid‑programming deal with comedian Byron Allen, replacing Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” with Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” and “Funny You Should Ask.” CBS co‑CEO George Cheeks framed the arrangement as a temporary stopgap while the network re‑evaluates its...
Scripps Digital Channels Added to Local Now App
The E.W. Scripps Company has signed a distribution agreement with the owner of the free streaming platform Local Now, adding several of its digital multicast channels to the app. Beginning this week, Local Now will stream the national feeds of...
NewsNation to Simulcast Nexstar’s California Gubernatorial Debate
NewsNation announced it will simulcast the California gubernatorial debate on April 22, airing at 7 p.m. Pacific (10 p.m. Eastern). The debate, produced by KRON in San Francisco, will be distributed across Nexstar‑owned stations in Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno,...
Scripps News Hires NBC’s Jay Gray to Serve as Senior National Correspondent
The E.W. Scripps Company announced that veteran NBC journalist Jay Gray will join its streaming outlet Scripps News as senior national correspondent. Gray brings 22 years of experience covering breaking news on programs such as The Today Show and NBC Nightly News. His hire follows...
Synamedia Updates Quortex PowerVu to Accelerate IP-Based Distribution
Synamedia unveiled an upgraded Quortex PowerVu platform that shifts broadcast workflows to a software‑centric, IP‑native architecture. By moving playout functions to the edge and using standard IP delivery, the solution can slash operational costs and complexity by up to 80...
LTN Appoints New Executives to Support IP-Based Distribution Growth
LTN announced the appointment of Mark Romano as Vice President of Multichannel Platforms and Edward Cox as Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Both executives bring more than two decades of experience from SES and other media‑technology firms. Their mandates...
Fox Acquires Tigo Sports, to Launch Fox Channel in Latin American Countries
Fox Corporation announced the acquisition of Tigo Sports’ programming and operations, paving the way for a new Fox Channel in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The channel will combine local soccer rights—including El Salvador’s Primera División,...
Nielsen Appoints Roberto Ruiz as Head of Measurement Sciences
Nielsen has named Roberto Ruiz as Head of Measurement Science, tasking him with advancing the firm’s measurement capabilities and innovation roadmap. Ruiz will oversee the strategy and rollout of new products, technologies and AI‑driven solutions across the division. His mandate...
Bango: Higher Streaming Prices Driving Consumers to Bundles
Bango’s Subscription Signals 2026 report finds U.S. consumers now juggle an average of 5.2 streaming services, spending roughly $70 each month. Rising subscription fees are prompting a shift toward bundled packages offered by telecoms and marketplaces, with one‑third of users...
Viewpoint: What Happens Next for Nexstar and TEGNA?
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley extended a temporary restraining order by a week, delaying a decision on whether to issue a permanent injunction that could block Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA. The deal, already cleared by the...
Sling TV Launches “Essential” Pack with ESPN, Disney Channel
Sling TV introduced a new $20 per month "Sling Essentials" package that bundles ESPN, ESPN2 and more than a dozen family and classic channels, including Disney Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The offering pulls content from the existing Sling...
Shudder Lands Streaming Rights to “Tales From the Crypt”
AMC Global Media, operating under the Shudder brand, secured domestic streaming rights to HBO’s classic horror anthology “Tales from the Crypt.” The series will launch on Shudder on May 1, marking its first appearance on any streaming platform. All seven seasons...
LTN Rolls Out IP-Based Improvements as Broadcasters Shift Away From Satellite Delivery
LTN Global announced a suite of IP‑video network upgrades aimed at broadcasters moving away from satellite distribution. The enhancements target reliability, visibility, reach and operational control, adding adaptive error recovery, expanded analytics, and new gateway configurations that can handle up...
Carrie Healey Joins NAB as VP of Communications
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) appointed Carrie Healey as Vice President of Communications, making her the organization’s primary spokesperson. Reporting to Chief of Staff Michelle Lehman, Healey will direct media relations and advocacy messaging aimed at Congress and the...
Fox to Use Kalshi Predictive Data in News, Weather Forecasts
Fox Corporation has signed a sponsored integration with prediction‑market platform Kalshi, embedding its data into Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Weather and the streaming service Fox One. The deal excludes election coverage, where Fox will continue to rely on its...
ESPN Layoffs Connected to Disney’s YouTube TV Dispute, Report Says
Disney’s ongoing fallout from its YouTube TV carriage dispute is prompting ESPN to announce a new round of layoffs. The two‑week standoff last year cost Disney roughly $100 million in lost distribution and advertising fees as millions of viewers were cut...
Amagi Launches New Tool to Help Stations Turn Newscasts Into Social Clips
Amagi introduced Newspulse, an AI‑driven platform that turns live and archived news broadcasts into ready‑to‑post social media clips. The system automatically identifies story segments, reformats video into multiple aspect ratios and adds captions and platform‑specific metadata. Human‑in‑the‑loop controls let editors...
Locality Acquires Media Planning Software Developer Deben
Locality announced the acquisition of Deben, a cross‑channel media planning software developer, to bolster its data‑driven advertising suite. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal brings Deben’s planning and optimization tools into Locality’s Audience Engine, Darwin, and LocalX platforms....
Fox News Tops Competitors in Q1 YouTube Viewership
Fox News Media logged 1.5 billion YouTube video views in Q1 2026, outpacing all major news outlets. Its nearest rival, MS NOW, recorded 974 million views, while CNN, ABC, NBC and CBS lagged further behind. The network’s YouTube audience grew 21 percent year‑over‑year and 51 percent...
Bitmovin Adds Support for SGAI to Enhance Ad-Supported Streaming Products
Bitmovin announced support for Server‑Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) across its playback suite, using HLS interstitials to signal ad breaks. The hybrid approach merges client‑side flexibility with server‑side scalability, enabling real‑time, personalized ad decisions. By standardizing the insertion point, Bitmovin aims...
Scripps Sells WRTV, Will Seek Waiver for Inyo Stations
The E.W. Scripps Company completed the sale of its Indianapolis ABC affiliate, WRTV, to Circle City Broadcasting for $83 million, marking its second station divestiture this month after selling Fort Myers Fox outlet WFTX for $40 million. The combined proceeds exceed $120 million...
TuneIn Adds Distribution Deal with NBC Sports Radio
Stingray‑owned TuneIn has signed a distribution agreement with Comcast’s NBC Sports Radio, adding the network’s 24/7 audio feed to its platform. Beginning this week, TuneIn will stream daily studio shows such as “Pro Football Talk Live,” “The Dan Patrick Show,”...
Newsmax Posts 11 Percent Revenue Growth, Digital Declines Weigh on Profitability
Newsmax reported a 10.7% revenue increase to $189.3 million for 2025, driven primarily by a 17.3% rise in broadcast earnings. Carriage fees from cable, satellite and streaming partners jumped 20.2% to $14.9 million, boosting advertising revenue 16.7% to $104.3 million. In contrast, the...
Sinclair to Consolidate Newsrooms in Tulsa, Drop News Anchors From ABC Affiliate
Sinclair Broadcast Group will merge the newsrooms of its Tulsa stations, KTUL (ABC) and KOKI (Fox), creating a shared content hub with upgraded weather, studio and master‑control facilities. The consolidation will shift KTUL to a reporter‑driven, anchor‑light format starting in...
Judge Says Jury Gets to Decide if Nexstar Defamed News Directors Fired over Memo
A federal judge rejected Nexstar Media Group's bid for summary judgment, allowing former WOOD‑TV news director Stanton Tang and assistant Amy Fox to proceed to a jury trial on defamation and wrongful‑termination claims. The lawsuit stems from a memo that...
Ex-Bally Sports Executive Cancels Plan to Acquire TV Stations
A former Bally Sports executive has withdrawn his bid to acquire seven local TV stations, ending a brief return to broadcast ownership. The stations, spanning Washington, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Tennessee, were to be sold for $116.5 million to Community News Media...
Roku Partners with Google on Identity, Measurement Capabilities for Advertisers
Roku announced it will serve as the launch partner for Google’s new Confidential Publisher Match solution, extending identity and measurement capabilities for advertisers on its platform. The integration allows advertisers using Google’s Display & Video 360 to securely match first‑party...
Nexstar Agrees to Divest Six Stations to Close on TEGNA Deal
Nexstar Media Group agreed to sell six television stations to satisfy the Federal Communications Commission’s conditions for its $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA. The stations – located in Denver, Rogers (Arkansas), Portsmouth (Virginia), Hartford (Connecticut), Indianapolis and New Orleans – must...
Scott Rates Named News Director at CBS Stations in Sacramento
Paramount’s CBS News & Stations appointed Scott Rates as Vice President of News for Sacramento’s duopoly of KOVR (Channel 13) and KMAX-TV (Channel 31), effective next Monday. In his new role, Rates will direct editorial strategy and daily newsroom operations...
Gracenote: AI Will Influence Audience Discovery, Engagement with Content
Artificial intelligence is set to overhaul how viewers find and interact with entertainment, with large language models (LLMs) becoming the backbone of next‑generation search tools. Gracenote’s new report warns that LLMs alone can hallucinate, so it promotes "grounded" models that...
YouTube to Serve as Promotional Window for FIFA World Cup Matches
FIFA has partnered with YouTube to let rights holders stream the opening ten minutes of every World Cup match for free, with a limited slate of games available in full on the platform. The agreement also includes behind‑the‑scenes content and...
Arizona Attorney General Files Criminal Charges Against Kalshi
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed 20 misdemeanor counts against prediction‑market platform Kalshi, alleging it operates an illegal gambling business and accepted bets on elections. The complaint cites unlawful wagering on the 2028 presidential race, upcoming Arizona gubernatorial contests,...
VAB: Most Prospective Voters Engage with Ad-Supported TV
The Video Advertising Bureau’s new survey of 2,300 U.S. adults finds that most committed or prospective voters regularly watch ad‑supported television and streaming services. TV and linear‑plus‑streaming platforms remain the primary discovery channel for political candidates, with voters turning to...
Glenn Haygood to Retire From Hearst’s WLKY
Glenn Haygood, President and General Manager of Hearst’s WLKY-TV in Louisville, announced his retirement later this year, concluding a broadcast career spanning more than four decades. He has overseen WLKY’s editorial and business operations since 2008, guiding the CBS affiliate...
Court TV Finalizes Layoffs; Matt Johnson, Julie Grant Depart Network
Court TV is undergoing a major restructuring after its sale to Jellysmack’s Law&Crime Network, announcing sweeping layoffs and a reduced on‑air schedule. Anchor Julie Grant and crime correspondent Matt Johnson are among the high‑profile departures, while roughly two dozen behind‑the‑scenes...
Looper Survey: Streamers Set to Dominate Sports Media Rights
A Looper Insights survey of sports‑media executives finds global streamers poised to dominate sports rights by 2026, with Amazon Prime Video emerging as the clear front‑runner. Forty‑one percent of respondents said streaming platforms will hold the greatest structural power, edging...
Salem Media Posts $35 Million Financial Loss Amid Lower Revenue in 2025
Salem Media Group reported a 10.5% drop in 2025 revenue to $212.7 million, largely driven by $24 million in asset sales. Despite lower operating costs, the broadcaster posted a $34.6 million net loss, a swing of 313.9% from the prior year’s profit....