RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast

To chat a little bit about her experience at CES and what she's looking forward to in January 2024, when other broadcast media leaders attend the gargantuan Las Vegas affair with a laser-focus on things that can help Radio, Caroline Beasley sits in with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM."It shows us what potential opportunities, and what potential threats are out there for our industry," Beasley shares.

In just a matter of weeks, CES 2024 will be underway in Las Vegas. It's a bigger draw than ever for radio industry executives, and that's why RBR+TVBR is pleased to announce its January 8, 2024 distribution of its Winter 2024 magazine.Digital distribution to all RBR+TVBR Members means VIP access to a bevy of CES-focused content. And, in a preview of what's in the Winter 2024 magazine — with a limited print distribution at a "Cocktails and Conversation" invite-only affair in Las Vegas during CES — RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson chats with Joe D'Angelo, SVP of Broadcast Radio and Digital Audio for Xperi Corp.What excites D'Angelo about CES? What are his thoughts about the future of AM Radio in an age where HD Radio and streaming audio are more commonly discussed? Find out in this CES preview edition of the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. To RSVP for the Cocktails and Conversation event, please email your request to heidi.raphael@bbgi.com

In conjunction with Giving Tuesday, a celebration of giving around the world, the Broadcasters Foundation of America is asking radio and television professionals to consider a tax-deductible donation that will help their colleagues in need.The Broadcasters Foundation, a 501c3 charity, provides financial assistance to people in radio or television who are in need due to a debilitating disease, accident, or disaster.Donations in any amount can be made to https://secure.broadcastersfoundation.org/forms/2023yearendgiving“Giving Tuesday is a perfect day to think of our colleagues who have fallen on challenging times,” said Tim McCarthy, President of the Broadcasters Foundation. “Every week we receive more requests for aid, and we cannot turn our backs on our hard-working colleagues who life has dealt a difficult hand, leaving them in need of our help.”To share more about the importance of the Broadcasters Foundation, which this year will award approximately $1.8 million, to broadcasters in need, McCarthy joined RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson on the latest episode of the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.For more information about the Broadcasters Foundation, including how to make a donation or apply for aid, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, send an email to info@thebfoa.org or call 212-373-8250.

As the year draws to a close, the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) is reaching out to rally behind the mission of advancing women in media through educational programs and scholarships. With Giving Tuesday coming on November 28, AWM President Becky Brooks shares more about the group's mission, and how you can donate.

Forecast, presented by Streamline Publishing's Radio + Television Business Report and Radio Ink, is now a wrap. The capacity crowd enjoyed a full day's worth of informative and engaging panel discussions and keynote speakers, and among the participants is Vince Bodiford.Bodiford, who is based in Cheyenne, Wyo., is Chief Executive Officer and Head of Media for Bridge Media Network, the parent of NEWSnet, SportsNews Highlights, TravelHost TV networks, and some 84 owned-and-operated television stations.Bridge Media Network is based in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills, Mich. To learn more about its growth plans and the vision for both NEWSnet and its fledgling sports operation, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson sat down with Bodiford for an exclusive one-on-one conversation at the Harvard Club.We're pleased to offer their chat in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.Bodiford has more than 35 years of experience in media and marketing. He has owned media outlets in Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming via his company, Golden Media, Inc. He has held leadership roles with Cabela’s, Inc., Gannett Co., CommunityMedia Corp., and GateHouse Media and is a noted expert in the automotive, retail, and media industries.

For more than three decades, Phil Williams has set the standard in Nashville for serious investigative journalism on the state and local level, earning him honors and praise from his peers and, now, the local community.At WTVF-5, the CBS affiliate owned by The E.W. Scripps Co., Williams attracted outsized attention for his coverage of a mayoral race in Franklin, Tenn., that drew national attention — and death threats. His on-air efforts exposing falsehoods and a candidate's link to white supremacists, which led to the defeat of the controversial aspiring Mayor, also resulted in a full-page ad in the city’s newspaper that directly saluted Williams for displaying “utmost professionalism, even when they encountered threats to their personal safety.”To discuss how Williams uncovered the sordid tales surrounding Gabrielle Hanson, which gained national attention and a lengthy story on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Williams joins RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson on the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

At 330 Market Street in Philadelphia, Fox Television Stations-owned WTXF “FOX 29” is a prominent fixture in the Old City, with a home just steps away from Independence Mall. It remains a highly popular over-the-air station in a market where it competes against owned-and-operated stations from CBS, ABC and NBC. But, if it were up to the Media and Democracy Project, FOX Television Stations would lose the station’s license.Why? Preston Padden, the former outspoken FOX executive who in recent months has teamed up with MAD, joins RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson for an exclusive 30-minute conversation that offers his views on why FOX shouldn’t be permitted to continue owning WTXF — something FOX through its attorneys at Covington & Burlington argues "would upend decades of established Commission precedent, put the Commission in a position fundamentally incompatible with the First Amendment, and threaten to deprive viewers in Philadelphia of a station that serves its community exceptionally well.”Padden and Jacobson chatted for 30 minutes, and this conversation can be heard in the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM

She knew she wanted to get into advertising. What type of advertising? At first, Karolyne Sprague thought it would be in the creative realm. Instead, she went into media. "It was a great place to start my career," says Sprague, today the SVP of Investment at Havas Media.Sprague on October 27 shared her thoughts on career development, mentorship, and leadership in a conversation with TVB Chief Communications Officer and TVB NEXT Women Executive Director Abby Auerbach, and this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, is pleased to offer excerpts from the latest "NEXT Women: Coffee With ..." series.

Gray Television has certainly made a statement over the last year and a half with its commitment to Telemundo affiliates. How did that come to pass, and did the C-Suite need any education on the growth opportunities that exist in the markets where it seeks to capture Spanish-speaking TV viewers?That's a question Jason Hall,  who on October 11 was promoted to Vice President of Spanish Media Sales for the GrayTV Telemundo Station Group. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Hall shares insights and learnings on how educating and attracting sales leaders to best take advantage of the opportunities that exist by superserving Spanish speakers can reap benefits and strong ROI for broadcasters.He also teases some forthcoming digital initiatives in the works from Gray Television.

Scripps News has promoted veteran journalist Brian Donlon to Senior Director of Live News Programming. Donlon, formerly the 24/7 digital television network's Executive Producer of weekday morning live news, will oversee all programming, show production, program development and scheduling for the offering once known as Newsy.Donlon brings a wealth of experience that includes time at A+E, CNBC and ESPN, among other locales. What's his vision for Scripps News, as it seeks to carve itself a place in an ever-competitive national broadcast news environment? We learn more in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

On October 16, Audacy Inc. made a very intriguing move by switching an AM serving Hazleton, Pa., and a FM serving the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area to a Spanish-language format heavy on bachata music popular with Dominicans and Puerto Ricans.Some may wonder why Audacy made the move, as Northeast Pennsylvania isn’t known as a Latino hotbed among Hispanic marketing and advertising pros. Perhaps Ryan Flynn, SVP/Market Manager for Audacy in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, knows better. He's a lifelong resident of the region, and shares the launch of “La Mega 102.3 FM” with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

On October 6, Metro Video Productions of Lima, Ohio, officially became the owner of a low-powered television station in the small Northwest Ohio city of Defiance. Today, Phipps is committed to serving the local community with programming focused on this community between Toledo and Fort Wayne, Ind.To learn more about how Phipps is accomplishing this, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes him to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

This was the week that was in Washington, D.C.: the death of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the FCC being told by a Federal court it has 90 days to complete its 2018 quadrennial review of its ownership rules, a government shutdown averted as two FCC Commissioners unanimously won new terms from Senators, a growing battle over "net neutrality," and the unprecedented ouster of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).What does all of this mean to broadcast media leaders and their regulatory needs? RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson speaks with Foster Garvey attorney Brad Deutsch to get an update on everything Inside the Beltway that truly matters to Radio and TV — such as the future of the "Top Four Rule," a power boost for HD Radio, and whether or not "ZoneCasting" gets off the ground. Deutsch sums up everything on Capitol Hill and at the FCC in under 30 minutes in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

Brian Weiss, the Vice President of Entertainment Programming and Multicast Networks at TEGNA, joins RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson from Atlanta on this edition of the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to share details on the continued growth of the company’s “Daily Blast Live” program, which is entering its seventh season, and other projects that he’s squarely focused on for growth.What has allowed "Daily Blast Live" to become a standout daytime offering for TEGNA?Could it be said that daytime is the new “prime-time” for broadcast television, and programs like this are emblematic of the future of free-to-air broadcast channels?This idea that local market media companies are the experts when it comes to local advertisers — has that only been fortified by the growth of digital multicast networks such as the three Weiss oversees, Quest, Twist and True Crime Network?Weiss answers these questions while also sharing more on a non-work activity he's involved with — Honeymoon Israel. Listen to this podcast now!

The reclassification of broadband under Title II is one of the divisive FCC regulatory policy matters of the last decade. It was authorized under the leadership of former Chairman Tom Wheeler, and later erased by ex-Chairman Ajit Pai.On Tuesday, empowered with an all-important third Democratic vote, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel revealed that she's introducing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that is being circulated among the Commissioners for consideration. This would open up for public input whether or not "net neutrality" is something the Commission should bring back.Rosenworcel formally announced the NPRM at a National Press Club event. This InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, offers comments directly from Rosenworcel on the plan to make "net neutrality" happen once again.

Across the next 13 months, political ad spend will be huge, based on study after study being released of late. While this is a welcome boost for radio and television broadcasting companies, what will the likely impact local media advertisers be?To learn more, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam Jacobson catches up with Frequence Chief Executive Officer Tom Cheli. He shares the latest on why omnichannel advertising is more essential than ever for local advertisers, and how broadcast media can further evolve their digital strategies to cater to these SMBs in their area of service.Listen to the conversation now in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

As MundoNow CEO Rene Alegria sees it, the new MundoNow Project is designed to bring together Hispanic users across the internet "that reflect today’s Latino identity, better monetize partner sites with digital assets, and bring authentic reach and scale to brands in the process."Does this suggest that Spanish-language digital and linear media are doing a poor job of offering content that reflects the Hispanic consumer's consumption habits, and perhaps does not appeal to the diverse Latino populace across the U.S.?That's one of the questions RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson asks Alegria in the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

It’s a busy day for TVB, the national trade association representing local broadcast television across the United States. The organization is hosting its Executive Summit live at Studio 8H inside the famed 30 Rock complex in Midtown Manhattan. Our correspondent Renee Cassis is attending, and you can look for our exclusive coverage at RadioTVBiz.com from 4pm Eastern on September 12.To learn a little bit more about what’s being discussed at this intimate affair at a venue we really, really love, and to get a sneak peek at the Virtual Forward Sales Conference designed for account executives and sales managers being held on September 21, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson took a moment to speak with longtime President/CEO Steve Lanzano in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

"I'm super excited to be continuing to show women across the country that you can reach whatever goal you want."That's what Carrie Hofmann tells RBR+TVBR about her appointment, starting on October 2, as President and General Manager of WLTX-TV, the TEGNA-owned CBS affiliate serving Columbia, S.C.Hofmann presently serves as News Director of TEGNA's NBC affiliate in Charlotte, WCNC-36. As she prepares for her new role, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson spoke with Hoffman about local TV leadership today, and what words of encouragement she has for others that seek to follow her path up the ladder in over-the-air TV today.The conversation can be heard in the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

On September 7, the U.S. Senate was scheduled to vote at long last on the confirmation of an individual nominated by the Biden White House to fill the vacant fifth seat on the Federal Communications Commission.Once she takes the chair, what will Anna Gomez's arrival at the FCC mean, with respect to potential regulatory policy shifts for broadcast radio and TV? Veteran Washington, D.C., communications attorney Gregg Skall shares his thoughts with Radio + Television Business Report Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.