RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast

Jim Loftus is now seven months into his role as CEO of Times-Shamrock Communications.Before joining the company, where he spent nine years as Chief Operations Officer earlier in his career, Loftus served as the Chief Operations Officer of 7 Mountains Media. Before that, he served as President/CEO of WBEB-FM in Philadelphia under the ownership of Jerry Lee.How are things going for this owner of radio stations, out-of-home and digital media in Northeast Pennsylvania, as well as radio stations in Milwaukee and a stand-alone operation in Baltimore?Loftus shares all in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

From Pensacola to Key West and from Jacksonville to Naples, local radio and television provide entertainment, sports, news and vital information to consumers across the Sunshine State. Many of these stations are members of the Florida Association of Broadcasters, led by Pat Roberts.The President/CEO of the organization was among its inaugural Hall of Fame inductees, honored at a reception in June, and Pat later joined us on the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to talk a little about the vital importance of live and local broadcasters to Florida.

In a major ruling announced on June 28 by the Supreme Court of the United States, the power of the executive branch of the federal government in carrying out regulatory policies placed into effect by agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission has been diluted, giving more power to the courts.One day earlier, in another case, the Supreme Court ruled in a matter involving the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission that has put federal agencies such as the FCC on notice that their reliance on Administrative Law Judges could soon be coming to a conclusion.To help explain how these very important rulings could impact radio and television broadcast station owners, Frank Montero, the esteemed Partner at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth in Arlington, Va., sits in on the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to best explain to radio and television industry executives what could transpire for broadcasters in the wake of these two decisions.

It has been one year since Adam Symson, President and CEO of The E.W. Scripps Co., explained why he believed a “bold new approach to serving” the broadcast television company’s local communities through a news initiative focused on “strengthening the economic sustainability” of its newsrooms while improving news coverage was needed.The changes were highly noticeable. Some great people lost their jobs, while others were welcomed in to the company. An initiative to train longtime print journalists for jobs in broadcast TV news was launched. There was some head scratching from competing station leadership in some markets, while in other markets Scripps was quickly earning accolades for its efforts.How is this “renewed commitment to community news” playing out 12 months later? That’s the focus of this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.Joining RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson to discuss Scripps’ local news initiative today are two people highly engaged in the process.Chris Nagus serves as Senior Director of Storytelling and Content Strategy, and he’s been traveling across the U.S. to help train and coach local news reporters.He’s joined by Karen Lehr, who holds the role of Executive Reporter for “Idaho News 6,” KIVI-TV in Boise, Idaho. She has been with the Idaho News 6 team for more than a decade, moving to Boise from Orlando in 2013.

It has been a tumultuous eight months for the FCC when it comes to Radio. While many in the industry expected AM and FM to be on Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s back burner, the frequency and speed of regulations and actions taken concerning radio have led to surprise and concern.While not addressing the most recent movements on AI or the FM duplication rule change, the newest Commissioner — Anna G. Gómez — did discuss two key issues to radio on Wednesday at the Hispanic Radio Conference in San Antonio. Gómez's opening keynote came following a heartfelt introduction from Spanish Broadcasting System founder and Chairman and President/CEO Raúl Alarcón Jr., and this Radio + Television Business Report InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, offers her address in full.

On the afternoon of Monday, June 10, the FCC turned back the clock, in a way. In another 3-2 party-line vote pitting Democratic victors against Republican dissenters, the Commission reinstated section 73.3556 of the Commission’s rules (the radio duplication rule) for commercial FM stations.What does this mean for radio broadcasting companies across the U.S.? Why after more than three decades did the Commission on June 5 adopt this order on reconsideration?To answer those questions and provide a full analysis of why the FCC restored a rule that dates to 1992, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Foster Garvey Office Managing Director and Principal Brad Deutsch to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

It’s been three weeks since Pio Ferro, the new Senior Vice President of Programming and Content for Meruelo Media, settled in to beautiful downtown Burbank to take on a position that puts him in charge of what comes out of the speakers for four FM radio stations in Southern California.What's Ferro's vision for the stations, that sees him working alongside President/CEO Otto Padrón from eighth-floor offices in a building with a prominently displayed mural that reads “Laugh Loud. Play Hard”?In this exclusive chat, Ferro opens up about working for a privately held broadcast group, how great content can drive revenue and advertiser ROI, and why a Foo Fighters/Becky G mashup may not be the best of ideas in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, that comes on the eve of the 2024 Hispanic Radio Conference.

What makes Colorado Springs morning hosts Woody and Bobby standout air personalities in a world where syndicated wake-up shows and reduction-in-force initiatives due to tough economic realities dominate the headlines? Find out in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

It is now H.R. 8449, and is being championed by House Members Gus Bilirakis and Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. as part of an effort to get it to the finish line. The new, marked-up "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" surfaced earlier this week, and on Thursday a House Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee markup of three bills included discussion of the legislation that would mandate AM radio availability in all new vehicles sold in the U.S.A host of House E&C Committee Members shared their thoughts on the legislation, with a Congresswoman from Detroit noting that while she clearly supports AM radio, she wants a full understanding of the cost to consumers and her constituents representing the domestic automotive industry's biggest companies.This InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, offers audio highlights from the May 23 session — giving you direct access to the future of kHz-band radio from our elected officials in Washington.With no amendments, the bill was forward to the full committee. From here, the House E&C will schedule a discussion and vote on the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would then get a likely floor vote in the full U.S. House of Representatives.

In 2004, four years after Connoisseur Communications ended seven years of operation with its $258 million sale to Cumulus, Jeff Warshaw launched a second company bearing the Connoisseur name. Today, Connoisseur Media offers advertisers and audiences digital and linear media that's all about being local in three distinct geographic areas — all of them adjacent to some of the nation's biggest markets.With Connoisseur Media celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson checks in with Warshaw on this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to take the pulse of the company, and learn more about a recent Country launch on Long Island and the continued dominant performance of its stations in Fairfield County, Conn., among other topics in this lively conversation.

A new way to tell stories for journalists seeking the change is at the heart of the E.W. Scripps Company’s Journalism Journey Initiative. To learn more about the job transition platform ahead of a May 15 webinar, initative Program Director Jim Iovino sits in with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson on this podcast, presented by dot.FM.

It was brief, with no questions asked following prepared remarks from an analyst or shareholder. But CEO Bob Pittman and CFO/COO Rich Bressler offered a full analysis of how the nation's No. 1 content creation and production company performed in 2024. The call was held directly opposite the Q1 2024 earnings call for Townsquare Media, and we're pleased to offer Pittman and Bressler's audio comments in full in this podcast presented by dot.fm.

The first quarter performance from Gray Television was just what the doctor ordered on a day when one radio broadcasting company engaged in a 7% reduction-in-force initiative as another AM and FM station owner explained why a shareholder "say on pay" vote that yielded a strong "no" on salaries for its C-Suite leaders was simply advisory, with the salaries getting a rubber stamp from management.In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, we hear from Gray leaders Hilton Howell Jr., Pat LaPlatney and Sandy Breland as well as outgoing CFO Jim Ryan and his successor as we review not only a stellar Q1, but strong guidance, while Howell chided Wall Street for not paying full attention to the company's achievements.

In early April, LatiNation Media became the parent brand of LATV, or “Latino Alternative TV.”Andrés Palencia, Chief Executive Officer of LatiNation Media, and President Bruno Ulloa on May 1 delivered an IAB NewFronts presentation at Convene in lower Manhattan, steps from the World Trade Center and Oculus, that offered attendees a fresh new perspective on what LATV has to offer across its multiplatform content creation and distribution platform.Palencia and Ulloa, following their session, connected by phone with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson in New York to learn more about how the LATV brand has evolved to become more than just a television station targeting next-generation Latinos, and what marketers and media leaders can learn from their model.Listen to their conversation in the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

When it comes to Congressional legislation that would require all vehicle manufacturers in the U.S. to ensure free access to AM radio in every car, truck or van sold across the nation, the head of the Consumer Technology Association has made it clear how his association — owner and producer of the CES conference — feels about the AM Radio for Every Vehicle act.In short, Gary Shapiro opposes the legislation. Why? Hear for yourself in this special RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.Our special expanded InFOCUS Podcast includes prepared statements from Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), who convened the hearing; Subcommittee Ranking Member Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.); House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), who is in her final term as a Member of Congress and will not seek reelection; and House E&C Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.).

It's a radio station that was made famous for its Top 40 format across the 1960s and 1970s that has aired a News/Talk format since 1982.Today, "77 WABC" is in the midst of a renaissance and earned a 4.0 share in the most recent Nielsen Audio ratings for New York. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Red Apple Media President Chad López shares how growth has come for a reborn legend.The tale of WABC today includes Sid Rosenberg, "Cousin Brucie" Morrow, a Mazda dealer's title sponsorship of a Sunday early-evening show devoted to Frank Sinatra, and the ownership of New York supermarket owner John Catsimitidis. For more, click on the embedded player below.

Some 61,000 attendees of the 2024 NAB Show are now absorbing all that they learned at the annual conference, which concluded April 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Between the chatter at the Encore Lobby Bar and the West Hall's expo booths, there were clear takeaways from this year's affair and all were focused on monetization. From GenAI to keeping AM radio accessible and relevant, much was also discussion in panel sessions on the NAB Show agenda.In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Radio Ink Online Editor Cameron Coats joins RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam Jacobson to share their observations of what make headlines — and got people talking — at this year's affair.

He was a senior correspondent for ABC News and covered the White House during President Obama’s second term from 2012 to 2016. Today he's a member of the news team at The E.W. Scripps Co.'s ABC affiliate in San Diego, KGTV-10. Jim Avila, back from a health scare that prompted him to "retire," in mid-March hosted a one-night special on Scripps News to mark the end of a two-day series called “48 Hours on the Border.” The special is a collaboration between the national network and teams of reporters at Scripps affiliates in Phoenix, San Diego, Tucson and Corpus Christi.To learn more about Avila's work, and his view on how local TV news can make an impact in its own market and across the U.S., the veteran journalist joined RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson for a conversation on the latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

Paul LeFort, head of local TV sales at Nielsen, assumed Television Client Services duties at the start of 2024 with the retirement of Catherine Herkovic. As LeFort settles in to his new role, he spoke with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson to share the latest on how Nielsen helping broadcasters in showing the continued value of UHF/VHF, so that they can continue to woo advertising clients with stories that go beyond reach.LeFort also touched on measurement accuracy for the television industry and what he's looking forward to at the 2024 NAB Show in this all-new InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

He’s worked in television since 1976, and has been at his current station since 1997. Now, at a yet-to-be-disclosed date this month, Fred Hunter will conclude his career, stepping aside from his role at WBRC-6 in Birmingham.Hunter spoke with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam Jacobson about his career, and the importance of weather to local news and broadcast television — as well as the "citizen journalist" in times of emergency — in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.