l_miro

here's Mark Aitken, President of One Media - Sinclair's arm that co-developed ATSC 3. He's also their Senior VP of Advanced Technology, posted the video below to his Youtube account from ATBA 2025 session on "broadcast internet" Aitken: "pushing for something other than ATSC3 at this point... is dangerous! It risks putting your spectrum up for sale" - he's referring to H2 (the largest Low Power TV owner) petitioning the FCC to let them use 5G broadcast and move away from ATSC altogether. The broadcast incentive auction was a Democrat idea, but it got through with GOP support. Sinclair may not want another repack, and appears focused on datacasting. Fotheringham says at some point how they all can do 1 video channel ota, and reserve the rest of the capacity for whatever they want (datacasting). Aitken seemed to emphasise "avoiding the big carriers". He implied that VHF is going to get left out of the fun, due to the known issues, especially integrating a VHF antenna into the small devices. Fotheringham brought up how 1 LPTV/Full Power stick that delivers data costs to operate certain amount, the big carriers are paying about the same for each of their towers that cover a limited area - 1-5 miles vs 30-70 miles. The biggest reveal for where their strategy may be going was at the end. Fotheringham called this "the last best spectrum consolidation opportunity since Nextel", referring to Nextel rounding up push-to-talk providers, and later selling to Sprint for $32B. Really, consolidating full power (and LPTV's unprotected spectrum) spectrum, the FCC eventually allowing UHF TV spectrum to evolve like they allowed SMR to eventually go 3G, 4G, 5G, all that becoming a high-value infrastructure or ultimately a merger target with, Verizon/ATT/Tmobile buying them out, as broadcasting one-to-many delivers data more efficiently

Roxanne was a secretary or something such when she started at WTVJ. There was a lot of drama surrounding her doing on-air work because WTVJ staff with on-air experience and journalism education got passed over by the then bosslady who had her do on air work when they were broke and waiting on the WPLG buyout. Let's just say not everything is as it seems over there

***polled the table at lunch Opinion was that Nexstar is making a spectrum play ("we're thinking of them now as a spectrum company that happens to have broadcast TV"). One of them said he was presented by Nexstar, I guess when they were looking for cash money, that only talked about spectrum, the whole strategy shown was about spectrum, TV only so far as ad revenue/retrans propping up the rest of the operation. refused to say, but the vibe I got was that Nexstar expects to lose network affilaites ala WPLG and is rushing to plan for it because it can be significant. There was a suggestion, rumor or fact not clear but sounded authorative like he knew something, that the networks will be dumping the affiliate model completely and going to their streaming products. The talk revolved around how cable is now bundling Disney+, and ESPN's new app into their TV service etc. is it going to pass? "their current probabilty gauge is 86% of an approval" but court injuction will more than likely happen. Unsure what the end will look like. Said to watch the spread between the $22 offering and the current stock price. Simply, if Tegna's stock begins to drop away from the $22 floor, traders/market believe the odds of approval are worsening. It doesn't say whether this is passing as sold or passing with caveats. so I had one of my AI minions troll around Nextstar's SEC disclosures. It found that Nexstar had "profound and sustained evolution in the conceptualization of how they refer to their broadcast TV stations", firmly referring to them now as "spectrum assets". Most notably after 2021 but especially the last 2 or 3 years this language has intensified, and is more apparent. And it mentioned a recent Nexstar presentation to investors where they described themselves as a spectrum company, I can't remember now but a quote of such, I lost the tabs. So Nexstar probably isn't building news operations.

my TV came built with 3.0 tuner, most/many have it now, outside of LG which doesn't want to pay $6-$10 per ATSC 3.0 tuner. The cost to get approval for decryption is also high so there are many TVs being sold that will see 3.0 encrypted channels but won't play video. Lon.TV reported people have contacted him saying their TVs periodically fail to decrypt with video and audio are cutting out or becoming entirely unavailable for periods. A big thing with ATSC 3.0 encryption many people are unaware of - every ATSC 3.0 tuner comes with a cypher certificate inside it that expires on a set date. The duration depends on what the manufacturer paid ATSC for decryption rights but reports on AVS Forum and elsewhere say it is as short as 5 years, and others 10 years. Same model devices could have different expiration dates set in the factory. Once the decryption certificate expires encrypted channels won't be viewable and it will require a new device as there's no mechanism to update the certificates. A lot of devices also deploy decryption with Google Widevine (Big, bad BigTech) that requires connection to the internet, either once or periodically to get a decryption key. Here in Charlotte the big 4 are airing from WAXN's tower to the north of me in uptown. Clear from the skyscrapers, TV tuner couldn't see them with the paperclip even though I picked up nearby LPTVs. Had to get antenna. All but WJYZ are encrypted, 1080p, WAXN is at 720p. I saw no discrenible difference, maybe a scooch better than 1.0 but hard to tell, granted Family Feud and QC Life were on at the time, it didn't look to me like a real 1080p broadcast. Youtube 1080p looks much more clear and sharp so they're probably upscaling.

these industry people really are stuck in their programming from 1995. Someone update their firmware. Yesterday, I wasted $15 on a Philips antenna because the paper clip wouldn't pick up 3.0 Charlotte stations. Ran into WBTV's QC Life, while browsing channels, which fits into what TVRev sees as the future of local TV. It' has worse production values than a kid Youtuber. Minimum viable content vibes, a cooking segment, segements featuring area small business which is good but overall probably a paid program. With a male host that should really go check his voice and a blonde female host version of Mortitia Adams in civilian clothes, with giant pink claws gesticulating at viewers while talking. It looked so ridiculous on my 70-inch tv. DecoDrive at least has a bite and moves with creativity.

what does 22nd amendment have to do with anything or Nexstar specifically? I love sheltered westerners whose closest encounter with an oppresive regime is lawful things happening in their country they don't like because their sleep paralysys villain Donald Trump is the one doing it . Same people 3 years ago: "put everyone who doesn't mask at home in jail and fire them from their jobs!". Those of us who've actually lived under opressive regimes, that aint it. I was told by authorities since I still have my Bulgarian/EU passport I have to censor myself, even while living in the US, to be compliant with the new EU wrongThink laws or face prosecution, speaking of kings. "WAGT staffers refused to turn over keys" never happened. Great way to become unemployable though, in an industry full of gossipmongering where getting a job depends on who hires you and how much they like you. I thought the news would be blowing up by now but so far it looks like it barely got traction. Both sides posting on the socials that broadcast is boomer TV, lame, old, irrelevant, who cares. So it will probably end up sailing through. Hard to argue against when everyone can grab their phone and head to the socials to air their grievances, smart tv apps, Substack, Youtube. Viewers also don't care, one look at replies under WPLG's independences posts - 2/3 were asking where can they watch David, Wheel, Jeopardy, The view, dont care about WPLG or staff jobs, who needs that much news that repeat every hour, etc... Nexstar itself might not even survive that long, adding $6.5 Billion to their balance sheet when 60+% of its revenue is retrans fees, right after we watched ABC move to a LPTV station to get 100% of retrans. They're one step away from ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX going full Vancome Lady on them and moving their signals to Bob Borisovich's LPTV down the road for $15k a month. With negotiations coming up other stations will soon get Sunbeamed. We might even see a network go off air in some markets for Cable/Sat/YTTV-only distribution.

true, shareholders can vote no and unwind the deal otherwise Tegna's on the hook for $120 mil ($125 mil for Nexstar if regulartors don't approve. 2% break up fee on $6.5 bil deal is standard so can't read too much into it looking at all the stations it looks like an easier deal for Nexstar. They get to dump small markets and third wheels in bigger markets and clap their hands they're complying with compliance. #1 and #2 in bigger market is worth much more than #1 in Podunkville with no growth, and demographics advertisers aren't into. except Thomas Massie, I don't think most in congress care much about broadcast ownership caps and the like. We'll see what happens when this gains steam, if it does. But most in congress will see the pork they get to divide and bring to their districts so it would be an easy vote to chop the cap. No pressure needed from anyone. They will go on MSNBC.. err MSNOW, cry about it then vote for it because getting their constituents better roads matters much more than something they don't use

which only one party? Obama ignored court orders twice - D.C. then FISA - to stop NSA surveilance that vacuumed everyone's emails, texts, calls, browsing etc... data without subpoenas, this started in the 90s by Bill Clinton and only a whistle blower brought it to light in 2011. Also, ignored court order on War Powers act because they felt "kinetic military action" in Libya didnt apply and could do it without asking congress. Most or all "ignored" orders were from district courts, which as the name implies can't issue lawful orders beyond their ... districts ... and that was rechecked recently. If lawful orders are ignored the courts have a mechanism to get a handle on it - contempt of court. Bill Clinton got one of these in 1999 when he didn't comply with court mandated discovery in Paula Jones' case. Carr could ignore anything he wants, that would end up helpful to whoemever ends up in court with him, and in the process end up costing Nexstar a few (hundred) million in breakup fees and unwinding the deal as these things usually go.

reports said Tegna's board approved the Nexstar deal. Bank of America, JPM and a third bank agreed to provide the cash money. So it's probably a done deal if they're announcing it publicly. Until it's not, but Sinclair would probably have to get prying bar out

local news still does numbers, sure, but who's watching? Most viewers are now over age 50, and aging, advertisers only want certain demos and increasingly go to the web/streaming to find them instead of shooting for fish in a barrel. Worse, OTA-only viewers are something like 63 year old on average with $25K income. Take WCPO in Cincinnati. In 10 years they've lost 73% of 11pm newscast audience. Their 6AM is down 55%. Similar situation at the other stations / https://www.wvxu.org/media/2024-05-24/may-ratings-drop-tv-news-cincinnati Conservatives have wanted PBS defunded for a long time, he didn't have to convince them. He appeared to go soft on that at some point during the negotiations and got checked.

with 'Chevron' dead, fed agencies are neutered from making up rules they like - it was explicitly restated for the people in the back that congress can't hand their lawmaking power over to anyone because they're dumb and lazy. Waving this through will land Carr/FCC in court. And it will take time. I sued someone in federal court in 2023, we're still not done, and it's nothing even remotely complex like this merger, so if challenged this can take 2-5 years to worm its way through the courts. The whole thing feels like Nexstar took the tubs of butter out, crossed fingers and hoped Trump has enough stick to bludgeon Congress with to get 50.05% and drop the cap. Maybe it will pass with promises to Reps and Senators of spreading the pork next budget session. The merger also hasn't entered the news cycle. That "2H2026" closing date runs into mid-terms, and if conservatives dislike it it's probably doa like when Trump wanted unlimited H1B, conservatives revolted and now he's implementing Democrat, and especially Union ideas they've been trying to get, going back 30 years. Thomas Massie sounds like against, but he's one. Rand Paul is probably a yes. But do conservatives care anymore? Besides CPAC and Newsmax. They have their platforms now, granted BigTech still in charge, unlike a license for a big stick nobody watches. bigger question is - does broadcast TV, which is in a death spiral (managing a declining asset as they say the earnings calls), matter in a time of smart TV apps, tablets with internet, Substack etc? Beyond a couple of OTA channels for emergency, does it matter really? I know it's more efficient to move video but that's not what viewers care about. I have yet to see a good argument why it does matter today. A Pickleball Stars vs UFC Stars deathmatch can be streamed somewhere, less efficiently, with massive amount of eyeballs and revenue

InDemand, what a throwback. Bumping into those Viewer's Choice PPV psychic shows on Primestar my first days in the US is a core memory. Might be place for PPV but even pickleball have their own TV "network" now and they don't have to revshare with Big Cable

last year when Sinclair announced they might sell up to 30% of their stations on the earnings call they said they have no sacred cows, any station will be sold if it makes sense. Not unthinkable that they could be willing to cash out in some way if they feel the getting is suddenly good A story from today (TVnewscheck I think) quoted money managers who said high networth clients and funds are feeling lukewarm on broadcast television. It doesn't help so many TV execs keep saying they're managing a declining asset

Could be hedging on another broadcast spectrum auction. Broadcasters initially asked ~$80B in the incentive auction last time but didn't get that, they probably hope mobile operators will fight for what would be the last chunks of low band spectrum this time. If not, fight to the death to make ATSC 3.0 mandatory. Then paid 4K OTA encryption, datacasting, selling subchannels, selling user data since tracking is built in - possible scenario given the hard push for encryption, and how they attacked Lon, from Lon.TV, and a few others who commented to the FCC against encrypting OTA signals, calling them paid astroturfers. Also, the FCC just had it's spectrum auction authority renewed to 2034. They must find no less than 800MHz to auction off, but only 3.98-4.2GHz (200Mhz) must be auctioned by July 2027. The military's 3.1-3.45GHz is blocked along with 1000Mhz in 7.4-8.4GHz. So that leaves a possibility they'll go down to more desirable spectrum - broadcast ch 20 to 36 would be 96Mhz. FCC can do another repack - keep UHF 14 to 17, set 18 as a guardband, auction 19 to 36. That leaves 4 x 6Mhz or 24Mhz which could fit 9-15 4K channels or 15-30 1080p channels in a high power high tower setup, more if they do an SFN. My people in Bulgaria have "The Multiplex", handled similarly to Britain - operated by the former government-owned telekom now private Vivacom. Whoever wants a channel on it has to apply, not sure how but I think it is first come first serve. It's a nationwide DVB-T SFN on 3x8MHz non-contingent channels, the government-owned stations on their MUX of 1x8Mhz with 4 channels on it and MUX2 for the commercial stations, 6 stations currently, 11 before that. The entire mux is also up on Eutelsat-33F

nah. I recall reading interviews with Sinclair reps and their main talking point was always about how 3.0 will give the ability to localize advertising and being able to see TVs tuned in so they can do ad attribution, which broadcast admittedly needs. Now they're mad that Lon, from Lon.TV, and AntennaMan whipped up the 3.0 early adopters against encryption, telling the FCC they were astrotufers . Even had SiliconDust HDHomerun, which sponsored Lon a couple times, blocked from getting certification to decrypt 3.0 channels. retrans $$$. For now. They might make OTA 4K paid given that they already encrypt the signal, and conditional access with subscriptions is baked into 3.0

datacasting, TV executive boomers' wet dream. They sell that like we're in the 1990s. I watched some exec on Youtube selling ATSC 3 as this amazing technology (odd how they ignore the encryption questions) and the big selling point he made was ... imAgiNe cArs d0WnloAding SofTware to update... My cheap 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy literally downloads firmware to itself, and I can see where it is at any time on a map, because it has a 5G chip already! Not that there aren't one-to-many broadcasting advantages but I have a hard time beleiving anybody is going to pay $5 to Sinclair and other ATSC 3 patent holders to put a chip in their gadget. They also seem to think Apple will put an ATSC 3 chip on the iPhone so people can watch broadcast TV. And all of that will somehow save broadcasting.

can't be because PPV is a dead format, and UFC want to grow their audience now that they're mainstream? Like you know, that Paramount+ deal for $1.1 billion a year and $7.7 billion over 7 years vs the $300-$500 million yearly UFC earned from pay per view that only hardcore fans bought into at ~$80 per ticket

Non-chamber of commerce Republicans. CPAC and Newsmax are only now starting to bring it to people's attention. Broadly, the media has ignored it. CPAC statement toward the end of their letter gives a good idea how the debate on the ownership cap will evolve very soon-ish: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10804739414409/1 CPAC made a really cogent argument about everything, and drew big attention to the UHF discount calling it "technologically unjustifiable" and even illegal at one point. The 39% cap removal would have to pass the house and the senate. If the dominant conservative narrative, which CPAC would likely end up being heavily involved in, is the same as that letter they wrote then congress likely won't touch it. Or at least not before the midterms. And if it becomes a frenzied debate that isn't controlled by the Chamber of Commerce GOPers, we might live to see them lower the cap. This half-assed FCC stunt could actually end up backfiring on Nexstar, Sinclair et al spectacularly

it's not an ideological show. The 5 people who watch it can also dig in for another $2500 to donate to PBS if they love it so much

CPAC of all organizations just came out with a 17-page filing with the FCC opposing media consolidation. Along with the CWA union. The assumption this will sail through without opposition is a fever dream

And with move to CPM ad billing that lack of eyeballs (assuming there's no price floor) will do them no favor. I keep trying to figure out what their exit strategy is. Bilking cable for retrans fees or hoping for a spectrum incentive auction

Doubtful "77000 members and sponsors" across 6 stations, in a state of 6 million $21 mil in revenue, $29 mil in assets. $3.5 mil cash. $3.1 mil in investment income for 2024. They can stop complaining if they can afford to drop $2500 a year on a PBS membership to see their names printed on a paper

looks like FOX rolled all their cable nets retrans fees and called it FOXOne. Great for those into sports I guess but my Disney+ and Hulu no ads subscription is $20/month. lack of money as we saw recently. Definitely no cash to start clean from zero with investors who can stomach losing money for 5 years hoping it sticks. Add Byron Allen as the CEO and you have a death timer Spanish TV also isn't raking the big bucks either. Univision was sold in 2020, after 14 years of no losses, for the $10B debt it had, plus $800 mil in cash for 64% equity, valuing it at $1.2B - 91% loss of value. It sold in 2006 to big private equity for $13.5 billion, the future of Spanish TV. AmericaTeVe - imploded after their sugar daddy bailed on them and took what he paid for with him. SBS - sold MegaTV three years ago for $64 million but the buyer reneged unable to scrounge up the cash. Telemundo has NBCUniversal to prop them up but even WSCV can barley make more than WSFL-TV after 20 years, and being #1 in Miami. Jorge Ramos is only who he is because the network invested in him over time. Another one of those things that are not coming back, especially if more talent is doing well for themselves just sitting on their kitchen table talking at a camera. Judge Brown is enjoying the podcast circuit, though he probably had potential to be one of the star talking heads in his younger years but instead chose 2-3 months of a work a year for the same paycheck. Candace is doing 1 mil views on a bad day and $$$$$. Shannon Sharpe got his 2 million subs on YT too. Stephen A Smith also doesn't need an employer though he's on SiriusXM.

it adds to WSVN/Sunbeam bottom line for the mere cost of broadcast gear and probably a couple of syndication packs, and a few bucks to Findal to air it on 18.1 ABC, "allegedly", keeps all or most of the retrans fees, probably negotiates it on its own too. WSVN gets to double commercial airtime, and sells it also on behalf of ABC, for a fee. Basically, Sunbeam is now selling 7News at 5 etc ad time twice, for $800-$3000 each, without having to run a second newsroom. Edit: Actually, Sunbeam now have double the ad inventory in any time slot not filled by ABC network programming. The rest is split with ABC, or they sell ad time for them and get 15% customary ad sales fee.

Probably take 5 years off that prediction now that ABC was the first to jump. Even Les Moonves when he ran CBS, far back as 2010-2012, had a CBS network feed ready in case an affiliate got too uppity during negotiations. If im not mistaken he said publicly that his preference is direct CBS network feed to Comcast, Charter etc, no affiliates needed