Friday, May 22, 2026

International Center for Law and Economics

Fix Caps But Not Retrans, Think Tank Warns FCC, And You’ll Regret It

A market-oriented think tank in Portland, Ore., is urging the FCC to treat broadcast ownership rules, retransmission consent, content regulation, and sports distribution policy as a single interlocking problem, cautioning that fixing any one without the others risks making the broader regulatory picture worse.
FTC / Federal Trade Commission

FTC: Cox Media Group Sold Bogus AI Ad Service, Now Must Pay

Cox Media Group is facing a nearly $1 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over an AI-powered "Active Listening" advertising service that the agency says falsely claimed to harvest conversations from smart devices to serve targeted ads to consumers.
Armstrong Williams 2

Sinclair-Operated Station Settles With FCC Over Missed Deadlines

A prominent conservative media figure and political commentator with close ties to the Trump orbit is on the hook for $41,000 after an FCC investigation found one of his broadcast television stations serving the Susquehanna Valley filed or missed dozens of required public file documents over its license term.

Television Academy Foundation Adds Three To Its Board

An entertainment attorney with deep Academy roots, a dealmaker behind some of the streaming era's most consequential content transactions, and the chief executive overseeing one of the largest independent production footprints in the Western Hemisphere are bolstering the board of the Television Academy's philanthropic arm.
Estrella TV

MediaCo Plants EstrellaTV Flag In Alamo City

EstrellaTV has a new full-power address in San Antonio. MediaCo Holding launched the Spanish-language network on KYVV (Ch. 10) on May 19, planting a full-power flag in one of the country's largest Hispanic markets and adding to the company's must-carry distribution across top-10 Hispanic DMAs nationwide.

A Louisville Retirement Leads Hearst To Promote From Within

The President/GM of the CBS affiliate in Kentucky's largest market, owned by Hearst Television, is retiring. The role will be filled by the station's ND, who has been associated with the station for some 14 years. As Hearst Television President Michael J. Hayes says, “She knows this community like few other journalists ever have.”

Senators Question Carr’s Impartiality In Paramount Gulf Sovereign Fund Review

Six Democratic senators are demanding that the FCC explain how it intends to review Paramount Global's request to authorize sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to hold up to 100% of the equity in its broadcast television stations and whether Chairman Brendan Carr can evaluate it impartially.

D.C. Circuit Orders FCC to Answer News Distortion Repeal Bid

A federal appeals court has given the FCC 30 days to respond to a mandamus petition seeking to force the agency to rule on a request to repeal its news distortion policy, escalating a legal fight that began when a bipartisan group of former commissioners filed for the policy's elimination last fall.
Andie MacDowell Gracies

AWM Honors Women Reshaping TV, Journalism At 51st Gracie Awards

Television had a notable presence among the honorees at the 51st Annual Gracie Awards, as the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation marked its 75th anniversary on Tuesday night at the Beverly Wilshire, honoring women who have reshaped media.
Paramount Skydance

Paramount Skydance-WBD Merger Triggers S&P Downgrade

Paramount Skydance Corp. is headed for a one-notch credit downgrade at the close of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, and S&P Global Ratings says the combined company has a long road back thanks to an enormous debt load.
gen AI

NAB Warns Broadcasters: Blocking AI Crawlers Is No Silver Bullet

Blocking AI crawlers from scraping a station's website may seem like an obvious defensive move, but the National Association of Broadcasters is urging members to think carefully before acting. New guidance from the organization lays out four technical approaches to managing automated crawler access alongside business and editorial considerations.

Three Years On, Entravision Ends Board Pact With Ulloa’s Estate

Three years after Walter Ulloa's estate negotiated a board seat at Entravision, the agreement that secured it has been terminated. The company and Alexandra Seros, Ulloa's widow, mutually agreed to end the cooperation agreement on May 18. However, one element of the arrangement will survive.
Gavel

Nexstar Accused Of Having It Both Ways In Dueling Court Fights

Public interest groups pressing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to unwind the Nexstar-TEGNA merger are accusing the FCC of deliberately running out the clock on judicial review, and are asking the court to either force the full commission to act immediately or hold their case in suspension.

Oscar Lifts Disney But Streaming Still Owns Nearly Half The TV Set

Nielsen's March 2026 installment of The Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge tells a familiar story with a few notable wrinkles: streaming's dominance remains largely intact, cable got a welcome shot in the arm from the NCAA basketball tournaments, and Disney had a month worth talking about.
Brendan Carr

Carr: Broadcasters Face New Era Of Public Interest Accountability

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr again pushed back over whether the agency's escalating investigation into Disney-owned ABC stations is politically motivated, insisting the early license renewal order that has rattled the broadcast industry is tied to "invidious forms of DEI discrimination" — but his remarks carry a warning that extends well beyond Burbank.