RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast

On January 22, newly elected Indiana Governor Mike Braun was sworn in, and in one of his first acts signed a series of executive orders in the name of “a healthier Indiana.” But, that's raised concerns among radio and TV broadcasters across the Hoosier State as a stop to all Medicaid advertising was effectively put into play.Has this impacted locally owned broadcasters? To learn more, J Chapman, President and owner of Woof Boom Radio in Muncie, Ind., joins Radio + Television Business Report Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson on this all-new InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

In April, Keith Pelletier will celebrate three years in the role as President of Dielectric, the broadcast tower company acquired by Sinclair Inc. in 2013. Pelletier is featured in the RBR+TVBR Winter 2025 magazine, distributed Monday in digital form to all Radio + Television Business Report Members and in print form to attendees of the at-capacity VIP "Cocktails and Conversation" gathering in Las Vegas during the 2025 CES Show, which begins early next week.In this conversation, Pelletier shares details about what Dielectric is focusing on for its broadcast media industry customers in 2025 while chatting with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Xperi Corp. SVP/Broadcast Radio and Digital Audio Joe D'Angelo is readying for a big CES 2025, which officially opens on January 7 across a wide swath of Las Vegas.In this exclusive conversation, D'Angelo shares in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, what's in store for the broadcast media industry at this year's Consumer Electronics Show and offers hints that DTS AutoStage, HD Radio and TiVO are on track for a big year ahead.

CES 2025 and the NAB Show are once again highly anticipated events for broadcast media, which is eagerly looking at new products to bring greater efficiencies and improved back-end technology to the forefront.In 2025, GatesAir will take a starring role in serving FM radio stations with new products and various services needs. Ray Miklius, VP of Technology at GatesAir, shares more about what's ahead in the next year from the electronics manufacturer from the company's U.S. headquarters in Quincy, ll., in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

What does Skyview Networks President/CEO Steve Jones believe he'll get out of his attendance at the upcoming CES 2025 affair in Las Vegas?Lots, he says, as this annual collection of what is "innovative, inspirational and often practical ... although, not always" is poised to attract thousands of forward-thinking individuals, along with some intrepid radio and TV industry leaders, come early January.In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Jones discusses why GenAI advancements are vital for broadcasters and how incubators to proven tech companies each bring fresh ideas to the C-Suites for radio and TV companies around the nation.

"I'm really interested in seeing the latest and greatest with AI, and it's across the entire operation — not just content, but in the back office, where we can streamline our operation and become more efficient."That's what excites Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley the most about her attendance at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, CES 2025, in Las Vegas.What else is top-of-mind for the leader of a radio station ownership group with properties in markets such as Detroit, Boston, Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Boston?"It would also be irresponsible if I were to go all the way out to CES, with all of the Auto out there, and not look at the latest trends since Auto is one of our largest platforms that we distribute content on," she shares in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, in a fresh conversation with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

How does the Chief Financial Officer of Townsquare Media view his company's potential revenue intake from digital advertising in the coming quarters? "The sky's the limit," he told attendees of the BofA Securities Leveraged Finance Conference, held at the Boca Raton Resort in Palm Beach County, Fla., on December 3.Stu Rosenstein also shared that a Term Notes issuance is coming, telling institutional investors in attendance, "You guys should look at as as a 'sleep at night' loan," he said, adding that the "Local First" media company heavy on programmatic and local digital solutions will be paying down debt monthly with the bank loan of approximately $460 million — in the works for January 2025 — and that Townsquare's debt leverage at the start would be at 4.6x.Free Cash Flow and Capital Expeditures were also part of a discussion that saw CEO Bill Wilson chime in on his expectations from a forthcoming Brendan Carr-led FCC, and we're pleased to offer highlights from the company's presentation in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

From technological innovations that could impact the future of local TV, such as ATSC 3.0., to pending regulatory policy changes under forthcoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Deutsche Bank Director of Equity Research Ben Soff shared the Wall Street viewpoint on how linear TV could benefit during a TVB Executive Summit session held Thursday in New York.The conversation begins with an assessment of BIA Advisory Services' 2025 local TV advertising outlook presented by Tom Buono, its CEO. It concludes with Soff's comments on how investors "should be able to find the right assets at the right price."In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Soff shares his thoughts in a conversation with TVB President/CEO Steve Lanzano. 

The Founder/Managing Partner and CEO of Nueva Network and Costa Media will be sharing his insight at a Forecast 2025 panel on November 13. To get a preview of what is in store for conference attendees, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Villafañe to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

He's served since January 2021 as President and General Manager of the Hearst Television ABC affiliate serving Kansas City, KMBC-9, and its sibling that is the home of the CW in the market, KCWE-TV. To learn a little bit more about these stations, and their presence in a vibrant local media market, we welcome Justin Antoniotti to the podcast.

In May 2023, Lee Harris joined the NewsNation cable news network, owned by Nexstar Media Group, as Director of Integrated Operations. For those in the New York Tri-State area, Harris' name and voice are very familiar, as he spent more than three decades as a news anchor at "1010 WINS." This makes him pretty knowledgeable about both the radio and TV industries, and it is this knowledge that has led him to take the role of moderator for the Executive Super Session, sponsored by ABC Audio, at Forecast 2025, presented by Radio Ink and the Radio + Television Business Report.To learn more about what's in store for Forecast attendees and about Harris's first year at NewsNation, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Harris to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Hurricane Milton was a devastating storm, and the impact to communities across Charlotte and Sarasota Counties in Florida, including Englewood, were hit particularly hard. Yet, Fiorini Media-owned radio stations WENG in Englewood and WCXS in Arcadia were on the air, providing emergency news updates and even taking a pause Sunday for coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' win against the New Orleans Saints.In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm, Market Manager and WENG morning host Kerri Black shares how the storm impacted the area, what the stations did to keep the lights on, and what her team did to ensure the safety of staff while providing vital information to the community.

Based in Memphis, Howard Robertson, CEO and Founder of Spotset Radio Network, is laser-focused on bringing political advertising to Black radio.With the Power of Urban Radio Forum scheduled for October 9-11 in Washington, D.C., it's a perfect time for stations targeting African American communities to step up their voter outreach efforts and increase their electoral ad dollars.How they can do it is Robertson's specialty, and he wonders if the Harris-Walz campaign is truly capitalizing on the ways Black-owned media can connect with consumers. To learn more, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Robertson to this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

For the last decade it has worked with such brands as Wix, Dollar Shave Club and 23 and Me. Over the last six months, Juice Media has grown, as it seeks to extend its reach into digital marketing, media measurement and attribution across growth channels.To learn more about Juice Media and its efforts, in particular, in the linear media space, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes its President, Mark Zamuner, to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

WFMZ-69 since 1976 has served the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania with local news coverage and syndicated fare including Judge Judy. It's a rarity in the modern age, but the unaffiliated player remains important to an important segment of the Philadelphia DMA. That's why getting DirecTV streaming coverage, in addition to its long-running availability on the traditional DBS provider satellite lineup, is a big deal for station owner Maranatha Broadcasting.To learn more about WFMZ-69 and how it continues to thrive and not get overlooked by national companies, station President/GM Barry Fisher, Past Chairman of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, joins RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson on this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Harker Bos Group earlier this year released the audio edition of its State of Spanish-Language Media 2024 report. Now, it has released its video division, and it is chock full of takeaways that are of value to all across the television industry.To discuss the possible “whys” behind the data and the findings, we welcome Sean Bos, VP of Branding and Research at Harker Bos Group, to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

For nearly 100 years, a Class A radio station with a 50kw signal which at night can be heard across multiple states and Canadian provinces has officially served listeners from Minneapolis. Now, ahead of its official October 2 centennial, Audacy is celebrating a century of service at WCCO-AM 830. To learn more about the continued importance of the AM radio station and the role it plays, Adam R Jacobson welcomes WCCO Brand Manager and Program Director Brad Lane to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

He began his career in May 1995 as a Retail Merchandising Manager for Target in the Rio Grande Valley and would later manage all consumer bi-national and regional promotional and event marketing activities for Tecate, Dos Equis, Sol, Bohemia and Cerveza Carta Blanca. That led to positions across the Hispanic advertising and marketing industry on both the agency and client level, with positions at The Clorox Company and, most recently, at Procter & Gamble Co., where he served as Senior Brand Manager for North America in the Multicultural Media unit. Now, he's joining HRN – Hispanic Media Networks – as Chief Cultural Officer.To learn more about his shift to HRN, we're pleased to welcome Lupe de Los Santos to the inFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.

The dynamics related to this "blackout" and how privately held DirecTV views the future of the television business model seemingly appeared to be the focus of an "analyst call" hosted by the Chief Financial Officer for the direct broadcast satellite company. From the get-go, the session, which did not include an opportunity for journalists' query, saw Ray Carpenter offer a one-sided, biased viewpoint on one of the touchiest subjects impacting TV stations today: retransmission consent, and what constitutes fair compensation."Price gauging" and "a lack of flexibility" programmers "institute" on distributors were just some of the comments Carpenter lobbed at The Walt Disney Co., which saw its station go dark across DirecTV and U-Verse channel lineups on Sunday at 7pm Eastern. While there are always two players involved in a carriage fee negotiation process, MVPDs have consistently pointed fingers at broadcast TV station owners as the guilty party when the loss of TV stations — by law — must come in the absence of a fresh retransmission consent agreements.On Tuesday morning, Carpenter and DirecTV took it up a notch, and the RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, is pleased to offer excerpts from the DirecTV analyst call — giving the broadcast media industry an opportunity to hear for themselves the DBS provider's view on retransmission consent.

There are few people in the radio industry who understand New York's Capital District, the Hudson Valley and communities on the edge of the Berkshires and Adirondacks than Chuck Benfer. Since March 2023, he's served as Chief Operating Officer of Pamal Broadcasting, after leading the company's Albany-Schenectady-Troy stations for a year. He's spent decades traveling up and down I-87 at radio stations across the region, working at competing stations to what today are his own.Pamal's stations continue to excel, with tremendous ratings and revenue success for some heritage Adult Contemporary and Top 40 brands. How does the company founded by Siena College Class of 1966 member Jim Morrell do it? Find out in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

In early August, longtime radio personalities Stan & Haney announced that they will be retiring at the end of the month. The duo have enjoyed a decades-long run in Southwest Florida at WRXK – "96K-Rock" – the Fort Myers, Naples and Marco Island FM owned by Beasley Media Group.What made Stan & Haney iconic in this region of the Sunshine State and what learning lessons do they have to share about the power of local radio? To find out we welcome Stan Nawalaniec to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

When it comes to Cumulus Media, a focus on mid-sized markets has yielded some considerable success when it comes to local radio leaders. In market No. 34, Kansas City, the company has locked in the top two slots in the Nielsen Audio ratings month after month.How has this translated to ad revenue, community connectivity and keeping Radio relevant in the Paris of the Midwest? Those are just some of questions RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson asks Cumulus RVP Donna Baker in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

On June 27, a novel new over-the-air television brand that seeks to bridge the divide between Republicans and Democrats with “bite-sized videos and informational text” to the “purple majority” made its debut in Milwaukee. Now it is coming to a Columbus, Ohio TV station.To learn more about PurpleTV and the man behind it, we welcome Matthew Davidge to this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.Davidge is also known for his role at low-power TV station owner Roseland Broadcasting, and for TV station owner SagamoreHill Broadcasting. And, he also offers his thoughts on the future of TV and his perhaps incendiary comments about what he thinks of broadcast TV commercials.

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.

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.

RBR+TVBR's look at the upcoming 2024 NAB Show continues with a conversation with Skyview Networks President/CEO Steve Jones. What excites him about GenAI and its use at broadcast radio? What are the other big conversation topics he's expecting to discuss at the NAB Show? We find out in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

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.

In November 2019, Mary DelGrande joined vCreative as its Sr. VP/Sales, ahead of her promotion to Chief Executive Officer. With 30-plus years of experience, including 20 years at Premiere Networks, what excites this CEO of a media workflow software provider serving both Radio and Television as the second quarter of 2024 arrives?DelGrande shares her thoughts and more in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM. From what she's hoping to learn and share at this year's NAB Show to how to attend the invitation-only Cocktails and Conversation reception scheduled for April 14 expressly for radio and television industry pros, it's all here in this audio interview with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.The Cocktails and Conversation gathering is presented by Beasley Media Group, vCreative, Benztown, Quu, Xperi, Jacobs Media and Streamline Publishing's Radio Ink and the Radio and Television Business Report.

From GenAI to monetizing original digital content, there's much Caroline Beasley, the CEO of Beasley Media Group, is looking forward to at the 2024 NAB Show. In fact, there's a lot of activity at this year's show involving Ms. Beasley and Beasley Media Group executive leadership, including Caroline's appearance on an April 15 panel devoted to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Caroline offers her thoughts on what's of keen interest to Beasley Media Group, and how those seeking to attend an invitation-only "Cocktails and Conversation" reception on April 14 during the NAB Show can be a part of the action.

There's a lot of excitement on Wall Street and from the broadcasting communities regarding some of the projects Xperi Corp.'s Connected Car business unit, which Joe D'Angelo maintains oversight of.With strong momentum out of the CES conference in January and ahead to the 2024 NAB Show, the DTS AutoStage product, in particular, is poised to have a breakout year. But, what about HD Radio advancements? What's new with the TiVo brand and how is that getting a Connected Car play? D'Angelo shares the latest in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, in a fresh conversation with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

Making radio a more visual media has been the talk of the industry since CES 2024, and with the 2024 NAB Show coming in just weeks, that conversation continues with QUU CEO Steve Newberry.At QUU, the focus has been on making the in-dash audio entertainment system come alive when tuned to a broadcast radio station. In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Newberry shares the latest on what's in store for the "connected car," and what he and others may be looking forward to at the NAB Show in mid-April.

What's it like to run radio stations in a marketplace where many on Madison Avenue may be wholly unfamiliar with the region, due to its small market size?In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, we chat with Chris Hayes, the Operations Manager for what is now called Zimmer Marketing — an agency and radio station owner — in Joplin, Mo., to learn how "Joplin Radio" has changed over his 33 years in the industry to best deliver on its primary focus: bringing results to its clients in this corner of Southwestern Missouri.

What's it like to be a broker today? "I think we are in the middle of a cycle," says Eddie Esserman, Managing Director of Media Services Group. "It's very cold but not frozen ... Deals are being done."On the radio side of the media transactions landscape, "neighbors" are getting deals done with each other. Is this a welcome new trend for the industry? What's the outlook for broadcast television station deals?Esserman shares his thoughts in a new InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

With so much attention of late given to broadcast TV stations acquiring play-by-play rights, the continued importance of broadcast radio for sports teams is a topic definitely worthy of a bigger spotlight. This week, an MLS team, the Columbus Crew, inked a new broadcast rights deal, shifting their radio home from WBNS to WXZX. Discussing the deal is iHeartMedia of Columbus, Ohio SVP of Programming Michael McCoy, who joins Adam R Jacobson on the InFOCUS Podcast.