Broadcast Q1 results: Tribune TV sales increased 5 percent from a year earlier to $278 million, on higher national ad sales. Total Tribune revenue fell 7.8 percent from a year earlier to $1.1 billion. Net income jumped to $1.8 billion on a tax gain related to the company’s new status as an employee-owned Subchapter S corporation… Gray TV sales gained 2 percent from a year earlier to $71 million, as political and online ad sales helped offset declines in local and national ads. The net loss shrank 66 percent from a year earlier to $3.8 million because of some debt Gray paid back in Q1 2007… Salem Communications sales fell 1.3 percent from a year earlier to $54.5 million. Net income increased 69 percent from a year earlier to $5 million on asset sales.
China Mobile added 68.1 million customers in 2007, making 360 million total. The company reported net income of 27.2 billion yuan -- $3.8 billion -- up from 19.9 billion yuan the previous year.
Broadcast Q4 results: Citadel wrote down $1 billion on the value of its assets, reflecting a “continued deterioration in the radio marketplace and… a decline in the Company’s stock price,” it said. Shares fell 21 percent Friday. Sales more than doubled from a year earlier to $245.5 million on its June purchase of ABC Radio. On a pro forma basis, Q4 sales fell 4.1 percent as a result of a $13.1 million sales drop across Citadel’s other stations, it said… Cumulus revenue fell 3.8 percent from a year earlier to $84.4 million. Its net loss grew to $154 million from $51.4 million a year earlier on a $150 million write- down and increased expenses… Entravision sales fell 2 percent from a year earlier to $62.5 million. It swung to a net loss of $47.9 million from a $21.3 million profit in Q4 2006, on an $80.5 million write-down of its outdoor assets, which it agreed to sell to Lamar Advertising Thursday for $100 million. Entravision probably will use the proceeds to pay down debt, Wachovia analyst Marci Ryvicker wrote.
Comstar is building a WiMAX wireless broadband network in the Republic of Armenia, the Russian telco said Thursday. It expects to be done the second half of 2008. Cornet, a Comstar Group member, will implement the network using 3.6- 3.8 GHz spectrum. U.S. gear maker Airspan Networks will provide base stations.
The FCC announced Tuesday that bidders have surpassed the reserve price for one block of 700 MHz licenses offered -
Verizon Wireless will acquire SureWest Communications’ wireless assets in northern California for $69 million. “The purchase includes SureWest Wireless’ spectrum licenses, and network and operations assets in the greater Sacramento area,” which has 3.8 million potential customers, Verizon Wireless said. The licenses overlap Verizon markets. At closing the 50,000-plus SureWest Wireless customers will become Verizon Wireless subscribers. The companies hope for regulatory approvals in Q2.
The Florida Relay Service handled 3.8 million calls for hearing- and speech-impaired people during 2007, according to a Public Service Commission annual report. The PSC said the service is essential to 3 million Floridians whose physical handicaps impair their ability to communicate by phone. The PSC said the state’s adaptive telecom equipment program for the disabled, supported from the relay service surcharge, distributed 41,337 pieces of adaptive telecom equipment in 2007 and served 18,937 more persons in 2007 than in 2006.
GENEVA -- Agreement on common UHF frequencies for International Mobile Telecommunications was reached Thursday at the World Radiocommunication Conference. C-band frequencies were protected, but some will be used for the mobile wireless technology. The two main bands discussed for identification for IMT were the UHF band, which the U.S. favored, and C-band, which the U.S. opposed picking for IMT, said Richard Russell, head of the U.S. delegation to the WRC.
GENEVA -- A compromise over devoting part of the C band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) hadn’t been reached as the clock ticked down to the World Radiocommunication Conference’s conclusion Nov. 16. Protection of C-band satellites remains a sticking point, officials said. IMT is the ITU global standard for mobile wireless communications.
GENEVA -- Momentum may be building at the World Radiocommunication Conference for no change to the C-band -- with the exception that countries may “opt in” to use frequencies in the lower part of the band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT). Four countries in the Americas, including Brazil and Mexico, had objected to no change in C-band, a WRC participant said: “That’s causing problems within CITEL [Inter-American Telecommunication Commission]. It’s causing problems with the Europeans.”