From Second Fiddle to First Screen: Inside Broadcast's Big Media Comeback

After decades of playing second fiddle to cable and satellite, the broadcast industry is back in a big way. Station groups are getting bigger, sports rights deals are getting more expensive and the line between broadcast and streaming content is blurring. In this "MediaTalk" episode, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan's Justin Nielson and Scott Robson unpack what they saw on the ground at the NAB Show and a parallel sports tech conference in Las Vegas. First: Are traditional broadcasters back in the live sports game? The answer is yes — but differently. Station groups are stepping into the vacuum left by regional sports networks, picking up local NBA, MLB and NHL games, while ATSC 3.0, or next-gen TV, deployments in markets like Brazil and the Caribbean showcase how broadcast is evolving into a hybrid, data-rich IP platform. Second: Where are the new revenue and profit engines? Political and sports remain core, but experimentation is happening around alternative game casts, ultra-low latency streaming for in-game betting and AI-driven creative. At the same time, transformational M&A deals, including a potential SiriusXM-iHeartMedia combination, offer opportunities for synergies. For media, tech and advertising leaders, this episode is a concise tour of where the next wave of sports, news and ad dollars is likely to flow. More S&P Global content: MediaTalk | Season 4 | Ep. 16 - Betting on the Future: How Prediction Markets Are Changing the Game Featured experts: Justin Nielson, head of Kagan Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Scott Robson, principal analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan. Credits: Host/Author: Mike Reynolds Producer/Editor: Sarah James www.spglobal.com www.spglobal.com/market-intelligence