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Another Cumulus debt bomb?

secondchoice said:
So in theory someone in Russia, China, or (fill in any country recognized the US but the not in a declared war against the US) can own and operate American Radio and TV stations?
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Subject to the approval of the FCC and the DOJ. And certainly if Congress disapproves, they could pass a law about it.

As we've said, the US government and several US companies own and operate radio & TV stations in many foreign countries. For example, the government owns a radio station in Baghdad.

Both Russia and China create programming that is broadcast on US radio stations owned by American citizens. Just recently, the FCC has said the owners of those stations have to register as foreign agents, but didn't prohibit those stations from broadcasting state propaganda from those foreign governments.
 
TheBigA said:
Subject to the approval of the FCC and the DOJ. And certainly if Congress disapproves, they could pass a law about it.

As we've said, the US government and several US companies own and operate radio & TV stations in many foreign countries. For example, the government owns a radio station in Baghdad.

Both Russia and China create programming that is broadcast on US radio stations owned by American citizens. Just recently, the FCC has said the owners of those stations have to register as foreign agents, but didn't prohibit those stations from broadcasting state propaganda from those foreign governments.
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Don’t forget KCRW Berlin 104.1 (Formerly NPR Berlin). Operated by an American corporation for decades!

And then I do believe it was Austereo in Upside-down England that had a sizeable chunk owned by ClearChannel.

So other countries have been allowing this in various forms for quite awhile. Whether it’s a detriment or not, I do know Austereo was one of the more successful radio groups in Australia. No ozzies seemed to be up in arms about greasy Americans owning a chunk of a radio station group.
 
TheBigA said:
Just recently, the FCC has said the owners of those stations have to register as foreign agents, but didn't prohibit those stations from broadcasting state propaganda from those foreign governments.
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Actually it was not the FCC but a federal judge, who ruled a radio station in DC that was running Radio Sputnik has to register as a foreign agent. See below:

A federal judge has ordered that RM Broadcasting, which leases WZHF, 1390, Capitol Heights from Way Broadcasting and subleases the time to a Russian news agency for English language news and talk Radio Sputnik programming, to register as a foreign agent with the State Department
 
TheBigA said:
Subject to the approval of the FCC and the DOJ. And certainly if Congress disapproves, they could pass a law about it.

As we've said, the US government and several US companies own and operate radio & TV stations in many foreign countries. For example, the government owns a radio station in Baghdad.

Both Russia and China create programming that is broadcast on US radio stations owned by American citizens. Just recently, the FCC has said the owners of those stations have to register as foreign agents, but didn't prohibit those stations from broadcasting state propaganda from those foreign governments.
Click to expand...

Emmis owned stations in Argentina, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Saga had stations in Iceland.

Metromedia had ones in Berlin, Latvia, Moscow and others. I was their consultant on the purchase of about 60 stations in Chile.

There are European groups, like RTL, that own stations in several countries. And Spain's Prisa has about 1,000 stations in a dozen nations in Latin America.
 
https://news.radio-online.com/articles/n37177/Cumulus-Makes-$50-Million-Voluntary-Debt-Prepayment

Cumulus Media has made a $50 million voluntary debt prepayment, continuing its commitment to reducing leverage. The company has reduced its total debt by close to $250 million since emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 4, 2018, bringing the Company's total debt to approximately $1.05 billion.
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Here is Cumulus and some of its debt reductions.
 
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