IRVING, Texas—Trilogy NextGen has unveiled details about its work on a private 5G network deployment at the new Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) studio in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The facility will be used by Dr. Phil's new network and TBN. 

As part of its work on the new studio, Trilogy NextGen fully integrated a private 5G edge network and 5G-enabled cameras throughout Trinity Broadcasting Network’s state-of-the-art facility, which has also attracted Merit Street Media, a new network from acclaimed television personality Dr. Phil McGraw.

"As the new home for many of TBN's most popular news and entertainment programs, as well as 'Dr. Phil Primetime' and Merit Street Media, it was essential to create a facility that delivers the ultimate state-of-the-art experience," said Russell Hall, senior vice president of production, TBN. "Our partnership with Trilogy NextGen helps us invigorate the world of broadcasting, as we push the boundaries of content creation to inspire, inform and uplift audiences around the world."

The Trilogy NextGen private 5G network, which is powered by Microsoft Azure private multi-access edge compute (MEC) and the Ericsson 5G Radio Dot System, delivers secure, seamless, high-speed connectivity over Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum throughout the broadcasting facility, the companies said.

At launch, The PLEX, TBN's state-of-the-art broadcast center, will be capable of hosting up to 20 different live and recorded broadcasts at any given time. By fully integrating a private 5G edge network and 5G-enabled cameras throughout the 215,000-square-foot facility, Trilogy NextGen enabled wireless capture of digital content with near real-time latency, reliable mobile communications for production crews, and mission-critical security operations for their staff and emergency personnel. 

The PLEX broadcast center also has attracted a new media network tenant, Merit Street Media from television personality Dr. Phil McGraw, which launches on February 26.

Based on the Microsoft Azure private MEC solution, the 5G network empowers multiple use cases via ready-to-deploy applications. For example, once the 5G network was live, TBN chose to add a CBRS-enabled, push-to-talk (PTT) application, allowing secure, real-time coordination between production trailer security and building facilities teams with greater reliability than previously used Wi-Fi devices.

"In collaboration with TBN and Merit Street Media, Trilogy NextGen has unleashed the agility, speed and security of private 5G networking to streamline and transform the broadcast studio of tomorrow," said Parag Shah, president, Trilogy NextGen. "This next-generation 5G network powered by the edge compute capabilities of Microsoft Azure eliminates the constraints of wires and cables that limit creativity, reinventing the world of film and television."

"Trilogy NextGen's integration with Microsoft Azure private multi-access edge compute is delivering solutions that make a difference for people, organizations and industries around the world," added Rebecca Thompson, partner director, product management at Microsoft Azure for Operators. "With the high performance, low latency and security of private 5G connectivity at the edge, the PLEX broadcast center epitomizes the next wave of digital transformation in entertainment."

"In today's hyper-connected world, high-performing, secure indoor connectivity is an essential utility," concluded David Green, vice president and key account manager, Ericsson North America. "The system enables companies such as TBN to modernize and expand their operations in order to deliver use cases such as 5G video, security robots, digital intercoms, and push-to-talk through the use of indoor 5G networks."

PHOENIX & FORT WORTH, Texas—The Najafi Companies and Trinity Broadcasting Network have entered the market of companies attempting to acquire Tegna Inc. The two companies’ joint offer is $20 per share for the U.S. broadcast, digital media and marketing services of Tegna.

The Najafi Companies is a private global investment firm, while TBN is a faith-and-family broadcaster that says it reaches more than 175 nations.

For the acquisition of Tegna, Najafi and TBN expect to create a wholly owned new entity. They propose that as a private company, Tegna would be able to execute a long-term value creation strategy, “free from short-term public shareholder objectives.”

Najafi and TBN are not the only bidders for Tegna, however. Back in 2019 Apollo Global Management’s bid had been confirmed by Tegna, while recent reports have also identified media mogul Byron Allen as an interested party. Gray Television had previously made a bid for Tegna of $8.5 billion, but has since withdrawn the offer.

Tegna owns 62 TV stations and four radio stations across 51 markets, with a reach to 41.7 million households.

WASHINGTON--The FCC, with an assist from a bunch of broadcasters including Sinclair and Tribune, have teamed up to tell a federal court that the groups challenging the FCC's return of the UHF discount did not have standing the bring the suit.

That came in comments to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

After judges in oral argument suggested Free Press et. al had not provided the requisite documentation of harmed members, the group supplied testimonials to that effect.

But in a brief filed with the court Wednesday (May 16) in response to Free Press' supplement, the FCC said that the Supreme Court had long made clear that for an organization to establish standing, it must identify specific members "who had suffered cognizable, traceable, and redressable injuries," and that the court's signal that it would allow Free Press to provide that after the fact if Free Press could show that it "reasonably, but mistakenly, believed" its original filing "had sufficiently demonstrated standing."

The FCC said the petitioners had not done that. For one, it said, since petitioners did not identify any specific members, let alone what their injury might be, it "could not have reasonably thought it had demonstrated standing."

The FCC pointed out it had challenged standing, as had the broadcasters, Free Press et al. had failed to remedy that deficiency in reply briefs or oral argument.

And trying to use Free Press' supplement against it, the FCC said that its "belated submission of hundreds of pages of declarations, following a court order, demonstrates it was unreasonable for petitioners to have previously believed their standing was obvious."

As to Free Press' citation of the potential harms of a Sinclair-Tribune merger in their supplement, the FCC said that was simply "speculation about the effects of proposed broadcast acquisitions that are still awaiting Commission action." To be fair, Free Press also cited the impact of Sinclair-Bonten deal, which was approved last year.

Given that Free Press did not establish standing "at the time of the suit," or so the FCC argues, the court should dismiss the petition to review and reverse the UHF discount decision on the basis of lack of standing.

In their brief, Sinclair, Tribune, Fox, Univision, Trinity, ION and Nexstar, second-chaired the FCC's argument, summing it up this way:

"The Supreme Court and this Court long ago held that parties relying on the associational-standing doctrine must 'establis[h] that at least one identified member' has standing. It is likewise well-established that petitioners 'must produce actual evidence, not mere allegations, of facts that support [their] standing.' Petitioners failed to meet these clear requirements and had no reasonable basis for believing that the requirements did not apply."

They also agreed that the Sinclair-Tribune deal is "insufficiently certain or imminent to establish standing."

The insufficiently imminent point is because the FCC has yet to even restart its shot clock on the deal, after which it will put the latest deal out for several weeks of public comment before rendering a decision.

They also point out that the Bonten deal was not opposed by Free Press et al. "Petitioners cannot establish standing based on a transaction they did not oppose and cannot seek to undo because any alleged harm to Petitioners would be traceable to that transaction, not the FCC’s separate Reconsideration Order," they said. "Additionally, the FCC had not approved the Sinclair-Bonten transaction when Petitioners instituted this action, the “critical time for Article III standing analysis.” 

LUXEMBOURG—Intelsat and Trinity Broadcasting Network are going for another round, as the companies have announced they signed a multi-year agreement for TBN content to be distributed to cable head-ends throughout North America.

Intelsat will distribute HD and SD programming through its Galaxy 14 video neighborhood to more than 100 million TBN viewers in the U.S. TBN’s programming will transition to a next-generation Galaxy satellite at the same orbital location over the span of the contract.

“The resiliency and high penetration rate of Intelsat’s Galaxy 14 neighborhood has been vital to our growth strategy and expanded our audience base to reach our audience with our faith-based, high-quality programs,” said Robert Fopma, TBN’s COO.

LUXEMBOURG—Religious-based Trinity Broadcasting Network will continue its relationship with globalized network Intelsat, as it has announced it has renewed its contract to distribute HD and SD programming through Intelsat’s Galaxy 14 satellite. The contract will go through the end of the satellite’s life and distribute content to cable head-ends throughout North America.

TBN will distribute more than 200 channels, nearly 100 in HD, through the Galaxy 14, which is part of Intelsat’s ‘premier video neighborhood.” The premier video neighborhood in North America is made up of eight satellites.

Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines a satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and open, interoperable architecture.