New York’s WXTV has piggybacked on a major studio overhaul and new hires to reinvent its 11 p.m. newscast, pushing toward deeper dive stories and heftier political coverage. Viewers are responding with a major uptick in ratings.

Video streaming service Deltatre is nearing a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group to be the digital video provider for the 21 regional sports networks that the broadcaster bought last year from Walt Disney Co., according to two people familiar with the talks.

About 8 million viewers were tuned in for the end of the game, where LeBron James’ team defeated Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team 157-155 in the first target-score format in All-Star history. The fourth quarter was untimed and was broadcast commercial-free.

Marquee Sports Network, the new channel being launched Feb 22 by the Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group, took a big step by making a carriage deal to be streamed as part of the Hulu+ Live TV lineup. It is Marquee’s first over-the-top deal with a virtual MVPD, which is important because it means Cubs fans can watch games if they cut the cord.

Cord-cutters now have another website they can visit to catch up on TV shows for free. Redbox recently launched a basic online streaming service, entering a crowded field of ad-supported live entertainment offerings on the internet. The company best-known for its DVD kiosks quietly added a video viewing tab to its website called "Free Live TV."

Donations to the public broadcaster went up sharply after the president said it was “a very good question” to ask why it still existed.

Kenan Thompson, the longest-tenured Saturday Night Live cast member, will serve as MC of this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the annual media jamboree that has become a flash point on free expression in the Trump era. The dinner, to be held April 25, is also set to feature a repeat performance by Hasan Minhaj, the former Daily Host personality and current host of Patriot Act on Netflix. Minhaj was the featured entertainer at the 2017 edition of the event.

The decision to scrap the Feb. 24-27 event in Barcelona was taken after dozens of tech companies and wireless carriers dropped out over the COVID-19 virus, including major companies like Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Amazon, Intel and LG. The companies cited concerns for the safety of staff and visitors. But the Spanish government said in a statement it “believes it is not public health reasons in Spain that have motivated the cancellation.”

The goal of the cable network that debuted Feb. 10 is to reach black audiences with stories that give a broader perspective about their community than what other networks provide. “We are more than athletes and entertainers, and on the hard news side, we’re more than crime,” said former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, BNC's chairman.

New jobs posted to TVNewsCheck’s Media Job Center include six openings: for an anchor/reporter, a meteorologist, a newscast editor, an investigative producer, and newscast producers for both a big city, major market network O&O, and a family-owned media company near beautiful beaches.

New jobs posted to TVNewsCheck’s Media Job Center include openings for a media specialist at a top 5 market O&O, a maintenance technician for a Hearst station in the midwest, and a programming and content distribution director for Illinois Public Media.

New jobs posted to TVNewsCheck’s Media Job Center include openings for a general manager to develop a local 24-hours sports network, and a national sales manager at a Hearst station in the midwest.