MediaCo Holding Reports Strong February Audio Performance
MediaCo Holding announced a "strong" February performance across its audio portfolio, with audience growth in key dayparts and demos driving momentum in New York, Southern California, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston. The company said, "New York led by HOT 97 and WBLS, with HOT 97 rising to #4 in mornings and #3 in afternoons, and Prime AQH up 41% year over year. WBLS posted 35% afternoon AQH growth among Persons 25-54 and strong weekend gains. Southern California delivered one of MediaCo's strongest books, powered by Que Buena in Los Angeles, which saw double-digit AQH growth and major morning gains, and 96.1 KRQB, which posted standout increases including 200% midday growth among Persons 18-49 and triple-digit afternoon gains. Dallas-Fort Worth saw breakout performance from 106.7 KZZA, with 38% AQH growth vs. Q4 among Persons 25-54 and strong morning drive gains, while 98.3 KBOC delivered double-digit cume growth and 70%+ weekend AQH increases among Persons 18-49. Houston performance was driven by weekend and off-peak momentum, with 98.5 KTJM posting strong weekend gains across both demos, 107.9 KQQK delivering Persons 18-49 growth across afternoons, nights, and weekends, and 93.7 KNOR seeing triple-digit month-over-month nighttime growth among Persons 18-49."
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- Market Expansion: MediaCo's launch of EstrellaTV on KYVV in San Antonio signifies a major expansion of its full-power broadcast footprint in one of the most important Hispanic markets in the U.S., expected to drive audience and advertising revenue growth.
- Culturally Relevant Content: The full-power broadcast enables EstrellaTV to offer a richer lineup of entertainment, sports, and news programming, including Liga MX matches, catering to U.S. Hispanic audiences' demand for culturally relevant content, thereby enhancing viewer loyalty.
- Strategic Milestone: MediaCo's SVP Luis Fernandez Rocha stated that this upgrade represents a significant milestone in the company's ongoing growth strategy, further solidifying its influence in key Hispanic markets.
- Audience Growth: Year-to-date, EstrellaTV is the fastest-growing Spanish-language broadcast network among Adults 18-49 in prime time, indicating strong performance and future market potential.
- Revenue Growth: MediaCo reported net revenue of $31.4 million for Q1 2026, an increase of $3.4 million or 12% year-over-year, primarily driven by growth in digital revenue, highlighting the company's leadership in serving multicultural audiences.
- Digital Advertising Share: Digital revenue accounted for 49.5% of advertising sales, which not only enhances the company's market competitiveness but also indicates its strong performance in the rapidly growing digital advertising sector, further solidifying its industry-leading position.
- Adjusted EBITDA Decline: Despite revenue growth, adjusted EBITDA was only $203,000, down $1.2 million from the previous year, reflecting increased operating and corporate expenses, indicating challenges in cost control for the company.
- Strategic Investment: MediaCo's acquisition of Sigma Audio Networks LLC includes a commitment to fund up to $1 million during the initial funding period, aimed at enhancing its advertising capabilities in multicultural markets by integrating audio advertising resources and expanding its business scope.
- Executive Appointment: MediaCo Holding Inc. has appointed Roberto Castro as Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller, bringing 30 years of media and entertainment experience that will enhance the company's financial management foundation.
- Rich Industry Background: Castro's nearly 24-year tenure at Spanish Broadcasting System, where he served in various senior finance roles including Vice President of Finance since 2015, showcases his leadership in complex financial environments, which is expected to improve MediaCo's financial reporting quality.
- Strategic Development Support: MediaCo CEO Albert Rodriguez emphasized that Castro's addition will aid the company in executing its growth strategy, enhancing operational performance, and creating value for all stakeholders, reflecting the company's commitment to strengthening its executive team.
- Diverse Media Platform: As a diverse-owned multi-platform media company, MediaCo reaches over 20 million people monthly with powerhouse brands like HOT 97 and WBLS, and Castro's appointment is set to further drive the company's influence among multicultural audiences.
- Significant Audience Growth: In Q1 2026, EstrellaTV posted a 38% year-over-year increase in P18-49 prime time viewership, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of growth, which underscores its accelerating competitive strength and audience appeal.
- Fastest-Growing Network: Year-to-date, EstrellaTV is the fastest-growing Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S., with a 47% increase in P18-49 prime time, significantly outperforming Telemundo (+5%), Univision (-14%), and UniMás (-34%), solidifying its market position.
- Sustained Consistent Growth: Over the past 16 months, EstrellaTV has achieved year-over-year gains in 12 months, with March 2026 being the only Spanish-language broadcast network to post growth, increasing by 22%, demonstrating its stable growth trajectory.
- News Programming Driving Ratings: EstrellaTV's news lineup, including 'Noticiero Cierre de Edición', ranked as the top weekday program in March, averaging 38,500 viewers, which has directly contributed to revenue and market share gains, highlighting its effectiveness in attracting advertisers.
- Quarterly Revenue Growth: Mediacopress reported Q4 revenue of $38.7 million, an 18% increase year-over-year from $32.8 million, indicating strong market performance and demand.
- Annual Revenue Surge: For the fiscal year 2025, total revenue rose to $133.3 million, a 39.5% increase from $95.57 million in 2024, reflecting rapid business expansion and increased market demand.
- Widening Net Loss: Despite revenue growth, the company's Q4 net loss widened to $32.34 thousand from $4.24 thousand in 2024, highlighting challenges in cost management and operational efficiency.
- Improved Adjusted EBITDA: The fiscal year 2025 adjusted EBITDA reached $7.30 million, a significant recovery from a loss of $1.60 million last year, while Q4 adjusted EBITDA increased from $1.73 thousand to $3.71 thousand, indicating a gradual improvement in profitability.
- Earnings Overview: MediaCo Holding Inc. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $32.34 million, widening from a loss of $4.24 million last year; however, the revenue increased by 17.9% to $38.66 million, indicating potential in revenue growth despite the losses.
- Revenue Growth Analysis: The company's fourth-quarter revenue reached $38.66 million, up $5.86 million from $32.80 million last year, reflecting a positive performance in market demand recovery and product sales.
- Loss Expansion Reasons: Despite the revenue increase, the company faced a significant loss increase from $4.24 million to $32.34 million, likely due to rising operational costs or increased investment expenditures, posing challenges to the company's financial health.
- Future Outlook: Although the current financial situation is concerning, MediaCo must focus on the sustainability of revenue growth and implement effective cost control strategies to improve future profitability and market competitiveness.






