v3.25.1
Segment Data
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Data

Note 15: Segment Data

The Company’s reportable broadcast segment includes (i) television stations and related local websites that Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to in various markets across the United States, (ii) NewsNation, a national cable news network, (iii) two owned and operated multicast networks and other multicast network services, and (iv) WGN-AM, a Chicago radio station. The other operating segments are nonreportable and include (i) The CW and (ii) digital businesses focused on the national marketplace. Intersegment transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The remaining activities of the Company are corporate functions and the management of certain real estate assets.

The Company’s segment structure reflects the financial information and reports used by its Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) to assess operating performance, allocate resources and make decisions regarding current operating and financial focus. The Company’s CODM is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

The CODM evaluates the performance of its operating segments based on net revenue and segment profit (loss). Segment profit (loss) includes net revenue, programming and related expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses attributable to the segments, and amortization of broadcast rights. Segment profit (loss) excludes unallocated corporate revenue and expenses, depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of intangible assets, impairment charges, transaction and other one-time expenses, gain on disposal of assets and business divestitures and non-operating income statement items.

The following table sets forth a breakdown of selected financial information for our reportable Broadcast segment and a reconciliation of that segment’s profit to income from operations (in millions):

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Reportable Broadcast Segment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net revenue

 

$

1,169

 

 

$

1,222

 

Programming and related expenses (1)

 

 

(543

)

 

 

(539

)

Selling, general and administrative expenses (1)

 

 

(181

)

 

 

(190

)

Amortization of broadcast rights (1)

 

 

(16

)

 

 

(17

)

Reportable Broadcast segment's profit

 

 

429

 

 

 

476

 

Other segmentsʼ loss, net

 

 

(42

)

 

 

(26

)

Corporate (unallocated)

 

 

(50

)

 

 

(53

)

Depreciation and amortization expense (2)

 

 

(116

)

 

 

(122

)

Transaction and other one-time expenses

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1

)

Miscellaneous

 

 

(1

)

 

 

1

 

Income from operations

 

$

220

 

 

$

275

 
(1)
The expenses included in the measure of our reportable Broadcast segment’s profit are as follows:
•
Programming and related expenses – primarily include fees incurred under network affiliation agreements and operating costs to produce and air local news.
•
Selling, general and administrative expenses – primarily include (i) salaries, benefits and payroll taxes, commission, professional fees, travel, and software license fees incurred by sales teams and (ii) salaries, benefits and payroll taxes, group insurance and office rental costs incurred in managing the segment’s business units.
•
Amortization of broadcast rights – the amortization of license fees for acquired programs from national program syndicators and certain production companies.
(2)
Includes depreciation of property and equipment and amortization of intangible assets. Excludes amortization of broadcast rights.

The following tables present the disaggregation of the Company’s revenue by source (in millions):

Three Months Ended March 31, 2025

 

Reportable
Broadcast
Segment

 

 

Other
Segments

 

 

Corporate (unallocated)

 

 

Eliminations(1)

 

 

Consolidated

 

Distribution

 

$

747

 

 

$

27

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

(12

)

 

$

762

 

Advertising

 

 

411

 

 

 

49

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

460

 

Other

 

 

11

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

(2

)

 

 

12

 

Total net revenue

 

$

1,169

 

 

$

77

 

 

$

2

 

 

$

(14

)

 

$

1,234

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2024

 

Reportable
Broadcast
Segment

 

 

Other
Segments

 

 

Corporate (unallocated)

 

 

Eliminations(1)

 

 

Consolidated

 

Distribution

 

$

747

 

 

$

25

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

(11

)

 

$

761

 

Advertising

 

 

466

 

 

 

46

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

512

 

Other

 

 

9

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

(1

)

 

 

11

 

Total net revenue

 

$

1,222

 

 

$

72

 

 

$

2

 

 

$

(12

)

 

$

1,284

 

 

(1)
The elimination of distribution revenue represents intersegment revenue generated by Other segments for services provided to the Broadcast segment.

Our primary sources of revenue include: (i) distribution, comprised primarily of retransmission revenue, carriage fees, affiliation fees and spectrum leasing revenue and (ii) advertising, comprised of non-political and political advertising.

Distribution revenue, our largest category of revenue, primarily results from compensation from cable, satellite and other multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”) and virtual multichannel video distributors (“vMVPDs”) in return for our consent to the retransmission of the signals of our television stations and the carriage of NewsNation, typically based on the number of subscribers the MVPDs and vMVPDs have. We also generate distribution revenues from affiliation fees paid by affiliates of The CW and from programmers who use our spectrum in selected local markets to air their content on our multicast streams. Distribution revenue is recognized at the point in time the broadcast signal or cable network feed is delivered to the distributors in the case of retransmission and carriage fee revenue or, in the case of affiliation fees and spectrum leasing revenue, as network programming and spectrum capacity are delivered to our affiliates and customers.

Advertising revenue primarily results from the sale to local, regional and national businesses, political candidates and other political advertisers of commercial airtime by our stations and networks and the sale of advertising on our owned or third-party websites, and through mobile and over-the-top (“OTT”) applications and other digital advertising solutions. Advertising revenue is generally highest in the second and fourth quarters of each year, due in part to increases in consumer advertising in the spring and retail advertising in the period leading up to, and including, the holiday season. Advertising revenue is generally higher during even-numbered years when congressional and/or presidential elections occur and advertising is aired during the Olympic Games. Advertising revenue is recognized at the time the advertisement airs or is delivered on our websites or mobile or OTT applications or the advertising solution is delivered.

During the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, revenues for two of the Company’s customers exceeded 10%. The first customer represented approximately 14% and 13% of the Company’s consolidated net revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The second customer represented approximately 14% and 13% of the Company’s consolidated net revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.