December Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: License Renewals, EEO Filings, DTV Ancillary/Supplementary Fees, Comment Deadlines and More

December is a busy month for broadcasters with routine filings to complete and action on FCC proceedings that will carry over to the next administration.  Keep on top of these dates and deadlines even as your calendar fills up with holiday celebrations. We start at the beginning of the month, with December 1 being the... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 21, 2020 to November 27, 2020

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC is seeking comment on proposed sponsorship identification requirements for broadcast programming that is paid for, or provided by,... Continue Reading…

In the Conversion to NextGen TV, Who is Responsible for the Content of the Simulcast Streams?

In one of those weird little quandaries in the broadcast legal world, the FCC just asked for comments on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by the NAB seeking a clarification as to who is responsible for the content of simulcast streams provided to comply with the ATSC 3.0 conversion rules.  Under those rules, for a station to convert to the new NextGen TV transmission system, it must leave behind a simulcast stream of its primary video channel – with that stream being broadcast on a subchannel of a station continuing to operate in the current digital television standard ( a “lighthouse” continuing to transmit the programming to viewers who have not acquired a NextGen TV set – see our articles here,  ... Read More

FCC Proposes $20,000 Fine for TV Station Program-Length Commercial in Children’s Programming

The FCC’s Video Division yesterday issued a Notice of Apparent Liability to a Baltimore TV station for airing a commercial for a Hot Wheels product in eight showings of the program “Team Hot Wheels.”  The Commission has, for almost 30 years, had a policy against what they term “program-length commercials” – programs that feature characters... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters:  November 14, 2020 to November 20, 2020

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. After reviewing comments submitted this summer (we wrote about the rulemaking, here), the FCC will vote at its next Open... Continue Reading…

Two Trump Defamation Claims Dismissed Including Claim Against TV Station for Political Attack Ad – What is the Relevance for Broadcasters? 

In the last few days, two defamation cases filed against media companies by the Trump campaign have been dismissed – one on the merits and one by agreement of the parties.  This includes the suit filed by the campaign against Northland Television, the licensee of a rural Wisconsin television station.  That station was perhaps the... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 7, 2020 to November 13, 2020

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. On November 12, the notice was published in the Federal Register of the lifting of the filing freeze for certain... Continue Reading…

This Week in Broadcast Regulation – October 31, 2020 to November 6, 2020

While last Tuesday’s elections may well affect broadcast regulation in the future, there were several regulatory developments in the last week of immediate significance to broadcasters.  Here is a summary of some of those developments, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations.... Continue Reading…

Reminder – Lowest Unit Charges Do Apply to Run-Off Elections

Earlier this week, we wrote that the FCC issued a public notice stating that Lowest Unit Charges (or lowest unit rates as they are often called) do not apply to post-election political ads (e.g. ads that urge ballots to be counted in any particular manner).  One important caveat to that advice is that LUC does... Continue Reading…

Broadcast Assignments and Transfer Applications Transition to the LMS Database

While much of the world was focused on election results, the FCC announced its transition of a few more of its applications from the CDBS database that it has used for several decades to its newer LMS database.  The FCC’s Public Notice released earlier this week announced that assignments and transfer applications (both long-form Form... Continue Reading…

2019 Recap

2019 was an outstanding year for our Association, despite a devastating fire that completely destroyed our office back in June.

Throughout the year we continued our aggressive lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill and in Carson City. We lobbied members of Congress on such issues as the Local Radio Freedom Act which prevents the enactment of a royalty tax on local radio stations. Our actions helped efforts dealing with the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization. We also joined an effort to legalize radio and television advertising for CBD products in states where it is legal.

In addition, we successfully killed several negative bills at the state legislature, one of which dealt with automobile advertising on television and radio stations.

In 2019 we had multiple meetings with Nevada’s Congressional delegation. We met with the Governor, key members of the state legislature and held receptions for elected officials throughout the state.

I’m honored to continue serving as a voting member of the Homeland Security Commission, a gubernatorial appointment which was codified into law during the 2019 Nevada Legislature.

Because of the generosity of our member stations we continue to assist non-profits and state agencies in communicating their messages to television viewers and radio listeners throughout the state. One of those campaigns resulted in this Association winning an Emmy for the production of a documentary on the opioid crisis.

Throughout 2019 we continued our Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP), a program which is free to members of the Nevada Broadcasters Association and we continued to facilitate the state’s EAS and Amber Alert systems.

We had one of the most successful Hall of Fame Galas in the history of the Nevada Broadcasters Association. With your support we have made it possible to distribute 168 scholarships to deserving Nevada students, enabling them to attend a Nevada college or university. And we're pleased to announce that our Board of Directors approved the hiring of a permanent staff member to assist in the administration and development of our Foundation and the Tony and Linda Bonnici Scholarship Program.

I’d like to thank the NVBA Board of Directors, the Executive Board, prior Chairwoman Viola Cody and current Chairman Chris Way for their outstanding leadership.

Introducing New NVBA Chairman Chris Way