FCC Announces Schedule for Transition to Annual Children’s Television Reports

Earlier this week, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing its plans for the initiation of new annual reporting requirements for TV stations under the revised Children’s Television Rules. As we wrote here, the FCC this summer adopted changes in the rules governing the broadcast of educational and informational programming directed to children. These changes included the abolition of the Quarterly Children’s Television Reports and their replacement with an annual Children’s Report to detail a station’s performance in meeting the new educational and informational programming requirements. Earlier this fall, the FCC released guidance on the reporting of information from the third quarter of this year,  ... Read More

Extension of Comment Dates on VHF TV Reg Fees and on Incubated Stations

The FCC last week announced an extension of the deadline for initial comments in its proceeding to examine the regulatory fees that are paid by VHF television stations. We wrote here about this Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which asked questions including whether VHF television stations and stations in the FCC’s incubator program should pay... Continue Reading…

USDA Issues Interim Rules for Hemp Production – How Does it Affect CBD Advertising? 

On October 31, the US Department of Agriculture published in the Federal Register interim rules governing the production of industrial hemp under the provisions of the 2018 Farm Act (see the USDA press release here).  These rules will allow the USDA to approve state and tribal plans for the regulation of hemp production.  It also allows for the USDA to authorize growers in states that have not adopted their own plans (or that have restricted the production of hemp).  The USDA notes the interest in hemp production driven by interest in CBD products derived from hemp.   ... Read More

FCC To Consider All-Digital AM at its November Meeting – What Questions are Being Asked?

As we noted in our list of November Regulatory dates for broadcasters, at its November 22 meeting, the FCC will be considering the adoption of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (see the draft order here) allowing AM stations to go all digital – on a voluntary basis. This Notice follows a Petition for Rulemaking which... Continue Reading…

Third Circuit Asked to Rehear Decision Overturning FCC Ownership Rule Changes – Where Do We Go from Here? 

In September, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit released a 2-1 decision overturning the FCC’s 2017 decision modifying many of its ownership rules (see our summary of the Court decision here, and our review of the 2017 decision here).  The Court’s decision not only upset the plans of... Continue Reading…

FCC Gives Stations More Time To Update EAS Equipment.

Inside Radio

A later than expected release of a technical update to Emergency Alert System (EAS) hardware used by broadcasters has led the Federal Communications Commission to give stations more time to install the software without running afoul of its rules. Stations were to have had the update installed by Friday, Nov. 8. But the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau will give an extra 60 days on the clock, meaning the updates need to be in place by Jan. 7, 2020.

The software update concerns how EAS equipment validates Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-formatted alerts which are distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency before they are relayed to the public.  ... Read More

Twitter Bans Political Ads – Doing What Broadcasters are Forbidden to Do

It seems like every other week, there is a story about an online media giant making changes in their rules that govern political advertising on their platform – and being either praised or condemned for doing so. We recently wrote about the controversy over Facebook deciding to not fact-check candidate ads, and how Congress itself... Continue Reading…

FCC To Hold Symposium on Radio and TV Industry – What Does it Mean for Broadcast Regulation?

The FCC announced on Friday that it will be hosting a symposium on the state of the broadcast industry on November 21.  On that day, there will be a panel in the morning on the state of the radio industry and one in the afternoon on television.  The Public Notice released Friday lists a diverse... Continue Reading…

November Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Ownership Reports, Comment Deadlines, LPTV Reimbursement Filing Deadline, a Forum to Examine the Future of the Broadcast Industry, and More

November is not one of those months with due dates for renewal filings, EEO public file reports or quarterly issues programs reports. Some of those obligations wait until December, when renewal filings for radio stations in Georgia and Alabama are due by December 2 (as December 1 falls on a weekend). Due for uploading on... Continue Reading…

Comments Due November 22 on Regulatory Fee Issues for 2020 – Including Whether to Reduce Fees for VHF Stations and Incubated Stations

The FCC’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on annual regulatory fees was published in the Federal Register this week, setting the comment date in that proceeding as November 22, with reply comments due December 23. As we wrote when the FCC’s fee decision for 2019 fees was released, this Further Notice is examining a number... Continue Reading…

2018 Recap

The Nevada Broadcasters Association experienced a number of successes in 2018. I'd like to share some of them with you.

In February a number of Nevada broadcasters went to Washington D.C. to lobby our Congressional Delegation on such issues as the Local Radio Freedom Act, the Microsoft Spectrum Grab, and retransmission consent.

The Nevada Broadcasters Association was able to hold a special members-only reception for Senator Gordon Smith, the CEO of NAB. We were also able to score an exclusive, meeting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

In April Governor Brian Sandoval sat down with the NVBA for nearly an hour and shared his perspective on the state. We were able to communicate to him, the valuable role we play in emergency communications.

Throughout the year, I was humbled and honored to attend meetings as a voting member of the Homeland Security Commission. Governor Sandoval appointed me to this critically important commission, with members that include the Governor himself, the Lt. Governor, Sheriff Lombardo and members of the State Legislature, among others. I'm excited to continue my participation on this Commission next year, when Governor Sisolak becomes Chairman.

Our Hall of Fame Gala was a huge success. We honored LVCVA CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, Las Vegas 51s COO Don Logan and broadcast pioneer, 101 year-old Hank Thornley in addition to 37 Hall of Fame inductees. The Gala, along with Southern and Northern Nevada Golf Tournaments, combined with your generosity made it possible for 32 students to receive scholarships to a Nevada college or university. Thank you!

Throughout the year we had meetings or sponsored receptions in Nevada with Congressman Mark Amodei, Senator Dean Heller, Governor-elect Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Henderson Mayor Debra March, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, Sheriff Joe Lombardo and Congresswoman-elect Susie Lee.

In addition, we produced an extremely compelling documentary on the opioid crisis and organized a One October remembrance that had the participation of Nevada's radio stations.
If all that weren't enough we had webinars for journalists and HR directors, continued our Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP) and held additional EAS training sessions.

Thank you to the NVBA Board of Directors and our Executive Committee for helping to make our year such a success.

Mitch Fox
President and CEO
Nevada Broadcasters Association

Introducing New NVBA Chairman Chris Way