Biden Administration Nominates Fifth FCC Commissioner, and Renominates Two Existing Commissioners – What Broadcast Issues Could a Full FCC Resolve?
Posted On: May 24, 2023This week brought the news that the Biden administration has nominated Anna Gomez for the open Democratic FCC seat that Gigi Sohn was to fill until she asked that her nomination be withdrawn in March, after a prolonged debate over her confirmation. Gomez is experienced in government circles, having worked at NTIA (a Department of... Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: May 15 to May 19, 2023
Posted On: May 20, 2023Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. Continue Reading…
FCC Seeks Comments on Proposed Annual Regulatory Fees – Proposal Includes a Decrease in Fees To Be Paid By Broadcasters
Posted On: May 19, 2023This week, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking containing its proposal for the annual regulatory fees to be paid by broadcasters in September of this year. The annual fees are paid by all entities that the FCC regulates to reimburse the government for the cost of FCC operations. The FCC decides how much... Continue Reading…
AM For Every Vehicle Act Introduced in House and Senate to Mandate AM Radio in Cars
Posted On: May 18, 2023The fear that AM radio will disappear from the car has been high on broadcasters’ lists of concerns in recent months as several car makers, including Ford, have suggested that receivers would be dropped from new models. The issue was addressed last weekend in a front-page story in the Washington Post. It has been highlighted... Continue Reading…
FCC Repeals COVID-Era Accommodation that Allowed Broadcasters to Offer Businesses Free Advertising Time Without LUC Implications
Posted On: May 16, 2023Yesterday, the FCC’s Media Bureau released a Public Notice announcing that it was repealing the COVID related guidance released in March 2020 that allowed broadcasters, local cable operators, and other media companies subject to the requirements that political candidates be offered Lowest Unit Rates during pre-election periods, to offer free advertising time to advertisers and... Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: May 8 to May 12, 2023
Posted On: May 14, 2023Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. Continue Reading…
More FCC EEO News – FCC Reminds Broadcasters that EEO Mid-Term Reviews to Begin in June
Posted On: May 12, 2023Yesterday, in our article about the recent FCC random audit of the EEO performance of over 200 radio and TV stations, we noted that the FCC also reviews the EEO performance of broadcasters in connection with complaints, license renewal applications, and at the midpoint of the license period of most TV stations and larger radio... Continue Reading…
Reminder About Broadcasters’ FCC EEO Obligations After the April’s First 2023 Audit of Station Performance
Posted On: May 11, 2023At the end of April, we noted in our weekly summary of regulatory actions for broadcasters that the FCC had issued its first EEO audit notice for 2023 (available here), this time targeting over 200 radio and TV stations. Those stations, and the station employment units (commonly owned stations serving the same area) with which they are associated, must... Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: May 1 to May 5, 2023
Posted On: May 6, 2023Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations.
- The FCC continues to consider its Second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposals to enhance the FCC’s requirements that each broadcaster verify that any program time sold to third parties (or any pre-produced programming received for free) does not come from a “foreign government entity,” i.e., a foreign government or one of its agents (see our articles here and here). ... Read More
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: April 24 to April 28, 2023
Posted On: April 29, 2023Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. On our Broadcast Law Blog, this week we published our monthly look ahead to the regulatory dates of importance to... Continue Reading…
Year in Review and Looking Ahead
- NVBA was the second state association in the nation to get its EAS plan approved by the FCC!
- We revamped our Alternative Inspection Program (ABIP) which enabled us to conduct 36 inspections, a service we provide free of charge to our member stations.
- The FCC reduced an unreasonable 13% increase in regulatory fees after we vigorously fought that increase through our Washington DC attorney.
