This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 20, 2021 to November 26, 2021

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. In the last two weeks, many stations have discovered that links to their FCC-hosted online public inspection file no longer... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 13, 2021 to November 19, 2021

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The Senate Commerce Committee this week held a hearing on the nomination of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for another five-year... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 6, 2021 to November 12, 2021

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The Senate Commerce Committee announced this week that it will hold a hearing to consider FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for... Continue Reading…

With Two Nominations to Fill Out the FCC, What Are the Issues for Broadcasters?

With the Administration’s decision to renominate Jessica Rosenworcel for another term on the FCC and to select her as the permanent chair of the Commission, and the nomination of Gigi Sohn to fill the vacant seat on the FCC, and assuming both are confirmed by the Senate (though the Wall Street Journal noted that there... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: October 30, 2021 to November 5, 2021

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. In a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released Friday, the FCC proposed new rules to deal with the responsibility for... Continue Reading…

Less than a Month to Go – Reminder to Broadcasters to File Biennial Ownership Reports by December 1 or Potentially Face Penalties

On December 1 of this year, Biennial Ownership Reports are due to be filed at the FCC by all full-power radio and TV stations, commercial and noncommercial, as well as from Class A TV and LPTV operators.  These reports are due every two years.  While the last two biennial reports that had been due in... Continue Reading…

Could Australian Decision Giving Broadcasters the Right to Collectively Bargain with Tech Companies Be a Preview of Things to Come in the US?

Last week, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission approved an application for Commercial Radio Australia to collectively bargain with Google and Facebook over the carriage by these tech platforms of news content from Australian radio broadcasters (press release here, application and approval here).  This approval is an outgrowth of the adoption of the Australian News... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: October 23, 2021 to October 29, 2021

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. President Joe Biden made official his permanent FCC Chair – selecting Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to fill that position. He... Continue Reading…

November Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: Reply Comments on EEO Reporting and KidVid Accessibility; New Noncommercial FM Filing Window; Biennial Ownership Reports; License Renewals; and More

With FCC Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel now appointed permanent chair of the FCC, and with a fifth FCC Commissioner now having been nominated (Gigi Sohn), the FCC may soon be back to normal strength.  Even before that though, the FCC and other government agencies remain busy, with many important regulatory dates and deadlines in the... Continue Reading…

FTC Reminds Advertisers That Deceptive Endorsements in Advertising Can Lead to Penalties

In a Federal Trade Commission notice published last week, the agency warned the advertising industry that penalties could be coming for the use of deceptive endorsements.  The FTC not only released the notice, but it also sent a letter (a version of which is available here) to hundreds of businesses (a list is here) –... Continue Reading…

2020 Recap

2020 has been an extremely challenging year for our nation and especially our state. Many Nevada broadcasters have struggled to survive under the weight of a depressed local economy and uncertainty of the future.

Many families experienced financial and physical loss because of the pandemic. I was saddened to hear of the passing of veteran Reno news anchor and good friend Brent Boynton who succumbed to the disease in November.

To be honest, in January and February of this year, few of us knew what we would experience in 2020.

On January 30 we were thrilled to attend the ribbon cutting for Telemundo’s KBLR new 22,622 square foot media center. Congratulations to President and General Manager Ramiro Lopez!

The next day we welcomed Congresswoman Susie Lee, Henderson Mayor Debra March, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, County Commissioner Michael Naft and State Senator Scott Hammond to the grand opening of our new offices on South Eastern off the I-215.

In February a group of us traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with Nevada’s Congressional Delegation and lobby on behalf of Nevada’s broadcasters. With the help of KCEP General Manager Craig Knight, we were able to convince Congressman Steven Horsford to support the Local Radio Freedom Act. With the support of Representatives Mark Amodei and Susie Lee we worked with the National Association of Broadcasters to help secure enough votes to kill a radio royalty fee which had surfaced in two different bills.

Throughout February and March, we were able to conduct 26 alternative FCC inspections (ABIP), a service we provide, free of charge, to all of our members.

And then in March, our world was turned upside down and yours as well.

We locked up our new offices and started working from home, but we ended up having one of the most productive years in the history of the Association.

Early on, we had to make the difficult decision of canceling our annual Hall of Fame Gala, along with our Northern and Southern Golf Tournaments, three events critical to the funding success of our Foundation and the Tony and Linda Bonnici Scholarship Program.

With help from our Washington D.C. lobbying team, the Porter Group, we started scheduling Zoom meetings with every member of our Congressional delegation. It was important that they heard about the plight of broadcasters and how our industry has been unselfishly serving the community with impactful outreach projects and with our own NCSA program which pushed out important messages on health and safety protocols.

By the way, thank you for donating airtime to our efforts so we could facilitate the messaging for multiple COVID campaigns. Your generosity also helps pay for our operating expenses and we are extremely grateful for our partnership!

As the year progressed, we lobbied our congressional representatives to make sure that all broadcasters were eligible for PPP loans and that federal ad dollars would be directed to local stations here in Nevada.

When the state legislature conducted its special session, we were asked by the Legislative Counsel Bureau to coordinate the access of all of the radio and television stations who wanted access to the legislative building. It was a herculean task but thanks to the cooperation of our member stations, it was a success!

The Nevada Broadcasters Association also worked hard to get a letter from Governor Sisolak and the Department of Homeland Security specifying that broadcasting was an essential business and that our members needed to conduct their normal operations while ensuring that management and employees implemented prescribed health and safety measures.

Throughout the year we conducted three separate distributions of face coverings to any radio or television station that wanted them. We also were able to provide Reno-area radio and television stations with air support surveillance from the Washoe County Sheriff’s office during a 72-hour period of unrest and violent protests.

Despite everything that’s taken place, the Nevada Broadcasters Association will finish the year in a strong place financially. We will be able to donate a portion of our net income to our Foundation to use for scholarships. This is especially critical because traditional fundraising activities were suspended in 2020.

Thank you again for your support.

Mitch

Introducing New NVBA Chairman Chris Way