The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice reminding TV stations and other video programming providers including cable and satellite television providers of their obligations on making emergency information accessible for all viewers. With a few tweaks, including emphasizing that more hurricanes and wildfires occurred in the last year, the reminder is very similar to what… Continue Reading…
New Legislation to Impose Sound Recording Performance Royalty on Over-the-Air Radio – What Does It Provide and What Would the Royalty Cost?
Last week, Congressmen Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the American Music Fairness Act ( see their Press Release for more details) which would impose a new music royalty on over-the-air radio stations. The royalty would be payable to SoundExchange for the public performance of sound recordings. This means that the money collected would… Continue Reading…
July Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists, The End of Analog TV, EAS Test Registration Requirement, Radio and TV Rulemakings, and More
While summer has started and minds wander to vacation time, there are still many regulatory obligations to which a broadcaster must pay attention in July. To help stay focused, we have written below about some of the important dates and deadlines applicable to broadcasters in July – and a reminder of what to be ready… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: June 19, 2021 to June 25, 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. Congressmen Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the American Music Fairness Act which would impose a royalty payable… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: June 12, 2021 to June 18, 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 FCC this week adopted revisions to certain EAS rules. Among other actions, the new rules (1) will change the… Continue Reading…
Nationwide EAS Test Scheduled for August 11, 2021 – Verification of EAS Information Due by July 6 in ETRS
Last week, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing an August 11, 2021 nationwide EAS test, with a backup date of August 25 if there are conditions that prevent the test from occurring on the initial date. The test is scheduled for 2:20 PM EDT. For broadcasters, this test will be conducted using the over-the-air… Continue Reading…
Webcasting Royalties Going Up – Copyright Royalty Board Releases Rates and Terms for 2021-2025
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) on Friday released the rates and terms for webcasting royalties for 2021-2025, and the rates are going up. While the full decision explaining the reasoning for the rate increases will not be released to the public until the parties to the case have the opportunity to seek redaction of private… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: June 5, 2021 to June 11, 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 Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) released its long-awaited decision on streaming royalties for 2021-2025, finding that the rates applicable to… Continue Reading…
Celebrating 15 Years of the Broadcast Law Blog
We are celebrating our birthday. Last week marked 15 years since the first short articles were published on this blog, with an official welcome being posted once we decided that we really could find something to regularly write about – that welcome posted 15 years ago Friday. Here we are, a decade and a half… Continue Reading…
Congress Asks Spotify for Information About Promotional Royalty Rates – Is This Much Ado About the Way the Interactive Music Marketplace is Designed to Work?
The trade press in the last few days has been full of news about a letter of inquiry from two Congressmen to Spotify asking for details about Spotify’s promotional royalty rates where, in exchange for lowered royalties, songs to which these rates apply may be played more frequently, as Spotify factors in lower costs into… Continue Reading…
FCC Implements Supreme Court Order Reinstating 2017 Ownership Rule Changes, and Asks for Updating of Record of 2018 Quadrennial Review
The Newspaper Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule is Finally Dead – And More Ownership Rule Changes – Including for Radio – Are to be Considered Last Friday, the FCC took two actions on broadcast ownership resulting from the recent Supreme Court decision (about which we wrote here) upholding changes to the ownership rules that the FCC adopted… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: May 29, 2021 to June 4, 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. Because of the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year upholding the Commission’s 2017 relaxation of certain media ownership rules, the… Continue Reading…
