At its meeting yesterday, the FCC took two big actions affecting broadcasters. First, it approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking looking to adopt a transition plan for television broadcasters to move to the new ATSC 3.0 standard. The Commission apparently took the general actions previewed in its draft order released earlier this month, though additional questions were said to have been teed up for public comment in the final version of the NPRM.…
NAB’s Smith discusses FCC’s Pai, the future of television
Communicators with Gordon Smith National Association of Broadcasters president Gordon Smith talked about the future of television as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) entered the final round of spectrum auctions and as a new FCC Chair Ajit Paiunder weighs changes to the communications landscape. Other topics included media ownership rules, radio royalties, media mergers, and what he hoped the 115th Congress would do. …
Pai Endorses Radio, FM Chips
By Paul McLane
RadioWorld.com
In one of his first public appearances as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai delivered a ringing endorsement of radio as a “social, local, mobile and vital” medium. But he put the quash on any slim hopes the industry might have held that he would support a mandated FM chip in smartphones.
Speaking to a group of about 70 North American broadcast leaders in a conference room at the National Association of Broadcasters headquarters in Washington,…
Spectrum Auction to Close March 30
Courtesy of Broadcasting&Cable.com
By John Eggerton
The FCC’s broadcast incentive auction will close for good on March 30.
In a public notice Tuesday, the FCC said it will start the assignment-phase auction March 6, 2017. And in this auction, there is a definite end date—March 30.
The clock-phase of the broadcast incentive auction began May 31, 2016, with broadcasters first offering up spectrum at an exit price in the reverse portion and wireless companies bidding for that spectrum in the forward portion.…
What’s Up for Broadcasters in Washington Under the New Administration – A Look Ahead at TV and Radio FCC Issues for the Rest of 2017
A new President and a new Chair of the FCC have already demonstrated that change is in the air in Washington. Already we’ve seen Chairman Pai lead the FCC to abolish the requirement that broadcasters maintain letters from the public about station operations in their public file (which will take effect once the Paperwork Reduction Act analysis is finalized),…
Year in Review and Looking Ahead
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FCC Releases First EEO Audit for 2017 – Over 200 Radio and Almost 80 TV Stations Named in the Audit Notice
In the swirl of news about the deregulatory efforts of the new FCC, one could almost forget that there are still many regulations in place that require significant amounts of paperwork retention by broadcasters. That point was hammered home yesterday, when the FCC released its first EEO audit letter of 2017 for radio and TV broadcasters. The FCC’s public notice announcing the commencement of the audit includes the audit letter that was sent to all of the targeted stations.…
FCC Chairman Pai Promotes Transparency – Releases Draft Orders on Next-Generation TV and FM Translators for AM Stations – What Will Be Considered for Radio at February FCC Meeting?
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced yesterday that he plans to test a new FCC procedure – releasing drafts of FCC orders to be considered at future FCC meetings at the same time as the proposed agenda for the meeting is released, weeks in advance of the meeting. On the draft agenda for the February 23rd meeting are two items of interest for broadcasters,…
FCC Votes to Abolish Requirement for Retaining Letters From the Public on Station Operations – First Step in Broadcast Deregulation?
The FCC on Tuesday voted to abolish the 44 year old requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain, in their public file, letters (and emails) from the public dealing with station operations (see the full Order here). As noted by the Commissioners in their comments at the FCC meeting (and as we suggested here and here when this proposal was first introduced),…
Ajit Pai Named New FCC Chair, Appoints Temporary Head of Media Bureau and Speaks to Commission Staff
This week, the appointment of Commissioner Ajit Pai as Chairman of the FCC became official. Since his appointment on Monday, he has released a list of acting bureau chiefs at the FCC (here), including naming Michelle Carey, a long-time FCC employee, as Acting Chief of the Media Bureau upon the departure of Bill Lake who held that position through Chairman Wheeler’s administration.…
State Leadership Conference in DC
February 27-March 2 marks the annual gathering of broadcasters in the Nation’s Capital. The Nevada Delegation will be meeting with state representatives to discuss a number of key issues facing broadcasters including:
· Performance Tax – new cosponsors for the 115th Congress Local Radio Freedom Act (if your member has already signed on than a big thank you will suffice!)
· Advertising Tax Deductibility
· Spectrum Auction Repack/Relocation Fund
· Retransmission Consent
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New Tech Makes Statewide Broadcast Possible
KTVN Ch. 2’s Assistant Chief Engineer, Eric Brown, shows off their “Live U” technology making the NVBA’s statewide broadcast possible. Virtually every Nevada radio and TV station aired Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval’s State of the State Address on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Special Thanks to Nick du Plessis at KRNV/KRXI, State EAS Chair, Adrienne Abbott, Jeff Loflin, head of the LCB and Matteo Holly along with NVBA Chair Todd Brown.…
