Here 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…
March Madness and Advertising: Use of NCAA Trademarks (2023 Update – Part 2)
Yesterday, I wrote about the history of the NCAA’s assembling of the rights to an array of trademarks associated with this month’s basketball tournament. Today, I will provide some examples of the activities that can bring unwanted NCAA attention to your advertisements or broadcasting of advertising, as well as one more issue that should be considered when considering whether to accept advertising.…
March Madness and Advertising: Use of NCAA Trademarks (2023 Update – Part 1)
With Selection Sunday this weekend, the 2023 NCAA Collegiate Basketball Tournament is about to begin. As faithful readers of this blog know, broadcasters, publishers and other businesses need to be wary about potential claims arising from their use of terms and logos associated with the tournament.
NCAA Trademarks
The NCAA owns the well-known marks March Madness®, The Big Dance®, Final Four®,…
Gigi Sohn Withdraws from Consideration for Open Seat as FCC Commissioner – What that Means for Broadcast Regulation
Yesterday’s big news across the broadcast press was that Gigi Sohn, who had for well over a year been the nominee of the Biden administration to fill the open seat at the FCC, withdrew her name from consideration. This may have been in reaction to circulated stories that there were several Democratic Senators who still… Continue Reading…
Parties to TEGNA Deal Seek Full Commission Review of Hearing Designation Order – Looking at the Process They are Trying to Avoid
Last week, broadcasters and broadcast journalists were abuzz with discussions of the FCC’s Media Bureau issuing a hearing designation order referring to an Administrative Law Judge questions about the proposed acquisition of the TEGNA broadcast stations by Standard General Broadcasting. This week brings news that the parties have filed a Motion asking that the Judge… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 27 to March 3, 2023
Here 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…
March Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Comment Dates on FCC Ownership Rules, FTC Proposed Ban on Noncompete Agreements, and TV Captioning Rules; Higher FCC Application Fees; Daylight Savings Time Adjustments for AM Stations; and More
March may not have any of the regular FCC filing deadlines, but there are still plenty of regulatory activities going on this month that should grab the attention of any broadcast or media company. Initially, there are several FCC proceedings in which there are dates in March worth noting. Initially, there are comments in the… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 20 to February 25, 2023
Here 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…
Regulatory Bits and Pieces – ETRS Form One and Delayed Public File Uploads Due by February 28, Updated EAS Handbook Required for All Stations
With a number of upcoming regulatory deadlines approaching, we thought that this would be a good time to remind broadcasters of regulatory obligations that they may have, with the passage of time, forgotten. One of those obligations is the requirement to file EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) Form One by February 28, 2023 – next… Continue Reading…
Direct from The FCC – What’s on the Agenda for Broadcast Regulation?
Early this year, we provided our look into the crystal ball to see what was on the FCC’s agenda for broadcasters in the coming year. Yesterday, the FCC published in the Federal Register its own list – its Semiannual Regulatory Agenda – listing an inventory of the matters at the FCC awaiting Commission action. The… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 13 to February 18, 2023
Here 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…
$504,000 Proposed Fine for Improper Use of EAS Tones – How Little Things Can Add Up to Big FCC Penalties
The recent $504,000 fine proposed to be levied on Fox for the use of simulated EAS tones in an NFL football promotion (see FCC’s Notice of Apparent Liability here) is obviously a message to broadcasters to remember that EAS tones can only be used for real alerts or authorized tests of the system – and… Continue Reading…
