the HOT List

If there was one key takeaway from the FCC's 110-page opus that spells out the authorization of permissive use of the next-gen broadcast TV standard -- a.k.a. GN Docket No. 16-142 -- it's this: "It is premature to address any issues that may arise with respect to the voluntary carriage of ATSC 3.0 signals before broadcasters begin transmitting in this new voluntary standard."

As RBR+TVBR reported Thursday, the FCC has included in its November Open Meeting agenda an Order that approves the use of the next-gen TV standard, known as ATSC 3.0. This resulted in a strong endorsement of the plan from the NAB, as full details emerged as to what it will bring. But, it also came with another warning from an anti-tax group and pro-MVPD organization actively seeking support for its case against ATSC 3.0's rapid deployment, should it come at a cost to consumers.

Doug Ferber of DEFcom Advisors LLC and Erwin Krasnow of Garvey Schubert Barer have created a special podcast series exclusively for RBR+TVBR members based on a series of articles centered on the topic “Broadcast Deal Myths Debunked.” In this eighth podcast installment, Ferber and Krasnow discuss the belief among some that they can bank on 100% leveraged purchases.

As we enter the final weeks of 2017, it has become clear that several players residing within the U.S. media and telecom sector have embraced many of the key trends, regulatory conditions, and economic benefits forecast for several quarters by PwC. Deal volumes in Q3 reached another two-year high, at 238 deals. That surpassed volumes in Q2 2017 by 9%, and Q3 2016 by 72%. Deal values also made a splash, exceeding $30 billion with seven mega-deals.

Two senior FCC officials have disclosed the key points of Chairman Ajit Pai's proposed Report and Order on ownership modernization, which all broadcast media owners have been eagerly anticipating. The language of Pai's Order is set for release today, along with a Nov. 16 Open Meeting agenda that will also see a vote to approve the ATSC 3.0 next-gen television transmission standard, which the officials declined to comment on.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Thursday circulated proposed legislation that would, in his view and that of GOP leaders, "modernize" the agency's media ownership regulations. This resulted in cheers from the NAB. It also led Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn to use a portion of her opening statement at Wednesday's House Subcommittee on Communications FCC Oversight Hearing to voice her strong opposition to Pai's plan.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai made it clear that what he had to say at the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology's FCC Oversight Hearing on Wednesday afternoon would grab the biggest headlines — duopolies will soon be possible in every market across the U.S., and cross-ownership rules will be heading into major rewrite mode very soon. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) couldn't have been more pleased. This "bombshell" announcement deflected attention away from her proclamation that there would be no twisting and turning of the discussion by leading Democrats "to try to turn this hearing into the Trump Tweet hearing."

The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology took several hours today to hold its second FCC Oversight hearing of the current Congress. There were some entertaining moments -- including a shot from Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel about her "vacation" courtesy of the Senate. But, the top words said for broadcasters came from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. He revealed plans to modernize broadcast media ownership, and the NAB is delighted.

With the battle between MVPDs and broadcast TV companies as heated as ever going into the all-important Q4 negotiating period for 2018 retransmission fee agreements, local advertising and media research firm BIA/Kelsey today placed a microscope on the DMAs where retransmission fees account for more than half of over-the-air revenue. Six markets stick out, with one market's TV stations reporting that some 63.5% of its revenues are tied to retrans fees.

Fiery dissent from the FCC's two Democratic Commissioners couldn't sway at least one of their three Republican colleagues to vote alongside them on a matter of keen interest to radio and TV station owners. As a result, in a 3-2 party-line vote, the elimination of the main studio rule is on its way to fruition, putting an end to a regulation crafted — as Commissioner Brendan Carr noted in his comments — just months before the start of World War II.

Three unfair labor practice charges filed against NBCUniversal-owned Hispanic television network Telemundo on behalf of certain telenovela actors by labor union SAG-AFTRA have been settled.

It's been a little more than three months since Bruce Swail has been at the helm of GatesAir, one of the world's leading transmitter vendors, working closely with radio and television broadcasters on all-things focused on bringing a clean, quality signal to consumers. In that time, it is fair to say that Swail has jumped head-first into an industry provider serving an industry at the cusp of massive change. In this exclusive interview with RBR+TVBR's WEEKLY TECH UPDATE, Swail gives us a glimpse into what's tops in his world, and what the radio and TV industry's C-Suite should keep their eyes on in 2018.

If you're a viewer of the long-running series Shark Tank, you'll know that the question, "Do you have a patent?" is a very important one for investors, and for eventual clients using the unique product. For ENCO Systems, the answer is "yes" with respect to a patent that specifically applies to providing automated captioning by using speech-to-text.

Just in time for Halloween, a "zombie" has surfaced in Washington. And, the Commission is comfortable enough with this creature living on an island off the coast of Los Angeles that it's treating it unlike Godzilla. That's because the FCC has given its approval to the first-ever transaction involving a channel-sharing agreement, a so-called "zombie" station resulting from the Commission's incentive auction, before the channel-sharing has even commenced.

Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Amy Klobuchar, along with Republican co-sponsor John McCain, introduced legislation Thursday that would extend the FEC and FCC’s disclosure rules for broadcasters and other media to online ads. Dubbed the "Honest Ads Act," the trio of politicians say their bill is designed to “bring needed transparency and accountability to online political ads.” But, does it go too far? TechFreedom President Berin Szóka says yes.