Intelligence Briefs

In this Media Information Bureau exclusive, Ken Benner shares some of his "Bennerism Wizdomics." We share these with you, as it greatly reflects his views—and perhaps those of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai—on the layers of regulations that broadcasters presently deal with from the Commission.

"Now is the time to gird yourself for the license renewal juggernaut," John Wells King and Erwin Krasnow declare in this freshly written exclusive column that is a must-read. They've prepared a list of "what’s and what-not’s" designed to assist you in your stations' license renewal process.

When RBR+TVBR reports on a broadcast transaction, we report the full value of the sale. When the IRS looks at it, it sees a variety of assets, many of which are treated differently for tax purposes. As attorney Erwin Krasnow of Garvey Schubert Barer explains, the way the total is broken down is important.

Nielsen is touting that -- for the first time -- its quarterly Total Audience Report includes insights surrounding content discovery on streaming platforms and "the potential pitfalls these players face." It also showcases new data into the streaming and media-related landscape that are particularly topical. 

With political advertisers investing heavily on local TV particularly in battleground states, the result can be competition and clutter that crowds out brand advertising. That's based on Kantar’s analysis of the 2016 election cycle — in particular, the final three weeks of the campaign season.

For broadcast media, Census 2020 is vitally important, as it will help shape the content radio and television provided to consumers on a market-by-market basis. A question regarding citizenship has been a hot-button issue. As of now, that question won't be asked ... just yet.

While many of us postulate the wide-ranging effect ATSC 3.0 and 5G will have on the broadcast media industry, we rarely actively plan for it until that change is upon us. A group led by Magid; FOX; and 20th Television; in tandem with the Council for Research Excellence; aims to do just that. 

On May 9, the FCC issued a Report and Order that set in stone new procedures used to resolve interference complaints against FM translator stations. This article breaks down the changes to the FCC’s existing FM translator interference complaint procedures.

Of all media, TV's impact on consumer purchasing behavior is tops. In fact, the impact is greater than all other media combined, a new study finds. Who commissioned this rosy report? None other than the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).

Is an interagency kerfuffle between the FCC and NOAA a threat to the future of 5G wireless? AEI visiting fellow Shane Tews believes this could impact the rollout of 5G, and she spoke with ACT | The App Association Policy Counsel Joel Thayer on the subject.

The Washington, D.C.-based Population Reference Bureau (PRB) has a preview what's expected to be seen in the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census. We're pleased to share with readers the details, which provide an up-close look at key trends that could reshape U.S. broadcast media.

They may be the "platters that matter" to your listeners, but to those seeking royalty payments, they could also result in the "dollars that drain" for audio streams featuring songs from before 1972. However, two attorneys suggest radio stations that stream think twice before one ponies up three years of royalties under the new MMA provision.

"When you consider what some D.C. Communications lawyers charge per hour, we’re talking a real bargain here," says featured columnist Ken Benner. He's finger-pointing some 1,947 pages on the subject of compliance, and the price for both volumes for the code of Federal regulations.

The third report in Claritas' New American Mainstream series is now out for marketers and media industry C-Suiters. The Hispanic American Market Report offers marketers unique insights into how to appeal to Latino consumers, one of the nation’s fastest-growing multicultural subsets.