Washington Beat

On September 26, the FCC adopted and released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in its proceeding to modernize and revise its rules for applicants providing local public notice of broadcast application filing. A Comment Date and Reply Comment Date were tied to Federal Register publication. That's just happened.

One common question presented to Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner in his quarter-century of work as an Alternative Broadcast Inspector is this: How can we be more financially successful with our station(s)? He has one simple answer: Content, content, content.

Carr's choice is currently the Associate Chief of the Media Bureau’s Video Division, having recently returned to the FCC following a year in Rwanda, where he served as a program specialist for a USAID-funded project designed to increase access to justice and enhance the rule of law.

On Labor Day, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council sent a letter to the FCC “respectfully recommending four steps it can take immediately, upon delegated authority, to improve EEO enforcement." The NAB and ACA Connects offered a joint reply. The MMTC is now responding to their comments.

The first meeting of the re-chartered FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) has scheduled its first meeting. Who's the Chair? What about the Vice Chair? We now know who has filled those roles.

Among the groups that want a say on the rollout of 5G wireless technology is NPR. In a presentation filed with the FCC is a chart that shows how, in its view, various C-Band reallocation proposals including the 5G Plus Plan would meet the needs of public radio stations that rely on the C-Band to deliver programming. ACA Connects has something to say about NPR's chart.

Next week, Richmond Independent Radio will be celebrating 14 years of service to the capital of Virginia. By then, it hopefully will get over the disappointment of an unexpected forfeiture to the FCC for missing an important filing deadline.

Long before featured columnist Ken Benner began writing about "the abuse of the media and, in particular, broadcasting," he focused on consumer financial abuse. This fueled his desire to fight for radio and TV station owners. In this column, his discontent with Capitol Hill leaders continues.

There is applause coming from many low-power TV industry leaders, in reaction to a FCC notice that makes good on a request from two LPTV and TV translator advocacy groups. The groups won an extension of an important deadline for post-Incentive Auction federal reimbursements.

The week of Sept. 23 will likely go down as one of the most contentious ones in the history of the U.S. government, says featured columnist Ken Benner. It began with an excellent speech at the National Press Club by the one person in D.C. Benner has the greatest respect for: Ajit Pai.

The Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has revealed who will succeed Mary Mitchelson as its next Inspector General. Mitchelson retired in April, and as of Oct. 7 the Deputy Inspector General for Investigations at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will join CPB. 

It's a cold, rainy Wednesday in Brookings, S.D., but Alpha Media is still basking in the warmth of a recent visit to its radio stations by none other than the Chairman of the FCC.

Don't think for a minute that broadcasters have quenched their thirst for FM translators or a booster. The number of translators and boosters surged again in the third quarter, just-released stations totals from the FCC show.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that Evan Swarztrauber has joined his office as a Policy Advisor. Swarztrauber replaces Nathan Leamer, who recently left the Commission.