Washington Beat

Until Tuesday's Form 314 filing of an asset purchase agreement that gives control of an AM-FM combo in Iowa to a new entity created by the stations' office manager, the owner was ready to turn off the transmitters. It's not a unique scenario, Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner notes. Many questions go through the minds of station heads faced with a tough business challenge. Here, he reviews how to perhaps best answer them.

The FCC on Thursday released a 38-page fact sheet that outlines some of its proposed changes for the FCC's Children's TV programming rules. Among the suggested changes: Core Programming should be at least 30 minutes in length, and regularly scheduled weekly programming can be eliminated. Further, an annual filing of FCC Form 398, rather than quarterly, is proposed.

On June 27, the fate of Geoffrey Starks will be put into the hands of the Senate Commerce Committee. A Markup of Starks' nomination to serve as an FCC Commissioner has been confirmed for the legislative body's executive session.

It was what FCC Chairman Ajit Pai didn't say in a blog post detailing the Commission's July Open Meeting agenda that perhaps said more than what will actually be up for discussion on Thursday, July 12. Any debate and chat on the loosening of the FCC's national TV audience reach cap, or radio's ownership subcaps, won't come until at least August.

This Media Information Bureau installment is one that featured columnist Ken Benner promises will be welcomed by all stations with FM translators. It offers two significant items of interest: a source of information to determine compliance, and a means to self-certify and, quite frankly, save a good chunk of money.

In this Media Information Bureau column, noted D.C. communications attorney Erwin Krasnow shares his insight on what the FCC's decision makers actually read, if hefty fines are truly meant to fuel the FCC budget, and if the Commissioners "have unbridled discretion to make public interest determinations," among other hot topics.

Although the FCC hasn't officially spoken and there is no word as of yet on the agenda for its July Open Meeting, the Commission appears ready to tackle its next rule "modernization" effort — a loosening of its national ownership reach cap. A tweet from Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel all but confirms a Bloomberg report that a NPRM will be brought forth in less than six weeks.

Two weeks ago, the CRTC published a digital report on the future of programming in Canada. The report proposes to the federal government in Ottawa "new tools and regulatory approaches to support the production and promotion of audio and video content made by and for Canadians." What does the CRTC want? A digital creative levy. Could the FCC be thinking about the same thing?

Three months ago, word first surfaced around Washington, D.C., that a former attorney at prestigious law firm Williams & Connolly LLP was President Trump's likely pick as the next FCC Commissioner. Late in the evening of June 1, the White House revealed that Geoffrey Starks has indeed been selected to serve on the Commission. Now, the Senate Commerce Committee is gearing up for a hearing on the Trump nominee.

Hearst Television is doubling down on its local and regional investigative reporting with a bigger bureau in the Nation's Capital — a move that brings to fruition "a national investigative unit" devoted to offering its stations' newscasts original stories from Washington, D.C.

It's a "historic defeat" for the U.S. Department of Justice: Time Warner can merge with AT&T, with zero conditions. Will Tuesday's court decision lead to a new wave of media consolidation, with Sinclair Broadcast Group's still-to-be-approved merger with Tribune Media the first of perhaps many more deals to come? Leading brokers and D.C. attorneys are split on the answer.

America’s Public Television Stations and PBS jointly submitted reply comments in response to the FCC’s request for input on the feasibility of including multimedia content in Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) messages. In their view, public television plays a key role in the EAS, WEA and broadcast datacasting systems and supports any material improvements to these systems.

Legislation drafted in March by Reps. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) is moving forward in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Energy & Commerce Committee will be conducting a markup on the “Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act," along with three other bills, on Wednesday morning.

The seventh and final installment in a limited podcast series focused on the things that could derail a transaction is devoted to the topic of seller's remorse. Plus, what happens when a deal seems all but set, but an unwelcome surprise pops up in the 11th hour? Tackling the two subjects are Community Broadcasters' Jim Leven and Bruce Mittman, noted broker Doug Ferber and a veteran D.C. attorney.