Washington Beat

Thanks to the FCC’s Spectrum Auction, there are further dips in the number of broadcast TV stations licensed to air in the U.S. Meanwhile, there are even more FM translators, while the number of AMs licensed for broadcast in the U.S. has stopped its slide.

Can't wait for the elimination of the FCC's main studio rule? You're in luck. The end is just days away, the Commission revealed in a brief announcement released Thursday. The rule's demise came at the Commission's October 2017 Open Meeting, despite fiery dissent from the two Democratic Commissioners.

What do the FCC and Turner Broadcasting System have in common? Both entities are finalists for the most prestigious award for achievement in the practice of analytics and operations research.

Don't think for a minute that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai won't respond to your letters or comments, no matter the venue in which they are delivered. He's liked many of our Tweets in which he's been tagged. Now, Pai has responded to Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, who recently wrote a letter to Pai seeking his input on some of the top issues facing your broadcast TV or radio stations. How so? The IAC is about to grow.

Here's something we really hope your radio and TV stations can use in 2018. It's one of the more popular handout sheets Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner uses while conducting ABIP inspections. "Most stations are not even aware such an item is required to be completed quarterly and filed with the Engineers other non-public required filings, such as 854-R tower registration forms, EAS tests, proof of performances, etc.," Benner says. That's why we're pleased to open your eyes to this most-important document. Merry Christmas! Ken & Karen

The U.S. Copyright Office is extending the deadlines for the submission of written comments in response to its Dec. 1 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the reporting obligations of multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) tied to the ability to provide subscribers local TV stations. 

In mid-April, Tejas Broadcasting agreed to sell a Class C1 100kw FM serving Amarillo, Tex., to Viva Media LLC. Nine months later, the station's new owner has been handed a Notice of Violation from the FCC for not having a functioning Emergency Alert System (EAS) system at this station. It also appears a second Viva station lacked an operable EAS system.

On Dec. 14, the FCC voted in a 3-2 party-line vote led by Republicans to remove Title II classification of broadband internet. Democrat Mignon Clyburn describes the vote as one that "dismantles" the agency's 2015 net neutrality rules. As a long-standing champion of net neutrality and one of the two FCC Commissioners who vociferously objected to last week’s decision, Clyburn believes it is important for consumers and small businesses to understand what happens next. Here's what she has to say.

What are the key regulatory items of note for broadcasters that they should keep their eye on in 2018? The team at Pillsbury Withrop Shaw Pittman LLP has put together a 2018 Broadcasters' Calendar that includes 10 top items of note What's the top item of concern?

No, it's not a Net Neutrality UFC match at Capital One Arena. Rather, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel will be the center of attention at a Jan. 18 event at NAB headquarters in Washington, D.C. focused on the important role of broadcasters in emergencies.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) on Thursday (12/21) introduced H.R. 4706, the Music Modernization Act, in an act he believes will bring "music licensing its first meaningful update in almost 20 years." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is the bill’s lead co-sponsor, reflecting bipartisan support for the legislation. What does this mean for radio stations across the U.S., and what does the NAB think of it?

What exactly would H.R. 4706, the Music Modernization Act, accomplish in bringing music licensing "its first meaningful update in almost 20 years?" The bill reforms the music licensing landscape in four main dimensions, and here is an overview of what it would do.

Nearly a week after Reuters learned of the details, the FCC on Thursday (12/21) made it official: Sinclair Broadcast Group has been handed a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for the apparent failure to make required disclosures in connection with sponsored programming that aired on its stations more than 1,700 times.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would codify "net neutrality" rules in statute. Her “Open Internet Preservation Act” may appear familiar to those who have closely followed the issue of net neutrality and whether it is entitled to Title II classification. That's because, as Berin Szóka of Tech Freedom notes, it is modeled on the discussion draft of legislation introduced nearly three years ago by the chairmen of the Senate Commerce and House Energy & Commerce Committees, respectively.

Aside from the NPRM approved last week that could loosen the national broadcast TV ownership cap, what else is the FCC likely focused on for 2018? Gus Hurwitz, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute specializing in telecommunications and technology law, high-tech industry regulation, and cybersecurity, has provided a look at the top 5 issues the FCC will now focus its attention toward.