Washington Beat

In a speech delivered Saturday to the Americans for Prosperity’s 2017 Defending the American Dream Summit in Richmond, FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly asserted that the FCC’s job "is to provide an environment for such innovation and investment to flourish in the communications technology sector while protecting consumers along the way." He lamented that the FCC under former chairman Tom Wheeler "deviated from this proven formula."

On a day when a total eclipse of the sun commanded the attention of Americans across the U.S., it reminded us of what could happen if a station were to suddenly go dark, due to a powerful act of Mother Nature that suddenly silences a transmitter. We ventured into the RBR+TVBR archives to provide you with a great column from Cavell, Mertz & Associates President Garrison Cavell, who reminds everyone in the C-Suite of the one thing they shouldn't forget after paying for those building repairs, equipment parts, and the replacement equipment.

On Wednesday (8/16), representatives from two key broadcast media multicultural advocacy organizations, a big D.C. law firm, a major Christian-themed broadcaster and a Black-owned broadcaster based in Alabama held court with one of the most influential individuals in Washington, D.C. That person is FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. What did they discuss? We now know.

A video of 180 seconds in length is being circulated by the NAB that's focused on a big topic of interest for those in the TV industry's collective C-Suites. What's it all about? The Next Gen TV transmission standard: ATSC 3.0.

Last week, noted Washington, D.C. attorney David Oxenford participated in a discussion about music royalties for broadcasters at the Texas Association of Broadcasters Annual Convention in Austin. Joining Oxenford on the panel were the heads of the Radio Music License Committee and the TV Music Licensing Committee. The experience prompted Oxenford to highlight some of his past blog posts and columns, so that those interested in the topic can read up on this important subject.

Educational Media Foundation in late March asked the FCC’s Media Bureau to review its mid-2016 decision to award a new low-power FM station in Pasadena, Calif., on a signal used by a Class A EMF owns in Orange County, Calif. That was denied, but EMF in April filed a Petition for Reconsideration. Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey just ruled on the petition.

Has FCC Chairman Ajit Pai given favorable treatment toward Sinclair Broadcast Group, the broadcast media company that is on track to merger with Tribune Media? Three top Democrats in the House of Representatives think so, and wrote to Pai on Monday to express their concerns.

It didn't take long for the newest FCC Commissioner to saddle up and staff up. On Monday morning, he announced the appointment of four key individuals that will serve in his newly minted office in acting capacities. Later in the day, Chairman Pai announced the FCC's new Acting General Counsel.

The FCC is once again a Federal agency with four Commissioners and its Chairman. While Jessica Rosenworcel was effectively reappointed, bringing the Democrat back to the Commission after a seven-month absence, today marked the start of what will be a lengthy tenure as a Commissioner for Republican Brendan Carr. 

The flurry of Notice of Unlicensed Operation issuances from the FCC continued Thursday, as the Enforcement Bureau served notice to an individual in Brooklyn that his pirate radio station is subject to a potential forfeiture.

The licensee of an FM translator in Atlanta has received a Notice of Violation from the FCC. It's not for its broadcasts on its assigned frequency. Instead, it's for broadcasts that put planes at risk. Meanwhile, there are two more Notice of Unlicensed Operations issuances to report. Not surprisingly, one involves a follow-up to the pirate broadcasts shared with the FCC by RBR+TVBR's very own editor-in-chief.

The following column, and rant, is to remain in the public domain. It's a call to action against the one Federal agency most dependent on you for its day-to-day dollars: The FCC. Who else but Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner could say it better?

An individual who since 2010 has served as an associate director and senior legislative analyst in the FCC's Office of Legislative Affairs has just been chosen to serve as the office's Deputy Director.

Albo Investments has been handed a Notice of Unlicensed Operation for pirate radio broadcasts that prevented radio listeners — including RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson — from receiving local Jazz noncomm WDNA-FM 88.9 in Miami while driving through downtown Hollywood, Fla. The NUO comes after Jacobson on May 3 tweeted a video of the pirate's signal and tagged the FCC and Chairman Ajit Pai, and avid Tweeter.