Washington Beat

Two months ago, the company behind the MeTV brand that also owns broadcast TV stations in various markets convinced the FCC’s Media Bureau to issue a NPRM seeking public comment on a proposal to shift one of its VHF properties from one city to another in New Mexico. The FCC is now giving its blessing.

The government entity headed by Arielle Roth is on its next step to reauthorization, thanks to a swift voice vote on H.R. 2482 held Tuesday at a full House Committee on Energy and Commerce markup session. The committee reported 20 total pieces of legislation to the full House of Representatives.

The FCC's Media Bureau is moving forward with seeking comment on the NAB's Petition for Rulemaking seeking the Commission to “establish a clear timeline to complete the transition” from ATSC 1.0. The NAB also seeks potential updates to MVPD "must-carry" carriage rules.

Louisiana Educational Television Authority (LETA) seeks to move a PBS Member station's digital broadcast facility from a VHF channel to a more robust UHF facility. The FCC has now said yes, empowering LETA to make the shift.

Until now, a vacant FM table allotment for a Class A facility at 100.7 MHz in Kauai has appeared on the FCC's official documentation. Now, on its own motion, the Audio Division is substituting that facility for a different Class A FM, on a different frequency. And, it is a win for Matthew Wesolowski.

The FCC's Assistant Chief of its Media Bureau has adopted an order that amends the Commission's FM Table to Allotments by reinstating certain channels as a vacant FM allotment.

The Commission, as previously hinted by Chairman Brendan Carr, has launched an inquiry to explore commercial technologies that would complement the Global Positioning System (GPS).

This is a tale of persistence ... and understanding FCC rules and regulations as they pertain to FM translators. It involves a licensee named Radio Two, owner of Class D daytime-only KTTP-AM in Pineville, La., and its embattled low-power FM translator.

Speaking at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Legislative Summit, the Democratic FCC Commissioner urged business leaders to speak up against government intimidation and censorship as diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives come to an end under White House pressure.

State broadcasters associations representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have adopted two resolutions designed to protect local radio from new royalty payments and to ensure broadcast stations remain easily accessible from the in-dash entertainment system of all U.S. vehicles.

The FCC on Thursday announced that it is taking an initial set of actions that the Republican majority on the Commission believes will help accelerate the transition from aging copper lines to modern network infrastructure in communities all across the country.

He was most recently the Chief of Staff for FCC Commissioner Nate Simington. Now, he's in a role that makes him a key White House thought leader advising the president on information, telecommunications, and related technology policy.

Maintaining and extending "U.S. leadership in wireless" has been one of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's top priorities. "Getting our spectrum policies right translates directly into bringing Americans across the digital divide, creating jobs, and growing our economy," he says. That's why he wants spectrum auction reauthorization now.

The owner of an FM translator serving the Mississippi city of Canton has entered into a  Consent Decree with the FCC that resolves a matter in which it faced a fine for being late with its respective license renewal applications.

The Audio Division is seeking public comment on a plan it has drafted that would amend the Table of Allotments in a small Texas town. Why? An existing vacant Class C2 FM there is not in compliance with the minimum distance separation requirements of the FCC.