Washington Beat

The VP of Sales at NTP Events who previously served as VP of Business Development at ASIS International has been appointed Sr. VP of Sales Strategy and Enablement for Global Connections and Events at the National Association of Broadcasters.

The Communications Forum Luncheon Series, presented by The Media Institute, will kick off its 2026 schedule of gatherings in one month with an appearance from the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

The final fiscal year 2026 "minibus" package has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, and while it does restore any of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting dollars that were rescinded in 2025, it does put dollars toward noncommercial broadcast media's Next Generation Warning System (NGWS).

The licensee of a pair of digital Class A television stations serving the Pittsburgh area has entered into a Consent Decree with the FCC that concludes an investigation by the Video Division of the Media Bureau into why it did not comply with online public file rules.

Filings show auto manufacturers collectively reported $6.08 million in Q4 lobbying activity that included ties to AM radio legislation it doesn't want passed by Congress. General Motors led all carmakers with $3.25 million across three filings tied to automotive, trade, energy, and communications issues. 

The Media Bureau and the Enforcement Bureau of the FCC have agreed to enter into a Consent Decree with a licensee of a PBS Member station in the South Pacific. It resolves "various investigative matters" — namely its failures to upload to its online public file two reports that some believe could be ripe for deletion.

It is, in the words of President Trump, "one of our Greatest American Traditions." And, he believes, it is "now at risk of being pushed aside by more College Playoff Games and Big TV Money." Not anymore, the Commander-in-Chief said on his Truth Social platform.

The SVP of Communications at the nation's foremost voice for radio and television stations inside the Beltway has "made the difficult decision to pursue another professional opportunity."

The latest station count, according to the FCC, for broadcast radio and television stations in the U.S. is out. And, as of the end of 2025, two big takeaways can be seen. FM noncomms rose in total number, thanks to stations signing off after a recent FCC application window for new facilities. At the same time, LPFMs were on the rise.

Two key Members of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee have drawn accolades from the President/CEO of the NAB, who singles out their calls for the FCC to modernize "outdated" ownership restrictions and to lift the national television ownership cap.

The FCC's Enforcement Bureau on Monday indicated that it seeks to collect $20,000 in fines from four individuals found to have been responsible for unlicensed radio broadcasts. A forthcoming Supreme Court ruling could ultimately determine if the Commission is empowered to collect the cash.

The FCC on Friday confirmed that it has granted the Elon Musk-controlled SpaceX "a major authorization" to advance its second-generation Starlink satellite system, marking a significant milestone in global broadband connectivity.

The FCC has released its January Open Meeting agenda, and among the four items up for a vote is  a Fourth Report and Order that would permit a new class of unlicensed 6 GHz devices—geofenced variable power (GVP) unlicensed devices—that operate outdoors at higher power.

Giving radio and TV station owners more oomph and "empowering local voices" are two of the big takeaways from the National Association of Broadcasters as the advocacy group for over-the-air media assesses its chief accomplishments of the past year.

Iconic former FCC Chairman and Wiley Law founder Richard E. "Dick" Wiley will step down on January 31 as Chair of The Media Institute's Board of Trustees, completing a three-decade run in the role. We know who his successor will be.