Washington Beat

The Chairwoman of the FCC on Tuesday personally thanked the Members of the Senate Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee for its decision to provide full funding for the Commission in FY 2024. "The work of the Commission matters," Jessica Rosenworcel noted as she noted particular achievements she's proud of — including the "PIRATE Act."

The FCC's Media Bureau is reminding both commercial and noncommercial broadcasters of their upcoming obligation to file 2023 biennial ownership reports on FCC Form 323 or 323-E, respectively.

The Federal Trade Commission recommends that businesses, social media influencers and others who market or promote products online to children should avoid blurring advertising by clearly separating advertising and entertainment, educational, and other content to help limit potential harms to children.

It's an honor reserved for individuals who have dedicated more than 4,000 hours of service to their respective fields and communities.  And, it has been bestowed upon an iconic radio industry figure who is widely known by multigenerational multicultural audiences across South Florida.

Grant Spellmeyer and Curtis LeGeyt will each have a chance to share their views on the state of the video marketplace on Wednesday afternoon at a Congressional hearing called for by key House Republicans. So will the co-founder and CEO of sports-first vMVPD FuboTV and, additionally, the Senior Policy Counsel for Consumer Reports.

NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt details three important areas where he believes FCC action is necessary "to keep broadcasting strong and enable vital local news." The commentary follows the September 7 Senate confirmation of Anna Gomez as the FCC's fifth Commissioner.

Sen. Ted Cruz, the outspoken Texas Republican, used a few minutes of free time before the full Senate voted on Anna Gomez's nomination to be a FCC Commissioner by voicing his opposition to her. In his view, First Amendment freedoms are at risk, while taxpayer harm will result from her taking the fifth seat at the agency.

The licensee of a 1kw AM in Alaska that is presently dark has successfully convinced the FCC to reduce a civil penalty tied to a consent decree it has entered into by $3,000. It puts an end to an investigation by the Commission that involves a reduction in daytime power, operating hours of the station and silencing the AM without telling the FCC or getting its approval. 

In late September 2022, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on updates to rules for full power and Class A stations which it believes reflect the digital transition and completion of the post-incentive auction, current technology, and/or Commission practices. Now, one year later, the Commission will vote on the proposal.

In Bent County, Colorado, local media is limited, with three AMs and two FMs from nearby Lamar easily tunable. There are also low-power TV stations, and those facilities have attracted the FCC's attention — and not in a good way.

A comment and reply comment period will be established following the publication in the Federal Register of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking associated with an upgrade request for a television station offering PBS programming to Iowa's largest market.

Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota may already be a co-sponsor of the AM For Every Vehicle Act, but this influential Capitol Hill legislator took another opportunity to voice her support for radio by penning an opinion piece for a Minnesota newspaper.

A proposed transaction that saw the arrival of a new licensee for a low-power television station in the Lone Star State was cancelled by the FCC. On Wednesday, new information was brought to RBR+TVBR's attention as to the circumstances leading to the Commission's decision.

The chief programming executive at NPR will conclude her tenure at the noncommercial public radio entity at the end of 2023, ending a nearly 30-year tenure that includes on-demand audio innovations. At the same time, NPR's own journalists note how Anya Grundmann has weaved through "sharp setbacks buffeting the industry broadly and the network specifically."

The Chairwoman of the FCC on Friday issued a statement in response to the devastating wildfires that have impacted thousands of residents on the island of Maui, and provided an update to the public on the agency’s efforts to support local disaster assessment and recovery efforts.