Washington Beat

A new Chief Copyright Royalty Judge and head of the Copyright Royalty Board has been named. He is replacing Suzanne Barnett, who returned from retirement on November 8, 2021, to serve as an interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.

Waste. Fraud. Abuse. These are just some of the reasons why the top two Republicans on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee want President Biden to nominate an Inspector General for the FCC. If that were to happen, however, would his pick be as lambasted as that for the fifth Commissioner's seat?

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce "is sitting idly" on H.R. 7783—a bill that would extend the FCC's authority to conduct radio spectrum auctions, says AEI nonresident senior fellow Mark Jamison. This authority is scheduled to expire on September 30. In this column, Jamison urges Congress to act quickly, as radio spectrum auctions "have improved efficiency and brought money into the U.S. Treasury without raising consumer prices."

It was deleted from the list of items scheduled for consideration at the FCC's July Open Meeting — its first "open" to journalists and the public since February 2020. Why? The four Commissioners were in unison on an affirmative vote, one that removes "obsolete analog-era provisions" from its "Part 74" rules. It impacts LPTV properties.

The chorus of naysayers to the voluntary use of FM boosters to originate hyperlocal programming — and give some broadcasters that much-desired "addressable advertising" opportunity so many marketers desire today — has just expanded significantly.

The National Association of Broadcasters is celebrating the promotions of four employees in its Government Relations, Technology and Legal and Regulatory Affairs departments. On July 1, each of these individuals added SVP titles to their resume.

 Jessica Rosenworcel is welcoming a new staff member at the FCC, while "adjustments to policy portfolios for select legal advisors" are transpiring in the Offfice of the Chairwoman. It could raise eyebrows with Congressional Republicans and the two GOP-aligned members of the Commission, as the new advisor to Rosenworcel is coming from a think tank with one key mission — a "free and open internet."

Election 2022-related advertising dollars are starting to flow to local TV. As activity continues to heat up, Broadbeam Media has examined political local TV spending trends and predictions. What does it have to share? 

The latest quarterly broadcast station totals have been released from the FCC. And, when one compares the numbers to the end of the first quarter of 2022, here's the biggest conclusion: commercially licensed AM and FMs are fewer in number.

What would the implications on U.S. broadcast media be if The New York Times v. Sullivan, a 9-0 opinion of the Warren Court, were to be struck down? The InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, connected with Davis Wright Tremaine Partner Robert Corn-Revere ahead of the Independence Day holiday in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision not to revisit the landmark 1964 case. We're pleased to share the great conversation again with our readers. LISTEN HERE

In early June, the NAB expressed grave concern with a FCC Notice for Proposed Rulemaking on its suggested FY 2022 regulatory fees that would "subject local radio broadcasters to a staggering 13% increase in regulatory fees from last fiscal year." The NAB has now followed up with a 33-page comment filing, made July 5, that reiterates its worries while spelling out for key tasks it wants the Commission to undertake on the matter.

It's become a much-anticipated annual event hosted by the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. This year, it is scheduled for the morning of July 20, with no less than six current and former FCC Commissioners on hand for the MMTC 2022 Former FCC Chairs' Symposium.

The licensee of WWGH-LPFM in Marion, Ohio, must obtain legal counsel to represent its owner, Marion Education Exchange, in an ongoing License Revocation Hearing taking place at the FCC. If not, it will automatically forfeit its license. The LPFM came under scrutiny for apparent misrepresentation of its board members in paperwork submitted to the Commission. One woman with 20% voting interest was deceased.

The Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives has signaled its support for the grant of more than $500 million in advanced funding for public broadcasting for fiscal year 2025.

What key issues are being chatted about across Capitol Hill and at the FCC? How, in particular, are these issues perhaps of great concern to Hispanic media? A Thursday Hispanic Radio Conference session offered an update on what's impacting Spanish-language radio.