Washington Beat

The AWARN Alliance has elected the chair and vice chair of its AWARN Steering Committee for 2022. The AWARN Steering Committee serves as the governing body of the AWARN Alliance.

The Media Bureau is inviting comment from "interested parties" in regard to the latest in a series of Congressional actions that have revised the Communications Act of 1934 with the intent to "encourage competition and establish parameters for the carriage of television broadcast stations by multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs)."

Should a low-power TV station CP be able to relocate without any restrictions, making them as lucrative as ever to potential buyers? One licensee says yes, and has filed a Petition for Reconsideration with the Commission with the intent of undoing a special condition given to his LPTV's CP that must keep it in place for at least one year before any possible move can be made.

On January 8, 2018, the FCC's Media Bureau issued a Maine permittee a construction permit for an FM translator. The owner of the facility had three years to submit an application for a license. But, it didn't make that deadline date. The FCC is accepting the tardiness, but it will come at a price.

Not much has changed in its mission as Jack Mills has been elected to replace the retiring John Terrill as NTA President. As such, Mills will assume the leadership of an organization devoted to serving its members in the same way it always had. Only, it has a new name.

The Commission has signed off on two Consent Decrees — with no financial penalty, or contribution to the U.S. Treasury, to worry about — handed to a pair of broadcasting companies devoted to super-serving Spanish-language listeners. 

Some 1,282 applications were received; all were reviewed to identify singletons — applications that are not mutually exclusive with any other application filed in the window and can be accepted for filing. Some had defects, the Media Bureau says. And, those defective singleton applications have been dismissed.

One decade ago, then-FCC Chairman Jules Genachowski praised the Obama Administration's Democratic nominee for a seat on the FCC. Today, that nominee is now Chairwoman. As she looks ahead to her new role, how Jessica Rosenworcel got to the highest post at the FCC wasn't an easy ride.

The NBC affiliate serving Panama City Beach, Fla., has become the latest television station to receive a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for failing to timely file its quarterly TV issues/programs lists. How much is Gray Television paying to the FCC as a result of the transgression?

For the first time since 1992, reauthorization of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration could be at hand. A bill introduced Wednesday by the Senate Commerce Committee's Ranking Member and the top Republican on the House Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband would do so. And, the legislation would also reform NTIA's role in a way.

On November 15, the FCC adopted and released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update its rules for applicants proposing directional antenna facilities for FM and Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations. With the NPRM's publication on Tuesday in the Federal Register, Comment and Reply Comment dates are now in effect.

The FCC's Media Bureau has identified 231 MX groups, comprising some 883 applications, in its filing window for applications for new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM new station construction permits, which closed on November 9. What's next? A new window for settlements and technical amendments.

He's a NAB board member and the only Black owner-operator of full-power "Big Four" network broadcast affiliates in the U.S. Now, Byron Allen is vocalizing his support of President Biden's choice to serve as a Democratic Commissioner on the FCC: Gigi Sohn.

A December 2 forum will explore the state of closed captioning availability for online video programming and discuss ways to enhance accessibility.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) are providing additional details on a "Section 230" legislative hearing.