Washington Beat

The Broadcasters Foundation of America has selected the soon-to-retire President/CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) as the recipient of the 2021 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award. The honor is bestowed annually on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. 

The NAB has filed comments with the Commission as part of its latest quadrennial review of broadcast ownership rules by staying the course on its quest to further deregulate the radio industry. Given the chatter around D.C. over who would take over for Jessica Rosenworcel, the NAB's words could easily fall on deaf ears.

A Northern Virginia AM some 45 minutes from the Nation's Capital has entered into a Consent Decree with the FCC to resolve a Public File violation. It's another learning lesson for other licensees about the importance of avoiding procrastination.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has presented the Mark Richer Industry Leadership Medal to the former Oregon Senator who will be retiring as President/CEO of the NAB at the end of 2021.

She has worked in private practice representing entertainment, banking and technology clients on copyright, trademark and patent matters. Most recently, she served as Associate General counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office. Now, this American University Washington College of Law graduate is the VP of Public Policy at the NAB.

With the Federal Communications Commission's decision to set aside regulatory fee increases for Fiscal Year 2021, the NAB, which had fought against the FCC's proposal, is pleased.

It's been an active August for Al Shuldiner, the FCC's Audio Division Chief. Notices of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture are piling up, and they largely involve tardy licensees who didn't submit their license renewal applications by the due date. The latest NAL involves a pair of FM translators in Tennessee.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has selected an individual to serve in the newly created SVP/Innovation and System Strategies, effective Sept. 13. He will be responsible for the development and implementation of a multi-faceted strategy to advance innovation and sustainability of public media through accelerating public media’s digital transformation.

A licensee of an FM translator serving Marion, Ind., has received a proposed fine from the FCC much like several other NALs issued within the last month. It shows that the FCC means business when it comes to filing deadlines -- and that it hopes to add to its coffers from tardy radio licensees.

A low-power FM radio station serving the Florida city of Palatka has avoided a FCC financial penalty for filing its license renewal application after the due date. As such, this mini-radio facility is getting an admonishment, with its forfeiture cancelled by the Commission.

The former Chief of Staff and General Counsel at the FCC has joined one of D.C.‘s most respected law firms as a partner in the communications and information technology section of its regulatory practice.

An Oklahoma broadcast company did not submit its License to Cover Application until after the necessary submission date. Second, this licensee also operated the FM translator after its Construction Permit expired. Now it faces a potential fine from the FCC.

Last week, the FCC concluded "Auction 109," a bidding contest that saw the government offer construction permits for 135 new FM stations and four AMs in St. Louis. As previously reported by RBR+TVBR the AMs attracted not even one single bid. That said, some 38 FMs went unsold in the auction. For Wilkinson Barker Knauer attorney David Oxenford, this presents one big question.

The organizations argue that the FCC adopted unnecessary and overly burdensome rules that impose on every broadcaster onerous requirements to make specified inquiries of, and conduct independent research on, all the entities with whom broadcasters currently or will in the future have lease agreements

He’s the newest member of the FCC. Nathan Simington is someone all radio broadcasters need to know. That’s exactly what attendees of this year’s Hispanic Radio Conference will have the opportunity to do when Commissioner Simington kicks off Day Two of the conference.