Washington Beat

A FCC proposal devoted to  “Unlicensed White Space Device Operations in the Television Bands” has gotten the affirmative nod of two governors in the western U.S., as well as the Western Governors' Association itself. With expanding connectivity a key goal, the governors applauded the FCC’s efforts to improve rural broadband access, calling it "crucial" in achieving those goals.

Bipartisan efforts designed to get federal agencies to increase their advertising efforts on broadcast radio and TV stations have gained steam, with some 80 members of the Upper Body of Congress directing the Office of Management and Budget to help spark such an effort.

The coronavirus-fueled quarantine that Ken and Karen Benner have been enduring these past few weeks has led the alternative broadcast inspectors to shred thousands of documents related to their 25 years of conducting thousands of radio and television compliance reviews. "In the process, we have found enough documentation for hundreds of columns," Ken says.

The FCC on Thursday moved forward with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking designed to provide greater accessibility to video programming among those who are sight-impaired. If approved, new rules would widen video description services to 40 DMAs presently not required to offer such an option.

As first reported by RBR+TVBR, the American Television Alliance (ATVA) has emerged as the chief antagonist in a push to get local radio and TV stations to qualify for the COVID-19 fueled Paycheck Protection Program through the Small Business Administration. Now, the NAB is speaking out against the ATVA's efforts.

"Aside from closing the digital divide and promoting innovation, perhaps the most frequent subject of monthly agenda items over the past three years has been modernizing the Commission’s outdated media regulations." Those are the words of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who shared that the May Open Meeting will include the "latest attempt to inject common sense in our rulebook."

On Friday afternoon, the FCC revealed that it will appeal the Third Circuit's remand of its cross-ownership rule rewrite by taking the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court. Republican Commissioner Mike O'Rielly commends the decision, and offered his thoughts on the move.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the "special circumstances" it has created for the Commission, the first three items on the agenda for its upcoming April Open Commission Meeting -- conducted via teleconference -- will be considered during the meeting. The one item of interest to the radio industry is expected to be voted on circulation prior to the gathering.

On March 31, the FCC complied with “physical distancing” needs to help combat the spread of COVID-19 by affirmatively granting a proposal to seek comment on proposed changes to its rules governing the resolution of program carriage disputes between video programming vendors and MVPDs. Now, it has announced when Comments and Reply Comments are due.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator from 2009-2017 has written to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in support of the proposed rule change that would permit radio broadcasters to broadcast geo-targeted programming, including emergency alerts in times of regional and local crises.

A bipartisan quartet of House Members have called on their colleagues to ask President Trump to give local media a boost. Local advertising is crux to their proposal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced those who would normally attend a Passover seder or Easter Sunday religious services to maintain physical distancing.  Some television stations have stepped in, with broadcasts of holiday activities in lieu of live in-person attendance. Concern as to whether such broadcasts would run afoul of "KidVid" rules have been erased.

PEN America, Common Cause, and Free Press Action on Wednesday sent a letter to House and Senate leadership on behalf of nearly 50 organizations urging Congressional leaders to include "the local news industry" in the next proposed coronavirus stimulus package. Here's exactly what the advocacy groups -- and a former FCC Commissioner working with them -- seek.

The FCC is now accepting comments in regard to a petition filed on March 13 by Chicago-based GeoBroadcast Solutions that seeks a rule change permitting radio broadcasters to air "geo-targeted programming" — including emergency alerts, news, and advertising — on a voluntary basis.