House Omnibus Spending Bill Includes CPB Funding Increase
House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a $20 million increase in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It's the first increase in 10 years, and the House formally approved the increase today as part of the package of bills to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2020. The Senate is expected to consider the funding package before Friday.
With STELAR Done, An ‘Outdated Law’ Is Sunset
The federal government's FY2020 Appropriations Act needs Senate approval by the end of the week to avert a shutdown, and it is likely. As such, STELA legislation championed by the House Energy & Commerce Committee is set to become law. Retiring Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden is pleased.
Signs Of Abuse, Courtesy Of America’s Legislative Swamp
For the past 50 years, featured columnist Ken Benner has traveled to Washington, D.C., during the first week of December to discuss consumer affairs with the nation's most prominent consumer organization -- and to obtain material for RBR+TVBR columns. Here's Benner's Inside-the-Beltway diary of this year's trip.
Trusting the News Media in the Trump Era
In an information environment characterized by deep tensions between President Trump and national news organizations, Americans are more divided than ever in their trust of the news media. A new Pew Research Center study confirms this.
What To Do On An Alternative FCC Inspection Day
For many years, the legendary Jerry Miller served as Chief Engineer for a Twin Cities AM. Upon his retirement, Miller joined FCC staff across the U.S. and columnist Ken Benner to greatly improve the integrity of the Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program. This encore column from Benner could save your media properties cash.
New Categories, and a Makeover, for 2020 Murrow Awards
The Radio Television Digital News Association has announced the addition of two new categories, "a fresh look" and what it calls "a simplified entry process" for the 2020 Edward R. Murrow Awards competition. If you're in the podcast arena, you may want to read this.
FCC Moves Forward On NCE, LPFM Standards NPRM
A report and order that would revise the FCC's Noncommercial Educational Broadcast Station and Low Power FM Station comparative processing and licensing rules has been deleted from the Open Media -- a move that signals unanimous approval of what was the lone agenda item to involve broadcast media.
NAB Wants Revised VHF Reg Fees
The nation's chief voice for broadcasters on Capitol Hill has submitted comments in a proceeding dealing with the assessment and collection of FCC regulatory fees for fiscal 2019. It asks that the Commission take another look at the regulatory fees it's whipped up for VHF stations.
Temple Taped To Serve As MPA’s Top Lawyer
The woman who has most recently served as the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office is joining the Motion Picture Association as Senior EVP and Global General Counsel. “I can think of no better person," says MPA Chairman/CEO Charles Rivkin.
The FCC’s Plan For ‘988’
This month's FCC Open Meeting agenda includes a vote on a rule to establish 988 as the national 3-digit code for the suicide prevention hotline. We've provided a link to the full proposal for you to review, as it could be of high interest to your audience.
With No Opposition, FCC OK’s Univision Radio Mexi-Plan
In mid-April, Univision asked the FCC to have one of its many wholly owned subsidiaries take on direct ownership of Univision Radio. The subsidiary is based in Mexico, and as such a foreign ownership ruling was needed. The Commission has just ruled on the matter.
FCC Reprimands Meredith, Cox For Atlanta Political File Flub
Two TV stations in the South's biggest market were singled out for failing to include in their respective online political files "certain information about requests to purchase political advertising time for non-candidate issue advertisements." The Media Bureau on Tuesday issued an Order intended to resolve the matter.
Filing Window Opens For New Rural Digital LPTVs
The FCC's Media Bureau has commenced a window filing opportunity for pending new rural digital low power and TV translator stations (LPTV/translator stations) displaced by the Commission's Incentive Auction and subsequent station repack process.
NAB, TV Groups Challenge FCC Order On Political File Complaints
A Memorandum Opinion & Order adopted by the FCC's on Oct. 2 resolved some 11 complaints against commercial TV stations owned by seven companies. Or so we thought. A petition for reconsideration of the Order was filed in November, and a comment period is coming.
A Beloved FCC Engineering Leader Readies For Retirement
In 1974, he joined the FCC, and in 2006 took over as Chief of the Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology. Now, as the Thanksgiving Day holiday traffic builds on I-95 south of Lorton and the D.C. departures build, one exit from the FCC has all Inside the Beltway honoring Julie Knapp.