FCC Chairman Wheeler released a blog post today discussing a number of changes and proposed changes to rules impacting TV and radio broadcasters. While his blog contained good news for the radio industry, TV broadcasters are likely to be less pleased. On the TV side there are two major initiatives. First, the Chairman is proposing […]
The FCC yesterday issued a Declaratory Ruling at the request of the producers of a new syndicated Crime Watch Daily TV show, a program that will give a daily rundown of crime stories including ongoing court trials from around the nation, declaring that the program would not give rise to equal opportunities claims from political… Continue Reading
The FCC recently issued a Declaratory Ruling and Order on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) – and that order highlights many issues with broadcasters who use texts or outbound automated calls to the mobile devices of viewers and listeners. In fact, today the FCC released a Notice of Apparent Liability proposing to fine a… Continue Reading
Interim update on interim FAA policy As we reported earlier this year, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has opened a proceeding looking at “best practices” for the commercial and private use of drones. NTIA’s first multistakeholder confab was held here in Washington on August 3 to explore some of the questions on the … Continue Reading
Justifications for possible U.S.-only standard, other details, questioned The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) appears to have assigned a high priority to the issue of the use of unlicensed spectrum by licensed wireless services. Less than six weeks after the close of an initial comment period on the subject, OET has posed a … Continue Reading
Take-home message: Do as we say, NOT as we do! Pursuant to “clarifications” provided in a recent FCC Declaratory Ruling on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the FCC and FTC are both in violation of the TCPA’s prohibition against making autodialed calls to a consumer’s wireless phone without prior express consent. Whose phone? You … Continue Reading
… this time to a lot of his friends. [Blogmeister’s Note: A few months ago our colleague and friend, Mitchell Lazarus, used this space to thank an anonymous donor who provided blood stem cells to help treat his leukemia. Mitchell was in the middle of his treatment then, so his post left us all hanging: … Continue Reading
Forget what the rules say – this year 323s are due on December 2, NOT November 1. Get out your calendar and some Wite-Out®. We’re coming up on the deadline for full-power commercial AM, FM, TV, LPTV and Class A TV stations to file their biennial Ownership Reports (FCC Form 323) and, as tradition dictates, … Continue Reading
[WARNING! While Auction 98 has closed, strict federal anti-collusion rules remain in effect for several more weeks, until the down payment deadline, which should be announced shortly. Parties who were involved in any way in the auction – including folks who filed applications but then elected not to participate in the auction – should refrain … Continue Reading