It was announced on Wednesday (7/15) that the $100 million Michigan Small Business Restart Program will leverage federal funding through the CARES Act to help reduce the economic impact of the ongoing pandemic on Michigan small businesses and workers. Businesses and nonprofits with 50 or fewer employees, worldwide, located in Michigan will be eligible for… read more
Protect My Public Media has renewed its call for public media support after the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved increased funding for public media stations as it approved annual spending bills on Wednesday (7/15). Learn more about the spending bills on the Protect My Public Media blog. “The Committee’s endorsement of robust public media funding… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP As business adapts to the pandemic so, too, do legal issues. A couple have come to my attention in recent weeks that I thought bear passing on. One deals with copyright concerns, the other with FCC matters about use of unlicensed FM transmitters. Both arise as businesses adapt the… read more
Last week, the National Association of Broadcasters sent us information regarding an RFP providing additional funding for the 2020 Census. Due to the extended time frame, and low response rates, new funding is available to help target market the census, especially in the more rural areas of our state. An additional $65 Million in paid advertising… read more
MAB Washington counsel David Oxenford sends a reminder that any radio or TV station that has a C-Band Earth Station needs to be aware of an FCC notice that was released this week. It lists the earth stations that are eligible for reimbursement for their expenses as the C-Band is compressed to allow portions to… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP When do noncommercial stations stray from permissible acknowledgment of those local businesses that provide funding for its operations to impermissible commercials? That question was addressed in a Notice of Apparent Liability issued by the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau on Thursday (7/2), proposing a $15,000 fine for a low power FM station whose underwriting… read more
On April 16, MAB Washington counsel David Oxenford presented a political refresher webinar for MAB members. With so many primaries to be held this summer for both state and federal office, this is a good time to review the political rules even in this time of social distancing. He discussed which advertisers can buy political… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Should broadcasters be able to originate programming on FM translators? Playing off the proposal to allow limited amounts of programming on FM boosters – basically the insertion of local ads, news, or emergency alerts – in the zonecasting proposal on which the FCC took comments earlier this year (see… read more
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) President and CEO Gordon Smith announced Thursday (618) that Michelle Duke will assume the role of Chief Diversity Officer, effective July 1. In the newly created position, Duke will spearhead NAB’s internal efforts to further equity and inclusion at all levels of the organization and elevate NAB’s external role as… read more
Broadcasters will not be allowed to use vacant channel space for NextGen TV deployment, the Federal Communications Commission has ruled and he National Association of Broadcasters has thanked the FCC for clarifying regulations, saying its members are eager to launch the improved services NextGen technology will facilitate. According to a report in Broadcasting+Cable, the FCC… read more