Washington Beat

“This Administration is running a coordinated, government-wide effort to reshape the media into its sanctioned messenger, and the Federal Communications Commission has become one of its most active instruments." That's the viewpoint expressed by Anna Gómez in a letter sent to NAB head Curtis LeGeyt. Why him?

The Chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau has affirmed a trio of proposed fines handed to individuals deemed to be linked to unlicensed radio broadcasts in the New York Tri-State Area and in greater Boston. As such, $20,000 payments from the FM buccaneers are due. But, if they don't pay up, what power does the Commission have?

SiliconDust is urging the "hold separate" unit of Nexstar Media Group formerly known as Gannett to disable Digital Rights Management encryption one week before a November 17 Emergency Alert System test — a move that would insure messages are fully distributed and received by viewers.

Another piece of legislation sought by broadcasters will have to wait. A last-minute effort to pass the "NO FAKES Act" in the Senate ran into an objection from a senator who has already voiced free-speech concerns, leaving the bill’s future to a short post-election session.

A two-day gathering presented by the USBC and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters is wrapping up on a high note, with a lunch-hour "Fireside Chat" featuring one of the top thought leaders in multicultural marketing and panel discussions focused on growing radio and TV dollars for African American-targeted media

The licensee serving as the parent organization for the PBS Member station serving Des Moines has requested that the Video Division of the FCC's Media Bureau grant its request to stay on its VHF channel, rather than migrate to the UHF facility it holds a Construction Permit for.

In a 77-22 bipartisan vote, the upper body of Congress passed the "Protect College Sports Act."  It preserves the scope of the "Sports Broadcasting Act" by allowing collective media rights negotiations for games on over-the-air television without extending that exemption to paid subscription streaming services.

She's said it is "unlawful" in past statements, and Anna M. Gómez did so again in a formal dissenting statement condemning her Republican colleagues from making "a profound departure" from both statutory boundaries and longstanding broadcast policy.

The FCC at its September Open Meeting on Wednesday adopted rules designed to open up big swaths of additional spectrum for next-generation connectivity. Specifically, the Commission intends to "unlock" upward 1,000 MHz of spectrum in the 12 GHz and 42 GHz bands for a range of connectivity services.

One of the nation's leading broadcast television companies has updated its financial guidance for the first quarter, which concludes Wednesday. It's a positive boost to guidance Gray Media first released on August 7, and comes in connection "with lender meetings to potentially refinance its credit facility."

It's Commission policy to solicit public input whenever there's a request, even from within the Media Bureau, to amend the Table of FM allotments. Two NPRMs were recently issued by the FCC, one involving a Class A FM signal shift and the other involving a Class A FM's deletion. No one spoke up; the actions are moving forward.

California Republican Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet, has introduced legislation aimed at thwarting foreign online piracy and protecting American creators from websites distributing stolen content.

The “How-To” guides identify the tools that are part of many mobile phones’ operating systems or that come with the mobile phone service they purchase. The guides cover Apple and Google devices as well as app-based services provided by the three largest nationwide mobile providers.

The FCC's Media Bureau has established a comment cycle in which interested parties can chime in on a Petition for Rulemaking from XGN/X1 Mobile and Tyche Media that seeks Commission approval for low-power television stations to use the 5G Broadcast transmission standard on a voluntary basis.

Two weeks ago, she wrapped up what she describes as "one of my favorite eras yet." On September 14, the former Director of Communications and Social Media at the National Association Of Broadcasters finished her first day at her new employer — one of the nation's biggest telecommunications companies.