Legislative Update
Schumer’s Senate Democrats Split Over Marijuana Legalization
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s biggest challenge to legalizing marijuana may be his fellow Democrats, according to a recent article in POLITICO. The New York Democrat has repeatedly promised a vote on cannabis reform, even without the backing of President Joe Biden. He repeated that vow in a Senate floor speech on Tuesday. “Hopefully the…
Read MoreNAB’s Smith tells Senate: ‘Americans Turn to Their Local Broadcasters First for the Most Trusted and Reliable Information’
NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith testified on Thursday (4/15) before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband to promote broadcasting as the best investment for the Administration’s vaccine-promoting advertising message, which is backed by over $1 billion in COVID-19 aid funding. He spoke during the subcommittee hearing, “Shot of Truth: Communicating…
Read MoreSupreme Court Reinstates 2017 FCC Changes to Broadcast Ownership Rules Including the End to Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership Ban – But Radio Changes Yet to Come
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP On April 1, The United States Supreme Court released its decision upholding the FCC’s 2017 changes to its ownership rules in the FCC v Prometheus Radio Project case (see our summary here). Those rules had been put on hold in 2019 by a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals which…
Read MoreFCC Announces Freeze on FM Minor Change Applications Beginning April 28
The FCC’s Media Bureau has announced that it will not accept FM commercial and noncommercial educational (NCE) minor change applications during the Auction 109 Form 175 application filing window. This window will open on April 28, 2021, and close on May 11, 2021. In Auction 109, scheduled to begin on July 27, 2021, the Media…
Read MoreNAB Announces Leadership Transition: Curtis LeGeyt Named President & CEO
On April 7, National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon H. Smith announced his plans to transition to an advisory and advocacy role effective Dec. 31, 2021. The organization’s Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt has been named the next president and CEO of NAB effective Jan. 1, 2022. In a video message to members,…
Read MoreSBA’s PPP Loans Extended to May 31
On March 30, President Biden signed into law the two-month extension to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. As a refresher, the legislation extends PPP through May 31 and allows 501(c)(6) organizations and others more time to pursue a second PPP loan. Further, if eligible organizations apply by May 31, the Small Business…
Read MoreBipartisan Congressional Voices Back Media Diversity Efforts
There is fresh bipartisan backing in Congress for advancing media diversity, according to a recent InsideRadio report. Resolutions have been introduced in the House and Senate that call diversity a “core tenet” of the public interest standard in the government’s media policy. The House resolution (H.Res.277) also pledges to work with media companies to develop…
Read MoreFCC Adopts R&O To Start Round 2, COVID-19 Telehealth Program
On Wednesday (3/30) the FCC voted to formally adopt a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration to establish Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, a $249.95 million federal initiative that builds on the $200 million program established as part of the CARES Act. The FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program supports the efforts of health…
Read MoreFOIA Package Clears Senate Committee
Legislation that would open up some records from the governor’s office and the Legislature cleared a Senate committee Tuesday (3/23) in the latest attempt to remove Michigan from the minority of states that do not currently allow access to such records, according to a report in Gongwer. Members of the Senate Oversight Committee unanimously reported…
Read MoreFCC Hearing Designation Order Reminds Broadcasters that Long Periods Where They are Not Operating May Lead to License Renewal Problems
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP On March 8, the FCC issued a hearing designation order, sending to an Administrative Law Judge the question of whether an AM station’s license renewal application should be granted. The hearing seeks to gather evidence as to whether the renewal should be granted despite the station’s record, under its current…
Read More