Legislative Update
MAB Will No Longer Provide Uplink, Closed Captioning for COVID-19 Press Conferences
The MAB has been proud to partner with WLNS-TV (Lansing) in to provide the live coverage of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-19 press conferences to our broadcasters across the state for the past year. To be able to help you bring important and vital information to the residents of our great state has been a job we…
Read MoreFCC Issues Reminder On Sponsorship Identification Requirements – Including Obligation to Ensure Syndicated and Brokered Program Providers Comply With the Rules
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Last week, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued an Advisory reminding broadcasters about their obligation to provide sponsorship identification information to their audiences whenever they receive something of value in exchange for airing any programming. The Enforcement Bureau’s advisory was quite concise, basically just reminding broadcasters of their sponsorship identification obligations. …
Read MoreBenson Calls for FOIA Expansion in New Transparency Agenda; House Unanimously Approves FOIA, LORA Bills
The Freedom of Information Act would be extended to both the governor and Legislature, under a new transparency agenda released Monday (3/15) by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The plan also calls for elected officials would have to wait two years before working as a lobbyist, according to a report in Gongwer. Dubbed “From Worst…
Read MoreMarch Madness Trademarks: Tips To Avoid A Foul Call from the NCAA (2021 Update)
By: Mitchell Stabbe, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP via the Broadcast Law Blog This article is compiled from a 2-part series appearing in the blog. My 2020 annual update on the use of trademarks associated with the NCAA Basketball Tournament was published on the same day that the NCAA announced it was cancelling the tournament due…
Read MoreJournalism Competition and Preservation Act Introduced in Congress
House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), House Antitrust Subcommittee Ranking Member Ken Buck (CO-04), Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Chairwoman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) on Wednesday (3/10) announced the introduction of the bipartisan Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, legislation that seeks to…
Read MoreFCC Notes Violations for Two LPFM Operators for Spurious Emissions – Make Sure that Your Station is Transmitting Only Within Its Assigned Frequency
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP In two Notices of Violation issued on one day this week, an FCC Field Office cited Low Power FM operators for using transmission systems that, in addition to transmitting signals on their authorized channels, were also emitting signals on other channels that posed the potential for interference with…
Read MoreCDC Releases Guidance for People Who are Fully Vaccinated
On March 8, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first set of guidance for fully vaccinated people. Here’s what fully vaccinated people can do: Visit other vaccinated people indoors without masks or physical distancing Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household without masks or physical distancing, if the…
Read MoreMichigan to Expand COVID Vaccine to those 50+
Effective this coming Monday (3/8), MDHHS is moving forward with the vaccination of Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs. Beginning Monday, March 22, vaccine eligibility will again expand to include all Michiganders 50 and older. To…
Read MoreEmergency Alerts, Preparedness will be on FCC March Agenda
Emergency preparedness and emergency alerts will be on the top of the FCC March meeting agenda in the wake of Winter Storm Uri. Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel outlined her agenda for the commissions open March meeting in her February 23 “Notes from the Acting Chairwomen” blogpost. “Here’s a preview of what we have on deck…
Read MoreSports Betting Advertising Q & A Issued
According to an MAB conversation with the attorney for Michigan Gaming Control Board and based on the rules, broadcasters who are required to be registered for accepting sports betting advertising may do so by company rather than per station. If your advertising comes through an ad agency, it is the agency that must register even…
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