An Electronic Publication of the National Association of Broadcasters

Unanimous Victory for Broadcasters at Supreme Court

After hearing oral arguments by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and NAB in January, the Supreme Court unanimously decided last week that the FCC's recent and long-overdue modernization of its broadcast ownership regulations was lawful and appropriate.

In 2017, the FCC attempted to update many local broadcast ownership rules, including eliminating the 1975 newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership ban and the 1970s-era radio/TV cross-ownership rule; reforming the local TV ownership rule to permit the ownership of two TV stations in smaller markets, as well as the largest ones; and eliminating the rule treating the joint sale of advertising time by TV stations as equivalent to common ownership.

NAB applauded the long overdue modernization of these rules. However, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals overturned this order by a 2-1 vote in 2019, once again subjecting broadcasters to analog-era rules that the FCC had found were no longer in the public interest.

In response, NAB joined the FCC in appealing the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court and mounted a successful legal strategy to reinstate the FCC's modernization of media ownership rules.

After the announcement of the Supreme Court's decision, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith said, "For almost two decades, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked common-sense changes to outdated broadcast ownership regulations to the detriment of local journalism. We are gratified that the time has come to allow the FCC to modernize its rules. It is critical that the Commission continue to examine its media ownership rules to ensure that America's broadcasters are able to compete and meet the needs of local communities across the nation in today's media landscape. We look forward to working with the FCC on this effort given the essential role radio and television broadcasters play for all Americans."

This decision represents an enormous victory for broadcasters. Thank you for your continued engagement in NAB and your service to your communities. Please reach out to nab@nab.org or call the NAB Member Concierge at (202) 775-2555 with questions or concerns.

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Join a live Q-and-A with Rep. Karen Bass on Thursday
at 3 p.m. ET

U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37) will be the inaugural guest in an exclusive new Spotlight Series from NAB featuring members of Congress discussing key initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion and their perspectives on broadcast media.

The series will take place as an online event and is designed to be a dialogue between broadcasters and legislators.

NBCUniversal's KNBC Los Angeles reporter Beverly White will conduct the live discussion with Rep. Bass on Thursday, April 8 at 3 p.m. ET.

The C-Band Transition is Under Way - Be Sure to Answer the Phone

Contractor teams at Intelsat and SES have been doing their best to inform affiliates about the C-band transition. Scheduling filter installations, new antennas and other on-site work needs to be done in advance. USSi, ATCI, Viking Satcom and Pacific Cable are some of the contractors doing the field work and have reported difficulty reaching some television and radio broadcasters to schedule this work.

The satellite companies understand that broadcasters are all busy, but please answer and return calls and emails from installation contractors to get C-band field work scheduled. Otherwise, your satellite-delivered services may be relocated or terrestrial 5G services may be lit up in your area, and your program feeds may be interrupted.

If you have any questions, both Intelsat and SES have FAQs and help desks standing by.

The Copyright Royalty Board Receives Extension to Render its Decision on Webcasting Royalties for 2021 to 2025

Every five years, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), an administrative body housed within the U.S. Copyright Office, sets the amount of royalties that digital music services, including terrestrial radio, (webcasters) must pay to record labels and artists when streaming songs.

The current royalties took effect in January 2016 and expired in December 2020. The process to set rates for 2021 to 2025 was to begin in March of 2020. However, due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the proceeding, known as "Web V," was delayed until August.

NAB Show Premiere Features Broadcast Leaders and Honorees

NAB Show Premiere, an online event taking place April 12-23, will showcase top brands in media and entertainment through first-ever product reveals, curated education offerings and unique networking opportunities.

Make plans now to join the opening session, "One Year of Broadcasting in a Pandemic," which will feature insights from NAB Board Chairs Emily Barr, Graham Media Group; Dave Santrella, Salem Media Group and Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst Television, along with NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith and NAB Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt. The presentations of the Television Chairman's Award and the Crystal Radio Awards will take place on April 13.

The event is free to attend with an NAB Amplify account. BONUS: You'll receive a free Exhibits Pass to NAB Show in October!

Just Announced! Host Mario Lopez to be awarded the 2021 Television Chairman's Award at NAB Show Premiere

PILOT Awards 2021 Media Technology and Innovation Scholarships

PILOT, the innovation arm of NAB, has announced this year's recipients of its annual media technology and innovation scholarships. The awards, valued at $2,500 each, will be presented to four college students - two undergraduate and two graduate - for pursuit of studies related to broadcast or media technology and innovation. The scholarship program was launched in 2019 and is administered in partnership with the Broadcast Education Association (BEA).

Broadcast Ambassador Program Q-and-A with Jordan Wertlieb

NAB recently launched the Broadcast Ambassador Program, a new volunteer initiative designed to enhance communication between NAB and our member stations' employees at all levels to ensure stations are taking full advantage of the benefits that come with NAB membership.

Jordan Wertlieb, president, Hearst Television and NAB Board Chair, recently spoke with us about why he believes this program will provide value to NAB members. Click the button below to read more.

Last Days for Voting in the 2021 NAB Board of Directors Election

The 2021 NAB Board of Directors election is being conducted by Vote-Now.com and voting ends on Wednesday, April 7. Don't delay - make your voice heard!

The 2021 election is for odd-numbered radio districts and six of the at-large television seats. Click the button below to view the eligible radio districts up for election followed by the election schedule.

Voices From the Field: Tracy Oliver

Tracy Oliver, creative services director at WTAE in Pittsburgh, Pa., shares her thoughts on working from home while continuing to serve her station's community during a pandemic, the skills required to work in creative services, why local stations forge an unbreakable bond of trust and reliability with their audiences and the future of broadcast television.

Helping Stations Navigate the Pandemic

While new vaccines and their deployment is giving Americans hope of brighter days ahead, broadcasters continue to serve as a lifeline to communities during the pandemic.

NAB recently hosted a live webinar with Mollyann Brodie, executive director of the Kaiser Family Foundation's Public Opinion and Survey Research Program. Brodie shared data on the types of vaccine education messaging that resonates best within communities of color and answered questions about creating effective on-air and online vaccine education campaigns.

During the webinar, Brodie urged broadcasters to take advantage of NAB's Vaccine Toolkit, which includes public service tools, messaging guidance, nationwide research on the pandemic and vaccine rollout and more.

The site also includes information about The Conversation: Between Us and For Us - a new campaign sponsored by Greater Than COVID to reach Black audiences with specific vaccine education messaging.

Also, check out VaccineFinder.org, which is being updated by the CDC to help Americans find and sign up for vaccines in their communities.

NAB's toolkit will continue to be updated often as new research and information becomes available. It is free to all newsrooms and available in English and Spanish.

Spotlighting How Broadcasters Bring Critical News and Information to Their Communities

NAB regularly shares with members of Congress examples of how local broadcasters are providing their communities with the critical news and information they need most. America's broadcasters have been at their best during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing fact-based journalism, breaking news, health education and supporting local businesses. Read more here.

To help us continue to educate Congress on the important work of broadcasters, please air NAB's We Are Broadcasters spots, which showcase stations' important role in delivering critical news and information to your communities. Air them as often as possible and keep posting stories of your public service on social media to send a strong message to policymakers.

Don't forget to tag your social media posts with #WeAreBroadcasters or reach out to WeAreBroadcasters@nab.org so we can help amplify your station's work.

New NAB Podcast: PILOT Programs and Insights from Verizon Media

John Clark, executive director, PILOT, discusses the projects he and his team are currently working on including digital dashboard initiatives, voice platform innovations and the Next Gen TV rollout. Plus, John connects with Jason Friedlander, senior director, Product Marketing, Verizon Media, to preview upcoming Edge Technology for broadcasters research project findings.

Radio Rules! Available Now

NAB is offering a new online training course for radio stations containing critical information and guidelines for complying with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. The Radio Rules! A Guide to FCC Regulations for Radio Stations course is now available on education.nab.org. The scenario-based training course tests participants' understanding of acceptable practices for FCC regulation compliance. The guide outlines compliance related to content, advertising, station operation and management, copyright, and public files and reporting in four learning activities.

Stay Connected with NABPAC

Recently, NABPAC featured Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) during its monthly Connect to Congress series. NABPAC thanks its community for making these forums possible.

Rep. Meng sits on the House Appropriations Committee, a key committee for broadcasters' advocacy efforts, and is chair of ASPIRE PAC. ASPIRE PAC supports candidates of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent, offers a voice for the AAPI community and encourages active participation in the U.S. political process. In addition to COVID relief, the Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) and pirate radio, Rep. Meng also discussed her recently introduced bill, the Hate Crimes Act (HR 1843). This bill provides guidance and best practices for officials to report hate crimes, including those against Asian Americans. A copy of the full recording can be found here.

If you have additional questions or want to get involved in the community, please reach out to Jenn Flemming at jflemming@nab.org.

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