1. LeGeyt Testifies Before Congress on the Critical Role of Local Broadcasting

This week, NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing titled "Lights, Camera, Subscriptions: State of the Video Marketplace."

• LeGeyt spoke about broadcasters' role as first informers in emergency situations and as trusted news sources.
• Dive deeper: He called on the Committee to urge the FCC to take action in four key areas to ensure continued access to broadcasters' essential services:
• Complete its 2018 quadrennial review and modernize its broadcast ownership rules.
• Refresh the record in its virtual MVPD proceeding to ensure it reflects the impact of streaming on viewer access to local stations.
• Create a more transparent, fair and predictable process to review broadcast transactions.
• Continue supporting the rollout of NEXTGEN TV.
• LeGeyt also urged Congress to support the AM Radio For Every Vehicle Act, which will ensure continued access to AM radio as a safety standard in automobiles, and reinstate the Diversity Tax Certificate program to help broadcasters better reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Read his full remarks here.

✏️ ICYMI: LeGeyt also penned an NAB Blog about the important areas where FCC action is necessary to keep broadcasting strong and enable vital local news.

2. TV Stations Must certify 13 GHz Licenses by November 29

The FCC released a Public Notice requiring broadcasters to certify the accuracy of their 13 GHz licenses.

• This is critical: Follow the instructions in the Public Notice or you may lose interference protection of your 13 GHz operations or have your license cancelled.
• With limited exceptions, if you hold a license (fixed point-to-point or mobile/ENG) in the 12.7 – 13.25 GHz band you must certify to the FCC by November 29 that the information on the license is accurate and that the facilities are operating as authorized.
• If you need to make corrections ("minor modifications") to the license data, you must do so in ULS by November 29.

The FCC put a freeze on major modifications of 13 GHz facilities unless a waiver is granted. Section 1.929(d) of the FCC Rules gives the criteria for major modifications, including changes in transmit antenna location by more than five seconds and changes in emission type. It appears that the FCC will consider waivers that do not increase relocation costs that must be paid by new entrants.

Questions? Contact NAB Legal and Regulatory Affairs' Bob Weller.

3. Send in Your Questions for NAB Town Hall

NAB will hold a members-only virtual town hall with President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt on September 28 at 2 p.m. ET.

• Send us your questions: Watch your inbox for further details coming soon. In the meantime, you can send in audio, video or written questions now for LeGeyt to answer during the town hall.

4. Hawaii Association of Broadcasters Releases PSA for Maui Relief

The Hawaii Association of Broadcasters has released a script for stations outside of Hawaii looking to assist in wildfire relief efforts.

• Download the script here, along with web ads directing donations to the Hawaii Community Foundation.

5. NAB Show New York is Only Six Weeks Away

Don't miss out on insights into the latest strategies and trends for television and radio during NAB Show New York on Oct. 25-26.

• Radio Insights | Executive Seminar - a curated program for radio's C-suite and top decision makers
• 🏆 NAB Marconi Radio Awards - hosted by acclaimed sportscaster Rich Eisen with entertainment by DJ Scratch, we'll honor local radio stations and talent, plus two broadcasting trailblazers, James Brown and Diane Sutter.
• Broadcast Content Summit - a one-day, dual-track conference program designed for content producers, programmers, talent, production and creative professionals.

Click here to register today.

6. Deadline Approaching to Submit Regulatory Fees

Recently, NAB was successful in advocating for a reduction in regulatory fees for broadcasters. At our urging, the FCC has begun reallocating a portion of costs to other industries that benefit directly from the Commission's work. This will result in significantly lower fees for most broadcasters, ranging from 5% to more than 40% for some stations. Some smaller stations may not pay fees at all.

• ⏳ Regulatory fees for those who owe them are due no later than September 20, 2023, and the FCC has issued a fact sheet that provides guidance targeted to broadcasters and other media licensees.
• The FCC also provides directions for paying the fees through the Commission Registration System (CORES). The use of CORES is mandatory. Payments not submitted by the due date are subject to a 25% late payment penalty.

For additional information, broadcasters should review the FCCs regulatory fee order, which addressed NAB's longstanding position that the FCC's regulatory fee methodology unfairly forces broadcasters to subsidize work performed on behalf of other industries.

7. Are You Ready for the Nationwide EAS Test?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the FCC will conduct a nationwide test of the emergency alert system (EAS) at 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.

• This handy one-pager has all the information you need about this test, from filing deadlines to steps to take to prepare for the day.

8. NAB on the Move

This week NAB hosted a meeting of the Association of Independent Market Stations (AIMS). Several NAB staff members addressed the group, including NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt, Executive Vice President, Government Relations Shawn Donilon, Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Rick Kaplan and Executive Vice President, Industry Affairs April Carty-Sipp.