1. Reach out to Members of Congress During August Recess
While members of Congress are in their home districts during the August recess, don’t miss the opportunity to let them know about your valuable service to your community.
The recess period is also a perfect time to speak to your legislators about issues affecting broadcasters.
AM radio: Use NAB's AM Radio Toolkit and air spots while your legislators are home.
Big Tech: Our Big Tech Toolkit provides talking points on the threat tech giants pose to local broadcasters.
Get started: Visit nab.org/SpeakUp for tips and tools on communicating your station’s vital service to your legislators.
2. Foreign Sponsorship Identification Update
On June 10, the FCC released a Second Report and Order concerning its foreign government sponsorship identification rules, stating that more diligence obligations will apply and that the rules will affect more content:
More diligence: The FCC expects both stations and lessees/advertisers to complete certifications to document that lessees/advertisers are aware of the rules and address whether the content is being supplied by a foreign governmental entity. Lessees/advertisers can provide screenshots of searches in certain government databases in lieu of providing certifications.
More content: The FCC states that it is reversing its previous decision concerning the application of the rules to advertising and held that political issue ads and paid public service announcements (PSAs) will be subject to the rules. Candidate ads and ads for commercial products and services that meet a specific definition in its rules will be exempt from the foreign sponsorship ID rules.
Most changes require OMB review and approval. NAB cannot predict the exact effective date of the decisions in the Order, but we do not anticipate that it will occur prior to Election Day.
The Order states that the Media Bureau will submit those changes that involve “information collections” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval, and we understand that the Bureau has determined that most changes, including the expansion of the rules to issue advertising/PSAs, require OMB approval.
The OMB process generally takes at least 100 days, and the process has not yet begun.
Although several news articles have suggested that the certification requirements and/or language in the Order expanding foreign sponsor ID to advertising/PSAs will take effect on August 15, a recent Federal Register Notice makes clear that the new certification standards require OMB approval, and FCC staff have informed NAB staff that the expansion to new content will be part of OMB review as well.
However, changes to the rules as they apply to entities with permits to deliver programs to foreign broadcast stations under Section 325(c) will take effect on August 15.
Next steps: We encourage all commercial broadcasters to carefully review the FCC’s Order and consult with their counsel.
NAB also plans to take further steps in this area. This may include a potential court appeal given the multiple legal infirmities in the decision, particularly with respect to the FCC’s decision to subject additional content to the rules.
NAB also will be updating various member resources, including the NAB PB-19 Form for Issue Advertising, the NAB Airtime Lease Form and publications like the Political Broadcasting Handbook to reflect these changes once they take effect.
3. NEW: AI Training for TV and Radio Broadcasters
NAB has partnered with Future Media Conferences (FMC) to offer exclusive online courses designed specifically for TV and radio professionals to help you revolutionize your career with the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
AI Broadcast TV: Revolutionizing Broadcasting | Aug. 21 and Nov. 14
AI Broadcast Radio: Making Sound Waves | Aug. 19 and Nov. 15
AI Creative Summit + Bootcamps (includes a complimentary certification exam) | Aug. 19-22
Go deeper: This week on the NAB Podcast, Seth Polanski, partner at Foundry General Counsel and owner of the Law Office of Seth Polansky, and video designer Luis Wintersdiscuss the strategies behind the use of AI in video production, best practices and legal implications.
4. Deadline Approaching to File Cable Copyright Royalty Claims
⌛ Final reminder: It’s time to file your claims for cable copyright royalties. To receive your 2023 royalties, a claim must be filed between now and July 31, 2024, with the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB).
Dig deeper: Learn more about this process and recent changes here.
NAB's 2024 Election Toolkit provides you with ideas and resources to help increase voter registration, education and turnout.
With an increased focus on fighting misinformation and intentional disinformation, the toolkit provides tips on fact-checking and identifying false information online, as well as examples of broadcasters’ work in action.
It also offers broadcast-ready television and radio spots in English and Spanish, produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters’ Vote411.org, to encourage voter participation.
📧 Don't forget to send examples of your fact-checking projects and voter education public service to WeAreBroadcasters@nab.org so we can feature them on our social channels.
7. Find Your Next Career Move
Looking to advance your career?"You Belong Here" is a multifaceted campaign to help broadcasters find, hire and grow talent. You Belong Here also features current job openings from the NAB Leadership Foundation’s Broadcast Career Link. Take a look at some of the recent job postings.
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