1. Election Day is Almost Here: Get the Tools You Need
With Election Day just a few days away, the NAB Election Toolkit is providing local TV and radio stations with resources they need to be prepared, offering tips to combat misinformation, drive get-out-the-vote efforts and cover local, state and federal elections. NAB’s Hispanic GOTV Toolkit provides targeted resources aimed at increasing voter participation and engagement within the Hispanic community.
Why it matters: With the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media, the role of local broadcasters as custodians of the truth has never been more important. NAB is supporting its members as they work to deliver accurate and reliable election coverage across all platforms.
NAB is working with the Knight Election Working League this election season. As part of this initiative, the Associated Press has launched "Localize It," a guide to help newsrooms prebunk misinformation about vote counting.
Dig deeper:Ellen Crooke, senior vice president of News, TEGNA; Julie Ziegler, director of News and Programming, WTOP (Hubbard Radio); Tim Tunison, news director, WBAL-TV (Hearst Television), and Carlos Valdez, programming director, Bustos Media, shared with NAB how their stations have doubled down on efforts to verify information and build trust with their audiences during this critical election season.
2. BPS Could Help Defend Critical National Infrastructure
Invented by NAB’s Technology team, the Broadcast Positioning SystemTM (BPS) is a reliable, complementary service to GPS. Utilizing the ATSC 3.0 standard, broadcasters can transmit precise timing signals -- known as BPS -- from their towers. It works independently of GPS, internet or cellular connectivity.
Dig deeper: Visit the NAB Blog to learn how BPS can augment GPS by providing a complementary timing signal that can help detect jamming, spoofing or other types of more acute interference.
3. FCC NCETV Filing Window and Temporary Freeze for Full Power and Class A Broadcasters
What's happening: The FCC has announced it will be opening a filing window for new noncommercial education television (NCETV) stations from December 4 through December 11. In connection with this, the FCC will not accept certain applications by full power or Class A television stations from December 3 through December 11.
Eligible entities will be able to submit applications for twelve specific reserved NCETV channels. Eligibility requirements are set out in Section 73.621 of the Commission’s rules.
From December 3 through December 11, the Commission will not accept minor or major change applications for full power and Class A television stations, nor will it accept rulemaking petitions for full power television stations to change channels.
Your participation in NAB’s We are Broadcasters campaign has been integral to our efforts to educate Congress on local stations’ essential role through the We Are Broadcasters campaign.
What's happening: We’re asking for your help again by airing new TV and radio spots that spotlight how broadcasters provide the most trusted news during a time when misinformation runs rampant on social media, along with the music, talk and sports your audiences rely on every day.
Why it matters: We know this might be a challenging time to find available inventory, but we didn’t want to delay sharing these spots with you as we lay the groundwork for a new Congress and administration in 2025.
Get involved: Please download our new spots today and air them as often as possible, particularly during times when your members of Congress are in their district offices. We provide a congressional calendar to help you identify district work periods.
“You Belong Here” is a multifaceted campaign to help broadcasters find and grow talent for their stations. Air television and radio spots to spotlight the many career opportunities in broadcasting.
What is it? “You Belong Here” showcases how job seekers can use their skills and find their passion in local television and radio stations in every town and city across the country. The campaign website also promotes thousands of jobs in broadcast media.
Go deeper: In addition to TV and radio spots, visit YouBelongHere.media/toolkit for tips and tools for amplifying how working in broadcast media is a fun and rewarding way to put your skills to work and grow your career.
