Aggregator

On January 20, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Alabama Educational Television Commission (Petitioner or AETC), requesting the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational channel *4 to Vernon, Alabama, in the Table of Allotments as the community's first local service. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulations to allot channel *4 at Vernon. The newly allotted channel will be authorized pursuant to the Commission's application and selection procedures for reserved noncommercial educational television stations.

On January 11, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by WNYT-TV, LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of WNYT-TV (Station), channel 12, Albany, New York, requesting the substitution of channel 24 for channel 12 at Albany in the Table of Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulations to substitute channel 24 for channel 12 at Albany.

On January 26, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Scripps or Petitioner), the licensee of KTVQ(TV) (KTVQ or Station), channel 10, Billings, Montana, requesting the substitution of channel 20 for channel 10 at Billings in the Table of Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulations to substitute channel 20 for channel 10 at Billings.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of WDTV (CBS), channel 5, Weston, West Virginia. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 33 for channel 5 at Weston in the Table of Allotments.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KPAX-TV, channel 7, Missoula, Montana. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 25 for channel 7 at Missoula in the Table of Allotments.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KRTV, channel 7, Great Falls, Montana. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 22 for channel 7 at Great Falls in the Table of Allotments.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KXLF-TV, channel 5, Butte, Montana. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 15 for channel 5 at Butte in the Table of Allotments.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KBZK, channel 13, Bozeman, Montana. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 27 for channel 13 at Bozeman in the Table of Allotments.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KTVH-DT, channel 12, Helena, Montana. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 31 for channel 12 at Helena in the Table of Allotments.

The Federal Communication Commission (Commission or FCC) amends the rules applicable to broadcast radio stations to better reflect current requirements and eliminate redundant, outdated, or conflicting technical provisions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes targeted updates to its rules to incorporate new and updated standards that are integral to the testing of equipment and accreditation of laboratories that test RF devices.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved two information collections associated with rules governing sponsorship identification requirements for foreign government-provided programming in the 2021 Report and Order, FCC 21-42, in MB Docket No. 20-299. The Commission also announces that compliance with the rules is now required. It removes a paragraph in the adopted rules advising that compliance was not required until OMB approval was obtained. This document is consistent with the 2021 Report and Order, which states the Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing a compliance date for the rule sections and revise the rules accordingly.

On March 1, the new President and CEO of the nation’s primary advocacy and lobbying group for radio and television broadcasting companies issued a request. Despite being a “fierce defender” of the First Amendment, Curtis LeGeyt asked that any state-sponsored programming with ties to Moscow be pulled from U.S. airwaves — now.

LeGeyt seemingly took aim at Sputnik, the English-language service of the Voice of Russia. It is heard for six hours each weekday in St. Louis, in addition to 24/7 service on an AM and an FM translator serving Washington, D.C.

The owner of the St. Louis station has already been vocal, sharing his ire over LeGeyt’s request. This week, KCXL-AM‘s owner renewed his disdain for LeGeyt’s request, labeling it “a call to disregard our right of free speech.”

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Roger Wahl is a convicted felon. As the FCC’s Media Bureau noted, Wahl’s convictions of a felony and multiple misdemeanors alone “raise the question under the Commission’s Character Qualifications Policy Statement whether he possesses the requisite character qualifications to remain a Commission licensee.”

Indeed, Wahl could be stripped of his license. But, that may not happen for a year, based on a Hearing Designation Order schedule released by the FCC on Thursday.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

B. Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing, is asking fellow broadcasters for one minute of their time to consider a way radio can help change the world.

“The situation in Ukraine is dire,” he says. “Radio around the country is raising money and doing what they can to help. But we can do more.”

Rhoads writes:

Radio has changed lives, raised money for charity, and made a difference in each of our communities. We have all used our platforms to create awareness, help our neighbors, and use music to move hearts.

Years ago, radio pushed the song “We are the World” as an anthem to help people in Africa. Radio made that movement possible.

An anthem for Ukraine is needed to bring the world together to keep a focus on Ukraine until this situation is resolved fully.

Feeling the need to do something, I came up with a concept and co-wrote this song, “Tears for Ukraine,” with artist Billy Craig and Matt Jacobs.

Please consider doing your part and adding this song into rotation. Show that the radio industry continues to have influence over the world to unify our listeners.

Let’s use the power of radio to impact worldwide sentiment to raise awareness and prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again.

To download, click on the image below:

To download this song in WAV or MP3 file format, click on this image. https://www.rbr.com/wp-content/uploads/BC-Tears-For-UkraineWAV.wav

Listen to the song by clicking above.

Watch the Video on YouTube by Clicking Here.

“Uncle” Bob and “Cousin” Mark have signed a deal that will make one of those two figures an owner of “The Talk of the Town” in Athens, Tenn., situated between Chattanooga and Knoxville on U.S. 11.

Why? The Uncle has decided to sell his stake in the station.

Please Login to view this premium content. (Not a member? Join Today!)

Radioplayer, the partnership between the BBC and U.K. commercial radio responsible for ensuring easy access to radio via IP platforms, is adding digital radio to its remit.

Following the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport’s October 2021 Digital Radio and Audio Review report, Radioplayer and Digital Radio UK saw significant benefits in merging operations.

The restructuring and merger was agreed to by the BBC, the U.K. commercial radio organization Radiocentre, and the national broadcast groups Global and Bauer Media.

The merger will, according to a statement from the organizations, strengthen partnerships and cooperation among U.K. broadcasters, as well as partnerships with European radio broadcasters, audio device manufacturers and with retailers. The goal is “to promote the benefits of radio and audio, and the increased choice of services available.”

[Related: “Radioplayer Expands in Europe”]

In the joint statement, the BBC, Bauer, Global and Radiocentre said: “We know there are further significant changes taking place in the audio market and in how audiences are accessing our content, as the recent Digital Radio and Audio Review highlighted. The newly structured Radioplayer, combined with increased investment and continued collaboration, will allow us to embrace every digital opportunity available to us and successfully deliver the next phase of innovation and transformation for the radio industry.”

While the U.K. has committed to continue FM broadcasting until at least 2030, the industry sees the future of radio as both digital and multiplatform, according to the statement, with online platforms playing an increasingly important role alongside DAB/DAB+ — particularly in cars.

As part of the restructuring, Ford Ennals will step down as CEO of Digital Radio UK. Ennals was appointed as Digital Radio UK’s first CEO in 2009, following his work as head of the British digital television switchover body, Digital UK. The statement thanked Ennals “for his services to digital listening, which is now the way most people listen to radio.”

With the restructuring, the BBC, Global and Bauer are expected to increase their investment in Radioplayer and to seek further international collaboration for the benefit of the radio industry as a whole.

The post Digital Radio UK to Merge with Radioplayer appeared first on Radio World.

The Media Bureau enters into a Consent Decree with Christian Ministries of the Valley, Inc

.

Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC requests the substitution of channel 25 for channel 7.