Headlines
FCC Issues Small Fines To Two TV Stations Over Lax Recordkeeping
The Federal Communications Commission just sent a message to America’s TV station owners: Take recordkeeping seriously.
Now Only Five Votes Stand Between AM Act and Senate Victory
While the AM For Every Vehicle Act ended 2023 on a bump in the road, the bill’s progress isn’t slowing as Congress reconvenes post-holidays. Five new bipartisan cosponsors have brought the Act within 90% of the simple majorities needed in both houses of Congress.
FCC
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: January 8 to January 12, 2024
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations.
FCC Report 1/14: AM & LPFM Station Counts Drop
The FCC has issued its quarterly station count list showing continued drops in the number of AM, commercial FM, and LPFM totals, while total radio licenses is up due to the growth of non-commercial FMs.
Television
Hearst TV Case Goes Live: Judge Lets It Proceed
A federal judge has given the green light to a class action privacy suit filed by two consumers against Hearst Television Inc.
FCC Fines WPIX Owner Mission Broadcasting $150,000 Over Retrans Dispute With Comcast
WPIX owner Mission Broadcasting is being fined $150,000 by the Federal Communications Commission over a contract dispute with cable giant Comcast that caused the cable TV company to file a complaint with the agency in 2022.
CTV/OTT
NBCUniversal Local FAST Channels See Real Revenue
Group now counts 11 NBC station-based channels and 4 regional Telemundo outlets
Pay TV
Just 5% of U.S. Households Only Watch a Cable TV Service
In 2023, only 5% of U.S. internet households had only a cable TV service, according to a survey from research firm Parks Associates.
Media
FCC Called Out In WSJ For Refusal To Change Ownership Limits
The Federal Communications Commission and Chair Jessica Rosenworcel came under fire in the Wall Street Journal on January 13 over the 2018 Quadrennial Review results. The piece marked a very public suggestion that a significant shift was needed in Washington’s approach to traditional media in a digital world.
