Every broadcaster dreads a visit by a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) inspector, but broadcasters also know that the presence of the “Highway Patrol of the Airwaves” helps keep the playing field level and the participants honest. Violators of the FCC’s rules risk detection and know that a fine (or worse) may result. For longer than … Continue reading Defanging a Paper Tiger
Double Standards, DISH and Designated Entities
The FCC should have been taking a victory lap following its $45 billion AWS-3 auction, which closed in late January. Instead, the agency was left fending off widespread criticism that “loopholes” in its auction rules effectively gave billions of dollars in subsidies to one of the largest corporations in the country. These criticisms arose from … Continue reading Double Standards, DISH and Designated Entities
Dumb Stuff Said in Washington, D.C.
Inside the bubble of Washington, DC -- which often challenges Hollywood as the true entertainment capital of the world -- one hears astonishingly silly proclamations almost daily. Last week, however, I heard a whopper that deserves entry into DC's Hall of Fame of Dumb Stuff Said. The comment came during a panel discussion at the … Continue reading Dumb Stuff Said in Washington, D.C.
Let’s Not Fumble the Over-the-Top Opportunity
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler recently circulated a proposal to his colleagues that recommends classifying certain over-the-top providers as multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs). The proposal aims to stimulate competition in the increasingly consolidated pay-television market. NAB agrees these are worthy goals. Emerging over-the-top distribution provides an opportunity to unleash new competitive alternatives while preserving and … Continue reading Let’s Not Fumble the Over-the-Top Opportunity
Getting the Auction Back On Track
NAB today filed suit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in federal court to challenge certain elements of the Commission’s May 2014 incentive auction order, which was published in the Federal Register last Friday. The order, approved by a sharply divided Commission, establishes the “framework” for the FCC’s first-ever voluntary broadcast television spectrum incentive auction. … Continue reading Getting the Auction Back On Track
The Point of Being a Ninja Is to Avoid Attention
As my 8-year-old works to navigate the travails of making friends in second grade, one of his most unfortunate emerging strategies has been to do silly things to get his peers’ attention. He took that approach to a new level this week when he spent some quality time with the school principal after dumping chocolate … Continue reading The Point of Being a Ninja Is to Avoid Attention
Broadcast Radio: Owning its Place in the Tech World
Guest Blogger Paul Brenner is senior vice president and chief technology officer of Emmis Communications Corp. Brenner works both within the broadcast industry and with pure-play IT development companies. He currently serves on NAB's Digital Radio Committee. The radio industry needs to “own” a unique technology. Google owns search. Wireless companies own the mobile … Continue reading Broadcast Radio: Owning its Place in the Tech World
I Suppose It’s Worth A Try (When You Are On a Roll…)
There is overstating and then there is overstating.Last week, NAB proposed to the FCC commissioners some changes to the 600 MHz band plan included in the draft incentive auction order currently under review at the Commission. Specifically, NAB asked the FCC to shelve its planned 6-to-11 megahertz duplex gap that would be shared between wireless … Continue reading I Suppose It’s Worth A Try (When You Are On a Roll…)
The Missing Piece of Chairman Wheeler’s Broadcast Vision
At the annual NAB Show in Las Vegas on Monday, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith publicly called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a National Broadcast Plan. He suggested that this plan, inspired by the National Broadband Plan, should outline the FCC’s vision for how the government can help drive, or at … Continue reading The Missing Piece of Chairman Wheeler’s Broadcast Vision
Today’s Therapy: Trust and Sharing
Today television stations KLCS and KJLA released a comprehensive report on their channel sharing pilot in Los Angeles. For broadcasters, the results are not a surprise. The report confirms that channel sharing is technically feasible. Many broadcasters have been doing it for years through multicasting. In fact, the challenges for channel sharing will primarily be … Continue reading Today’s Therapy: Trust and Sharing
