The State of Michigan Law Revision Commission is considering a report that recommends Legislative review of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The report does not include any recommended changes to the law, but, suggests the Legislature consider new definitions in the act based on recent court rulings. Among the language reviewed in the report,… read more
According to a post in CommLawCenter on the issue of displacement of TV Translators during the post-auction repacking process, the FCC has outlined how the displacement application process will work. Included among these efforts is the FCC’s creation of a new category of translator for full-power TV stations to fill-in loss areas, a special filing… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP www.broadcastlawblog.com As expected, at its monthly open meeting May 18, the FCC started two proceedings of particular importance to broadcasters. The first looks at the abolition of the main studio rules. The second asks for comments on all of the other rules affecting broadcasters and other media companies to… read more
June 1, 2017 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in Arizona, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming to place their Annual EEO Public File Report in their public inspection file and post the report on their station website. In addition, a certain… read more
On May 19, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced a proposal to add an alert option to the nation’s Emergency Alert System (EAS) to help protect our nation’s law enforcement officers. Called a “Blue Alert,” the option would be used by authorities in states across the country to notify the public through television and radio of… read more
Over 100 members of Congress have voiced their opposition to changes in the tax deductibility treatment of advertising as expenses. The legislators sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), with Reps. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) as leading signatories, asking that they “maintain the current… read more
On May 20, Representative Greg Walden, (R-OR), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (and a former broadcaster), led a hearing on modernizing America’s emergency alert system. “As we move forward, we want to make sure that our first responder community, and the citizens they serve and protect, have access to the latest technologies…. read more
By: Debbie Kenyon, MAB Chairman and Senior VP/Market Manager, CBS Radio Detroit This has been quite a year legislatively. There are attacks on FOIA, claims of “Fake News,” Performance Royalty, National Ad Tax and the Spectrum Auction. The National Association of Broadcasters has done a terrific job keeping these issues at bay and we thank… read more
Capitol Communication Systems, Inc. (CCS) is one of MAB’s exclusive Associate Member, list offering broadcasters great products, with excellence service, and they support the broadcasting industry. Please consider an MAB Associate Member before you make your next purchase. Check out the list here. CCS, Inc., a local and veteran-owned company since 1982, offers KonicaMinolta MFP’s, Lanier… read more
Partnership will bring DSO concerts to capital area listeners, MSU concerts to southeast Michigan. Thanks to a new partnership between radio stations WKAR-FM in East Lansing and WRCJ-FM in Detroit, classical music lovers in the capital region will be able to hear Detroit Symphony Orchestra concerts live, and listeners in Detroit will be able to… read more