Monty Tayloe

It isn't clear what the FCC will decide on the July 13 DTV switch and channel 6 low-power TV stations, leaving some in industry guessing, they said in recent interviews. These LPTV outlets call themselves LP6 stations, while opponents call them “Franken-FMs.” These small stations seek to continue offering analog radio signals as an ancillary service while broadcasting video in ATSC 3.0.

Increasing diversity is good for business, said acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and others told the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. The virtual event Wednesday was to educate diverse business owners and provide networking opportunities in the communications industry. Diversity also is “a moral imperative,” Rosenworcel said. “Inclusion isn’t expensive, exclusion is,” said Internet Association CEO Dane Snowden. Doing business with minorities is “good for business, good for the economy, and promotes global stability," said Edith McCloud, acting national director of the Commerce Department's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). New entrants, minority-owned businesses and smaller businesses face barriers for large government contracts, speakers said. There’s an “upswing” toward consolidation in procurement contracts, said Tony Crescenzo, president of government contractor Intelligent Waves. Smaller companies should align themselves with bigger companies, he said. Increasingly stringent cybersecurity requirements could freeze out smaller businesses, said Major Clark, acting chief counsel at the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. More contracts went to small businesses from companies than from the federal government, said Angela Washington, an MBDA business development specialist. AT&T requires suppliers include diverse businesses in their subcontracting, said Executive Director-Supplier Diversity Jalayna Bolden. Legislation stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and focused on broadband infrastructure could provide an avenue for training, “upskilling” and more money to flow to diverse businesses, said Jonathan Adelstein, president of the Wireless Infrastructure Association: “The industry needs to include diversity as part and parcel of what they do.” Grant programs are available to minority-owned businesses involved in building broadband networks, but they must demonstrate their businesses will remain viable when grant money dries up, said Scott Woods, senior broadband specialist at NTIA’s BroadbandUSA program. The FCC and other federal agencies should "examine existing engagement strategies for including minority business enterprises in current and future procurement opportunities," Washington said in the event chat window.

A unanimously approved FCC order requiring disclosures on broadcasts of content sponsored by foreign governments has more relaxed diligence requirements than the draft version, agency officials told us. It may not have loosened enough to satisfy industry, sector officials said. “We streamlined the nature and frequency of the compliance requirements placed on the broadcasters,” said Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey on a media call Thursday after the commissioners' meeting. NAB said the order didn’t sufficiently focus on the “handful” of stations airing foreign government-sponsored programming and creates burdens “for the vast majority of broadcasters that do not air this content.” Broadcasters indicate a legal challenge is possible (see 2104200074).

Commenters in docket 15-94 on FCC-proposed changes to wireless emergency alerts, state emergency communications committees (SECCs) and false alert reporting rules largely supported the plans. Some raised concerns about alert fatigue, confidentiality and how future “presidential” alerts should be designated to avoid public backlash. Proposed rule changes in a unanimously approved March NPRM (see 2103170070) stem from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which gives the FCC until June 30 to implement new rules.

A tide of late opposition to the FCC draft order on foreign-sponsored content identification is considered unlikely to shift the item enough to fully assuage broadcasters' concerns (see 2104190044), industry officials told us. A draft item establishing a 10-application cap for the upcoming noncommercial educational (NCE) auction window is viewed as relatively uncontroversial at the FCC and is unlikely to change before Thursday’s commissioners’ meeting, industry and agency officials said.

The FCC plans a news briefing with bureau staff after Thursday’s commissioners' meeting, agency spokespeople told us Tuesday. This will be the first such briefing since February 2020. “Ultimately, the Chairwoman thought it was important and wanted to find a way to make it happen,” a spokesperson said, referring to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The briefing will be on the record and held via teleconference before the usual news briefing with Rosenworcel, the spokespeople said. The Rosenworcel FCC had been continuing the same policy begun at the start of the pandemic under then-Chairman Ajit Pai, where bureau briefings of journalists on the record weren’t held. The briefings will be officially announced Wednesday, the agency said. Communications Daily highlighted the reduction in such briefings (see here and here). Our news bulletin on bringing back the news conferences is here.

The FCC will hold a news briefing with bureau staff after Thursday’s commissioners' meeting, agency spokespeople told us Tuesday. This will be the first such briefing in over a year, since February 2020.

NAB’s next president, Curtis LeGeyt, and the broadcasters who lead the trade group’s board blasted tech companies and called for legislation to protect local journalism, in a video discussion Monday for the virtual NAB Show. “Obviously these tech platforms have had a real disruptive impact,” said LeGeyt, the NAB chief operating officer who last week was named to replace President Gordon Smith at year-end (see 2104070045). Smith said during Monday’s event that he “has every confidence” in LeGeyt.

NAB President-CEO Gordon Smith will step down at the end of 2021 and be replaced by current NAB Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt, the group announced Wednesday. Broadcasters and broadcast attorneys told us LeGeyt is seen as having extensive contacts among Capitol Hill Democrats.

Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of FCC media ownership deregulation isn’t likely to immediately increase station sales, broadcast brokers and analysts said in interviews (see 2104010067). “This ruling is a day late and a dollar short,” said radio broker Michael Bergner of Bergner and Co. “Anytime there is a relaxation of a regulatory barrier to [mergers and acquisitions], it will be helpful to activity,” said media broker Robert Heymann of Media Services Group, but “the practical impact will be minimal.” Some brokers said the unanimous decision could set the stage for looser regulations later, but most also said that’s unlikely to happen soon.