The FCC will hold a hearing on the fitness of a Pennsylvania broadcaster to hold a license after he admitted to using a hidden camera and a cellphone in an attempt to have a woman he knew raped, said a hearing designation order released Tuesday in docket 21-401. Roger Wahl, licensee of WQZS(FM) Meyersdale, pleaded guilty in July 2020 to the felony crime of criminal use of a communications facility and four misdemeanors involving the incident, said the HDO. Wahl’s convictions “raise the question” whether “he possesses the requisite character qualifications to remain a Commission licensee,” the HDO said. Wahl admitted in court to creating a fake dating profile of the woman, using a camera hidden in her bathroom to take and then send nude photos of the victim, and soliciting a man who responded to the profile to have sex with the victim without consent, the HDO said. Reportedly, at least some of these acts were carried out from WQZS facilities. He also deleted the evidence from his phone after learning of the investigation, the HDO said. “Even though Wahl’s attempt to inflict physical harm on the victim failed, he did inflict substantial emotional harm,” the HDO said. Wahl had sought to transfer the station to his daughter Wendy Sipple, which the bureau granted, but in July 2020 the decision was rescinded. Wahl’s application to transfer the station remains pending. Wahl and WQZS didn’t comment.

Triveni Digital will host a virtual ATSC 3.0 event Nov. 3 that will include a keynote by ATSC President Madeleine Noland and live sessions with 3.0 broadcasters and developers, including Ark Multicasting, said the company Monday. The event, called the Triveni Digital LIVE Forum, “will be vastly different than mainstream virtual events; we'll swap out pre-recorded webinars with engaging and interactive live discussions,” said Triveni. “With the cancellation of the 2021 NAB Show, the broadcast industry is missing out on the opportunity to interact and engage.”

Fifteen attorneys general called for legislation that provides tax credits to benefit local journalism operations, including TV and radio, said a letter and news release Friday from Massachusetts' Maura Healey (D). The Local Journalism Sustainability Act would provide up to $5,000 in tax credits for local businesses that buy radio, TV and newspaper ads, and up to $25,000 for local news organizations to hire journalists. The other AGs who signed the letter were from Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Guam.

Final briefs in broadcasters’ legal challenge of FCC rules on foreign-sponsored content disclosures are due Feb.22, said a schedule from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Wednesday (see 2108130074). NAB, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, and Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council argued the disclosure rules are overly broad, burdensome, and outside FCC authority. Initial briefs from the broadcasters are due Nov. 22, the FCC response Dec. 22 and the broadcaster reply Jan. 12.

The FCC should let iHeartMedia be up to 49.99% foreign-owned, said iHeart investor Global Media & Entertainment Investments in an Oct. 8 call with Media Bureau Audio Division Chief Albert Shuldiner, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-141. IHeart asked to be approved as only 14.99% foreign-owned (see 2105250041), and told the FCC GMEI has no standing to seek additional permission. The FCC “can best uphold its foreign ownership rules and policies by exercising its clear authority to grant the level of advance approval proposed by GMEI,” said the filing.

Relax ownership caps on AMs, narrowly define radio’s market as local radio, and don't authorize geotargeted radio broadcasts, asked iHeartMedia in virtual meetings earlier this week with an aide to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and an aide to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, per filings posted Thursday in docket 18-349. “Relaxation of the FM ownership limits would exacerbate an already perilous competitive disadvantage that AM stations have in relation to FM.” A broader definition of the radio market as “encompassing virtually all audio services and digital media” is “wholly inconsistent with the views expressed by” DOJ and FTC antitrust lawsuits against Google and Facebook, iHeart said. “Zonecasting” would “completely overturn the radio industry’s core business model, offering illusory promised benefits and disproportionately harming smaller and minority-owned stations,” said the company. Zonecasting proponent GeoBroadcast Solutions spoke with Rosenworcel’s aide to tout the technology’s benefits to minorities Tuesday, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-401

The Radio Show will be integrated into the larger NAB Show in Las Vegas, NAB announced Thursday. This begins with the next NAB Show in April. “This change provides more opportunities in one location for radio professionals and elevates radio in the larger media ecosystem represented at NAB Show,” said NAB. “The integrated event in Las Vegas will feature signature awards, networking events and a comprehensive conference program, including popular sales and marketing sessions presented by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB).” Previously, the Radio Show was a separate event, held in different cities each year. The 2021 Radio Show was planned to be in Las Vegas concurrent with the 2021 NAB Show before both were canceled last month (see 2109150062). Radio broadcaster and former NAB Radio Board member Ed Henson said he’ll miss the separate show, but he believes NAB will be sensitive about ensuring radio is highlighted at the larger event. Alpha Media CEO Bob Proffitt, also a former NAB board member, said the combination is a “wise move” that will increase attendance and take advantage of technology convergence: “The bigger the better.” The "decision was primarily based on giving radio broadcasters the very best value and experience,” said an NAB spokesperson. “We know budgets are tight when it comes to business travel, and integrating Radio Show into NAB Show provides more opportunities in one place.” NAB didn’t comment on whether the change was motivated by financial concerns at the trade group after the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 conventions. Broadcasters told us the Radio Show wasn’t considered a high-cost event. The in-person show, last held in 2019, generally saw 1,500-2,000 attendees, NAB said (see 1909200034). In announcing the change, the group also said NAB CEO Gordon Smith will give his final “State of the Industry” speech online Nov. 10.

An NAB petition on clarifying FCC ATSC 3.0 multicast rules was circulated to the eighth floor last week, according to the FCC website and a broadcast industry official. The petition involves the “substantially similar” programming requirement for stations switching to the new standard and would make shifting markets easier, broadcasters said (see 2109300003). NAB wants certainty on which station the FCC will hold responsible for violations of rules when broadcasters are hosting each other’s channels on multicast streams during the 3.0 changeover.

Minority-owned small businesses that don’t advertise on radio would benefit from targeting specific zones of a station’s coverage area, said Roberts Radio CEO Steve Roberts, GeoBroadcast Solutions CEO Chris Devine and Kizart Media owner Sherman Kizart, in a call Wednesday with an aide to FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington, per a new filing in docket 20-401. GBS will demo its technology on Roberts Radio’s WRBJ(FM) Brandon, Mississippi (see 2110050063).

The 2019 changes to kidvid rules “have had little to no impact on the availability of children’s programming that is accessible to children with disabilities,” said NAB in comments posted Friday in docket 18-202. As of Friday afternoon, NAB was the sole commenter responding to the Media Bureau’s call for feedback (see 2109070035). The rule changes allowed broadcasters to satisfy part of their kidvid obligations with multicast streams and short-form content. As part of that proceeding the Media Bureau was directed to seek comment after two years on possible effects on accessible programming. “Most, if not all, children’s programming aired on multicast streams also is closed captioned,” the filing said. “The programming aired on primary streams is closed captioned and audio described to the same extent it was before the 2019 revisions,” NAB said. “Accordingly, there is no need for further Commission action at this time,” NAB said.