Broadcasters, satellite companies and trade groups disagreed how often the FCC should reevaluate its regulatory fee structure and whether the system needs new payers, in reply comments filed by Thursday’s deadline. The agency should “continue to conduct such reviews of the work of its indirect FTEs [full-time equivalents] annually, as well as to identify additional ways that the Commission’s regulatory fee process can be made fairer and remain current,” said a joint reply from state broadcast associations in docket 23-159. “A complex accounting of indirect FTEs is not fair, administrable, or sustainable” and doing such an analysis annually would create administrative burdens and raise fairness concerns, said CTIA.
Broadcasters believe a letter from Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., could move FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to refresh the record on a nearly decade-old proceeding on classifying streaming services as MVPDs, but the programming networks don’t agree. Rosenworcel’s March 24 letter (see 2303310061) to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, “reflects her latest thinking on the matter,” emailed an FCC spokesperson Friday in response to questions about Rosenworcel’s stance and Cantwell's comments. The FCC “lacks the power to change these unambiguous provisions on its own,” the Chairwoman wrote then.
An upcoming Supreme Court decision in Biden v. Nebraska, which concerns the White House’s student loan forgiveness program, could clarify to what degree the court’s major questions doctrine (see 2302080064) could be used to challenge the actions of federal agencies such as the FCC, said HWG's Chris Wright and FCC Deputy General Counsel Jacob Lewis Thursday on a virtual FCBA panel.
The FCC approved a draft ATSC 3.0 order with sunset dates for the substantially similar and A/322 physical layer requirements (see 2304070045) and is expected to release it soon, FCC and industry officials told us. The order extends the substantially similar requirement for four years, and will require the FCC to examine the progress of the new standard one year before the sunset date. The order also similarly extends the physical layer requirement. The substantially similar requirement had been set to end in July. The A/322 physical layer was to sunset in March, but that was temporarily stayed by the agency earlier this year.
The NAB-stewarded, FCC-involved task force intended to iron out the ATSC 3.0 transition -- The Future of TV Initiative – kicks off Monday at NAB’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The meetings (see 2304170056) are closed to the press, and neither NAB nor the FCC would say who from the agency is participating or in what capacity, but the entities invited to attend seem optimistic, if scant on details. “I don’t think we know enough to say how it will go, but we’re cautiously intrigued,” said Kathleen Burke, task force participant and Public Knowledge policy counsel. “We are hoping that the process clears the way for the FCC to resolve any outstanding regulatory issues so that the NEXTGEN TV transition is accomplished in an expedited manner," emailed Lonna Thompson, general counsel for task force participant America’s Public Television Stations.
Among the first broadcasting matters likely to be taken up by a full five-person FCC are the 2018 Quadrennial Review and the proposed Equal Employment Opportunity data collection, said broadcasters, public interest advocates and FCC officials in interviews this week. Both items have been long stalled at the agency and are considered nearly ready to be rolled out, industry and FCC officials told us. Such a 2018 quadrennial order likely wouldn’t include substantive rule changes, broadcast industry officials said. “I don’t have any great hopes of any massive deregulation,” said Gray Television Senior Vice President-Government Relations and Distribution Rob Folliard. The FCC didn't comment on the specifics of what Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has planned for broadcasting once she has an FCC majority, but an agency spokesperson said the Chairwoman "will continue to prioritize protecting consumers and preserving competition, localism and diversity.”
FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Halprin terminated the Standard/Tegna hearing proceeding, said an order Thursday in docket 22-162. Tegna and Cox Media Group withdrew from the proceeding last week, and Tegna filed the formal withdrawal of its transfer applications Wednesday. Standard said it's ready to continue litigating the matter. “It is not in the public interest to expend the time and resources to continue this hearing as an academic exercise,” wrote Halprin. The proceeding "is therefore terminated,” said the order.
Broadcasters seeking an AM radio requirement for cars are counting on bipartisan support and public safety concerns to carry the day, but opponents argue Ford’s recent reversal (see 2305230047) shows legislation to mandate the technology like the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (HR-3413/S-1669) isn't needed. It would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule mandating AM radio access in new vehicles. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, is withholding deciding on whether such legislation is needed pending the outcome of a planned early June hearing on the issue.
“Nobody really knows what the FCC was thinking,” said Tegna CEO Dave Lougee Thursday on the company’s first earnings call since it agreed in 2021 to be bought by Standard General. Standard hasn’t responded to requests for comment on the deal’s termination, but it told the FCC in a Wednesday status filing it's ready to continue with the hearing process even without a deal at stake. “Standard General remains prepared to vindicate its rights as necessary, including through participation in the hearing and attendant discovery process.” The FCC, other parties in the case and the administrative law judge are more likely to view the matter as moot, said broadcast attorneys, who don’t expect the hearing to move forward. Tegna and Cox Media Group told the FCC Thursday that they wouldn't participate further in the hearing.
Ford Motor announced the company won’t remove AM radio from its cars in the U.S. after getting pushback from lawmakers and broadcasters. “After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we’ve decided to include it” in all 2024 Ford and Lincoln models, Ford CEO Jim Farley tweeted Tuesday. “In light of Ford’s announcement, NAB urges other automakers who have removed AM radio from their vehicles to follow Ford’s lead and restore this technology in the interest of listeners and public safety,” said NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt. Carmakers such as BMW and Tesla said AM won’t be in some models. “Broadcasters will continue to support this major legislation to ensure consumer access to AM radio in all vehicles," NAB said.