Michigan broadcasters shared the importance of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and access to public records with the Michigan House Oversight Committee on Thursday (10/14). “Local journalists are a conduit between government and the public and it’s essential that they have access to public records to protect the promise of transparency and accountability by… read more
Former Michigan Rep. Dale Kildee, who represented his hometown of Flint and the surrounding area in Congress for 36 years, died Wednesday (10/13) at 92. His death was announced by his nephew, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI 5th District), who succeeded him after his 2012 retirement. Dale Kildee, also a Democrat, was elected to the House… read more
MAB Washington Counsel David Oxenford writes that the FCC issued a Public Notice on October 4 to remind potential applicants of the upcoming filing window for applications for construction permits for new noncommercial educational FM stations. The application window will open at 12:01 am Eastern Time on November 2 and close at 6:00 pm Eastern… read more
MAB Washington Counsel David Oxenford alerts us to a Public Notice released last week by the FCC, reminding broadcasters that a two-month biennial ownership report window opened Friday, October 1 and will stay open through Wednesday, December 1. All licensees of commercial and non-commercial full power television, Class A television, low power television, AM radio… read more
This week, MAB staff and members from stations across the state had the opportunity to meet in-person with Representatives Lisa McClain (R-MI10) and Peter Meijer (R-MI3) at their district offices as well as Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI4) virtually. Advocacy is a core mission of the MAB and as our industry evolves, it’s critical to keep… read more
By: Scott R. Flick, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Editor’s note: Washington broadcast attorney Scott Flick has given us permission to reprint a recent post he shared with members of the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Association (NASBA). Here are Scott’s points: Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, and since broadcast stations rely on federal… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP We are nearing the end of September and, in many jurisdictions, we are in the heart of political season – though mostly for state and local elections. While most broadcast stations don’t think much about the FCC’s political broadcasting rules in odd-numbered years, they are required to do… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP In recent weeks, decisions of a U.S. District Court judge in the Southern District of New York led to the suspension of service by the Internet streaming company Locast, which built its business on streaming local television stations generally without obtaining the consent of TV stations or the… read more
The MAB has learned that Broadcast Compliance Services (BCS) will be shutting their doors soon. BCS has been used by broadcasters nationwide to promote job openings and help with EEO outreach efforts. BCS was a service offered by the MAB, but was dropped early this year as usage of BCS declined dramatically over the years… read more
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week (9/4-10), with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC opened the window for Fiscal Year 2021 regulatory fees which… read more