The FCC granted a waiver yesterday for a security-system technology that does not comply with its technical rules. No big surprise - the FCC does that, now and then. But this case is a little odd: the system needed a waiver only because it has a lower potential to cause interference than a compliant system does.… Continue Reading
During my trip to Venezuela earlier this year as part of a delegation of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, I was apparently put on the Ministry of Information mailing list because, ever since my return, I've gotten 2-3 press releases a day. Most get deleted immediately, but given our own recent elections, I found this one particularly interesting and perhaps enlightening to broadcasters who engaged in "exit polling" on November 4:… Continue Reading
Thudding a 1.3 pound order on the press table late last Friday, the FCC not only ruined a lot of Washington weekends, but ended years of dispute by authorizing unlicensed devices on TV frequencies. The rules themselves still run to 15 single-spaced pages. Sure, there is always room to quibble over details - but the basic regulatory structure seems workable.… Continue Reading
Elvis has left the building. The 2008 NASCAR season wrapped up on November 16 at the Ford 400 in Homestead, Florida, where the good news was that the Number 38 Ford Fusion finally managed to finish a race while sporting the bureaucratically text-heavy/graphics-free/black-and-white standards of its sponsor, the FCC.… Continue Reading
Hillary Clinton heading to the Supreme Court? Maybe, but not as a Justice. Nor, technically, as a litigant. Instead, she's at the center of a controversy involving whether a documentary film entitled "Hillary: The Movie" is an "electioneering communication" under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.… Continue Reading
In the guise of looking at closed captioning requirements for digital television and easing the complaint filing process, the Commission has added new contact information posting and filing requirements for television stations and other video programming distributors.… Continue Reading
The FCC has its hand in more broadcasters' pockets again. Effective November 10, 2009, responsibility for annual fees of 5% of revenues from ancillary or supplemental services (e.g., data transmission) extends to DTV permittees as well as DTV licensees. The fees are due on December 1.… Continue Reading
You think you have what it takes to be a great attorney? Well, our own Scott Johnson probably has you beat. Scott was recently honored by the University of Alabama for obtaining FCC approval to relocate the University’s television station antenna, a move which increased the station’s over-the-air coverage more than ten-fold. Scott Johnson (holding the … Continue Reading
After a disappointing maiden appearance at Martinsville last month, the Number 38 FCC DIGITAL TV TRANSITION Ford Fusion came up short again in its sophomore run at the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at the Phoenix International Raceway on November 9. But at least it went out in style.… Continue Reading
Attention all broadcasters! The fall fashion season has arrived! Don't be caught wearing last season's plain, boring, non-neon duds! It's not just fashion - it's the law! For those of you not well-versed in the ins-and-outs of federal highway couture, here's a breakdown of the new rule.… Continue Reading
For decades the Federal Communications Commission has refused, as a matter of policy, to allow lenders and equity investors to take security interests in the FCC licenses that permit spectrum users -- broadcasters, wireless operators and all the rest -- to use the spectrum. But with the availability of capital drying up for small- and medium-size broadcasters and telecommunications companies, it is important to examine any kinks in the financial pipeline that might unnecessarily slow, or block, the flow of capital.… Continue Reading
Engineering and politics do not mix well.
The FCC encountered that truth again this week when it authorized the use of unlicensed devices in vacant TV frequencies, the so-called "white space" spectrum.… Continue Reading
Elsewhere on this blog we have posted reports about the oral argument in FCC v. Fox, the first broadcast indecency case to reach the Supreme Court in 30 years. From our notes taken during the argument, we have mined the following nuggets:… Continue Reading
(The following is an editorial sidebar from Kevin Goldberg, who swears that it’s all true.) Upon entering the Supreme Court chambers to hear arguments in FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc., I was asked by one of the Court’s marshals to take off my very standard, very small "I voted" sticker (see illustration at left) … Continue Reading
Three FHH attorneys attended the Supreme Court oral argument in FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc., the first broadcast indecency case to reach the high court in 30 years. They filed the following reports with www.CommLawBlog.com.… Continue Reading
The FCC has voted to allow unlicensed devices to use "white spaces" in the TV band for wireless broadband. This is a preliminary report based on listening to the discussion at the FCC meeting and review of the public notice issued by the Commission following its meeting. The actual report and order may reflect edits made after the meeting.… Continue Reading
When is an effective date not really an effective date? When it involves use of the new moment method computer modeling rules adopted by the FCC last September. BUT there may be a work-around to help eager AM directional licensees take advantage of those rules sooner rather than later.… Continue Reading
Cable programmers failed to convince a federal appeals court that new "viewability" rules (imposed by the FCC on cable operators) would directly harm those programmers. As a result, the Court slammed the door on the programmers without consideration of their substantive arguments, leaving the viewability rules undisturbed.… Continue Reading
Sarah Palin and the First Amendment - something to keep our eyes on? A remark made by the GOP VP candidate raises questions about what might be in store for the media under a McCain/Palin administration.… Continue Reading