FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel appears in an undated handout photograph.
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new rule that would require political advertisements aired on radio and television to disclose whether artificial intelligence tools were used in the production of those spots.
The rule, floated by FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday, would apply to all licensed broadcast TV and radio stations, along with cable networks and legacy pay TV platforms like cable and satellite.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.”
The proposal is meant...
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new rule that would require political advertisements aired on radio and television to disclose whether artificial intelligence tools were used in the production of those spots.
The rule, floated by FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday, would apply to all licensed broadcast TV and radio stations, along with cable networks and legacy pay TV platforms like cable and satellite.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.”
The proposal is meant...
- 5/22/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The FCC is considering a new rule that would require the disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence in political ads — while the agency would not prohibit AI-generated content.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced a new agency proposal that, if adopted, would look into whether radio and TV broadcasters, cable TV operators and satellite TV providers should be required to disclose when there is AI-generated content in candidate or issue-oriented political ads. The agency’s regulatory purview in this area does not extend to online streaming services.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel (pictured above) said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I...
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced a new agency proposal that, if adopted, would look into whether radio and TV broadcasters, cable TV operators and satellite TV providers should be required to disclose when there is AI-generated content in candidate or issue-oriented political ads. The agency’s regulatory purview in this area does not extend to online streaming services.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel (pictured above) said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I...
- 5/22/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
The FCC wants you to know if that political ad you saw includes images, video or audio created by a generative AI system.
On Wednesday, FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled a proposal that would require the disclosure of AI-generated content in political advertisements. It’s the FCC, so the rule, if adopted, would cover broadcasters, cable operators, satellite TV and radio providers, but not ads that appear on the internet or via social media.
The rule also does not ban AI-generated content, but rather just requires a disclosure. It would apply to both candidate and issue advertisements.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the Commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” said Rosenworcel in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see,...
On Wednesday, FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled a proposal that would require the disclosure of AI-generated content in political advertisements. It’s the FCC, so the rule, if adopted, would cover broadcasters, cable operators, satellite TV and radio providers, but not ads that appear on the internet or via social media.
The rule also does not ban AI-generated content, but rather just requires a disclosure. It would apply to both candidate and issue advertisements.
“As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the Commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” said Rosenworcel in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled a proposal today that would require disclosure of AI generated material in TV and radio political ads.
Her circulation of the proposal to her colleagues is the first step to launching a proceeding, which would include a public comment period.
Public comment will be sought on whether political ads should be required to feature on-air disclosure of AI content, as well as written disclosure would be required in broadcasters’ political files. The proposal also seeks to apply the rules to candidate and issue advertisements.
The public also will be asked for input and comment on the specific definition of AI-generated content.
The use of AI generated content has quickly become an issue in the 2024 campaign. A super Pac supporting Ron DeSantis featured an AI-generated Trump voice in one of its spots.
The focus of the proposal is on broadcasters and “entities that engage in origination programming,...
Her circulation of the proposal to her colleagues is the first step to launching a proceeding, which would include a public comment period.
Public comment will be sought on whether political ads should be required to feature on-air disclosure of AI content, as well as written disclosure would be required in broadcasters’ political files. The proposal also seeks to apply the rules to candidate and issue advertisements.
The public also will be asked for input and comment on the specific definition of AI-generated content.
The use of AI generated content has quickly become an issue in the 2024 campaign. A super Pac supporting Ron DeSantis featured an AI-generated Trump voice in one of its spots.
The focus of the proposal is on broadcasters and “entities that engage in origination programming,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
The U.S. headquarters of Altice. (Courtesy photo)
Altice is facing a consumer lawsuit from officials in Connecticut over its decision to raise a little-known fee on its Internet service there.
On Monday, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the lawsuit against Altice alleged violations of the state’s Unfair Trade Practice Act as it relates to Altice’s decision to charge subscribers of its Optimum Internet service a Network Enhancement Fee.
Earlier this year, Altice said the Network Enhancement Fee would rise from $4.50 per month to $6 per month. The increase came as Altice affirmed it was lowering the standard rate for its Optimum Internet service across different tiers.
Altice justified the Network Enhancement Fee increase as necessary to continue making investments in its fiber-based services. The adjustment was more-noticeable to customers who were paying promotional prices for Optimum Internet, as the price adjustment tacked on an extra $1.50 per month...
Altice is facing a consumer lawsuit from officials in Connecticut over its decision to raise a little-known fee on its Internet service there.
On Monday, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the lawsuit against Altice alleged violations of the state’s Unfair Trade Practice Act as it relates to Altice’s decision to charge subscribers of its Optimum Internet service a Network Enhancement Fee.
Earlier this year, Altice said the Network Enhancement Fee would rise from $4.50 per month to $6 per month. The increase came as Altice affirmed it was lowering the standard rate for its Optimum Internet service across different tiers.
Altice justified the Network Enhancement Fee increase as necessary to continue making investments in its fiber-based services. The adjustment was more-noticeable to customers who were paying promotional prices for Optimum Internet, as the price adjustment tacked on an extra $1.50 per month...
- 5/14/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The chants and shouts of pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted the entry to the Washington Hilton for this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, but once inside, attendees were greeted with what has become the usual scene: Celebrities on the red carpet, a crush for the security line and glitterati packed into a cavernous ballroom.
“I want to thank my wife for enduring lots of jokes and for agreeing to individually meet everyone in this room right after the ceremony,” the evening’s featured entertainer, Colin Jost, quipped about Scarlett Johansson, who posed for photos with a non-stop stream of attendees. She continued to do so later in the evening, at the Comcast-nbcu after party at the French ambassador’s residence.
Joe Biden laughs at Colin Jost as he entertains at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The protests outside — now ubiquitous at any public event, much less one that mixes politics,...
“I want to thank my wife for enduring lots of jokes and for agreeing to individually meet everyone in this room right after the ceremony,” the evening’s featured entertainer, Colin Jost, quipped about Scarlett Johansson, who posed for photos with a non-stop stream of attendees. She continued to do so later in the evening, at the Comcast-nbcu after party at the French ambassador’s residence.
Joe Biden laughs at Colin Jost as he entertains at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
The protests outside — now ubiquitous at any public event, much less one that mixes politics,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Major internet providers once again will have to abide by a set of robust rules of the road, prohibiting them from blocking or throttling traffic, as the FCC today reinstated net neutrality regulations.
The commission voted 3-2 along party lines to adopt the rules, which broadly prohibit Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and other providers from favoring some types of internet traffic over others.
The latest net neutrality rules resemble those adopted in 2015, when the FCC voted to reclassify internet service like a common carrier, or the same regulatory designation given to phone service. The commission, with a majority of Democratic members, sought reclassification as a way to give the FCC the regulatory authority to establish significant net neutrality rules.
But less than three years later, after Donald Trump became president, a Republican-controlled FCC reversed net neutrality, to protest online and outside the FCC offices.
Opponents of net neutrality argue that even without such regulation,...
The commission voted 3-2 along party lines to adopt the rules, which broadly prohibit Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and other providers from favoring some types of internet traffic over others.
The latest net neutrality rules resemble those adopted in 2015, when the FCC voted to reclassify internet service like a common carrier, or the same regulatory designation given to phone service. The commission, with a majority of Democratic members, sought reclassification as a way to give the FCC the regulatory authority to establish significant net neutrality rules.
But less than three years later, after Donald Trump became president, a Republican-controlled FCC reversed net neutrality, to protest online and outside the FCC offices.
Opponents of net neutrality argue that even without such regulation,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith and Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: A tradition of each White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is for media outlets to invite a guest list that includes politicians, government officials and celebrities.
Networks are starting to reveal who will be coming to the annual event, which we’ll continue to update.
Politico: RNC chair Mike Whatley, RNC co-chair Lara Trump, UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden, DNC executive director Sam Cornale, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-mi), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Mn), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-pa), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-fl), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Northern Ireland Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III, Ola Director Shuwanza Goff, Saloni Sharma, senior adviser to the chief of staff, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the honorable Francois-Philippe Champagne of Canada, and Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to the president and director of public engagement.
ABC News: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew McCarthy, Hiro Sanada, Molly Ringwald, Rosario Dawson, Quavo,...
Networks are starting to reveal who will be coming to the annual event, which we’ll continue to update.
Politico: RNC chair Mike Whatley, RNC co-chair Lara Trump, UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden, DNC executive director Sam Cornale, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-mi), Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Mn), Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-pa), Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-fl), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Northern Ireland Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III, Ola Director Shuwanza Goff, Saloni Sharma, senior adviser to the chief of staff, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the honorable Francois-Philippe Champagne of Canada, and Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to the president and director of public engagement.
ABC News: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Andrew McCarthy, Hiro Sanada, Molly Ringwald, Rosario Dawson, Quavo,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel finds it shocking that U.S. law prevents foreign ownership of old media assets but has nothing to say about new media — including wildly popular TikTok, which is owned by a Chinese company. A bill passed by the House last month that would require parent ByteDance to divest TikTok or see the app banned appears to have stalled in the Senate. But if it ever “makes it to the President’s desk, he should absolutely sign it.”
“We don’t have authority over apps like TikTok,” she told a gathering at the Paley Center in NYC today. “That being said, what strikes me most is that for decades we’ve had policies in the Communications Act that would prevent, for instance, a Chinese national or a Chinese company from owning our nation’s broadcast television stations. We would say that’s unacceptable, right? I’d be...
“We don’t have authority over apps like TikTok,” she told a gathering at the Paley Center in NYC today. “That being said, what strikes me most is that for decades we’ve had policies in the Communications Act that would prevent, for instance, a Chinese national or a Chinese company from owning our nation’s broadcast television stations. We would say that’s unacceptable, right? I’d be...
- 4/16/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
An aerial photograph shows the television studios of Adell-owned Wadl-tv in Detroit. (Courtesy photo)
Shareholders who have investments in a Detroit-area independent television station will call for statewide rallies this week over inaction by federal regulators to approve the transfer of the station’s license to a larger company.
On Monday, Rev. Horace Sheffield III will distribute a call for action on behalf of the minority shareholders of Detroit’s Wadl-tv (Channel 38), with a request for rallies across the state of Michigan over the FCC’s lengthy delay in deciding an application to transfer the station’s license to Mission Broadcasting.
The Desk obtained a draft copy of the press release slated to go out Monday morning, which states that a number of other faith-based leaders and their respective groups — including Bishop Charles Ellis and Rainbow Push Coalition founder Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. — have expressed solidarity with shareholders in pushing...
Shareholders who have investments in a Detroit-area independent television station will call for statewide rallies this week over inaction by federal regulators to approve the transfer of the station’s license to a larger company.
On Monday, Rev. Horace Sheffield III will distribute a call for action on behalf of the minority shareholders of Detroit’s Wadl-tv (Channel 38), with a request for rallies across the state of Michigan over the FCC’s lengthy delay in deciding an application to transfer the station’s license to Mission Broadcasting.
The Desk obtained a draft copy of the press release slated to go out Monday morning, which states that a number of other faith-based leaders and their respective groups — including Bishop Charles Ellis and Rainbow Push Coalition founder Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jr. — have expressed solidarity with shareholders in pushing...
- 4/15/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Kevin Adell, the owner of Adell Broadcasting and Wadl in Detroit. (Photo courtesy Adell Media)
The owner of an independent television station in Detroit says his $75 million deal to sell the station is likely not going to materialize after it drew strong opposition at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
In a phone interview with The Desk on Thursday, Wadl-tv (Channel 38) owner Kevin Adell said he is ready to accept that a pending deal to sell the station to Mission Broadcasting was “dead on arrival” when he sought regulatory approval from the FCC last May.
The deal would have seen Mission acquire the station from Adell using funds provided by Nexstar Media Group, according to documents submitted to the FCC last year. Once the deal closed, Mission would have transferred operational control of the station to Nexstar through a shared services agreement, a partnership that is similar to one Nexstar has with other Mission-owned broadcast stations.
The owner of an independent television station in Detroit says his $75 million deal to sell the station is likely not going to materialize after it drew strong opposition at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
In a phone interview with The Desk on Thursday, Wadl-tv (Channel 38) owner Kevin Adell said he is ready to accept that a pending deal to sell the station to Mission Broadcasting was “dead on arrival” when he sought regulatory approval from the FCC last May.
The deal would have seen Mission acquire the station from Adell using funds provided by Nexstar Media Group, according to documents submitted to the FCC last year. Once the deal closed, Mission would have transferred operational control of the station to Nexstar through a shared services agreement, a partnership that is similar to one Nexstar has with other Mission-owned broadcast stations.
- 4/4/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The FCC will vote on April 25 on whether to reinstate net neutrality rules, which would prohibit Comcast, AT&T and other internet providers from blocking or throttling internet traffic or creating paid fast lanes to reach consumers.
With Democrats now holding a 3-2 majority on the commission, the proposal is expected to pass.
The most controversial aspect of the proposal, as it has been in the past, is to reinstate the FCC’s Title II authority over internet service. That regulatory maneuver, vigorously opposed by major internet providers, gives the agency a firm legal footing to oversee broadband services. The Title II classification deems that internet providers as common carriers, similar to the regulatory classification given to landline phone service. The proposal would not allow the FCC to regulate rates, an FCC official said.
In a statement, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “After the prior administration abdicated authority over broadband services,...
With Democrats now holding a 3-2 majority on the commission, the proposal is expected to pass.
The most controversial aspect of the proposal, as it has been in the past, is to reinstate the FCC’s Title II authority over internet service. That regulatory maneuver, vigorously opposed by major internet providers, gives the agency a firm legal footing to oversee broadband services. The Title II classification deems that internet providers as common carriers, similar to the regulatory classification given to landline phone service. The proposal would not allow the FCC to regulate rates, an FCC official said.
In a statement, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “After the prior administration abdicated authority over broadband services,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Kevin Adell, the owner of Adell Broadcasting and Wadl in Detroit. (Photo courtesy Adell Media)
The owner of a Detroit-area independent television station will meet with a Federal Communications Commisison (FCC) official on Thursday to discuss the pending sale of his broadcast outlet, The Desk has learned.
Facing opposition from pay TV groups, the acquisition of Wadl (Channel 38) by Mission Broadcasting has been delayed nearly a year because the deal still need regulatory approval from the FCC.
Opponents alleged the deal would give Mission partner Nexstar Media Group more leverage to increase retransmission consent fees for the stations under its ownership and control. All stations licensed to Mission are operated by Nexstar under shared services agreements that are common in the industry.
Supporters of the deal include the Detroit chapter of the NAACP and Reverend Jesse Jackson, Jr., the leader of the Rainbow Push Coalition. Jackson has met with FCC...
The owner of a Detroit-area independent television station will meet with a Federal Communications Commisison (FCC) official on Thursday to discuss the pending sale of his broadcast outlet, The Desk has learned.
Facing opposition from pay TV groups, the acquisition of Wadl (Channel 38) by Mission Broadcasting has been delayed nearly a year because the deal still need regulatory approval from the FCC.
Opponents alleged the deal would give Mission partner Nexstar Media Group more leverage to increase retransmission consent fees for the stations under its ownership and control. All stations licensed to Mission are operated by Nexstar under shared services agreements that are common in the industry.
Supporters of the deal include the Detroit chapter of the NAACP and Reverend Jesse Jackson, Jr., the leader of the Rainbow Push Coalition. Jackson has met with FCC...
- 3/27/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
An aerial photograph shows the television studios of Adell-owned Wadl-tv in Detroit. (Courtesy photo)
The buyer and seller of a local television station in Detroit has accepted the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) guidance to extend out the termination date of their deal, The Desk has learned.
The station, Wadl (Channel 38), and prospective buyer Mission Broadcasting now say the shot clock for the deal to be consummated will run out on June 29, or about 90 days out from their prior termination date of March 31.
The shot clock was extended after officials from Mission and Wadl’s current owner, Adell Broadcasting, held meetings with FCC officials on the matter.
The sale, announced last May, has been pending approval at the FCC following objections levied by cable and satellite industry groups who argue that the transfer of Wadl’s license to Mission will benefit the much-larger broadcast operation Nexstar Media Group, who operates...
The buyer and seller of a local television station in Detroit has accepted the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) guidance to extend out the termination date of their deal, The Desk has learned.
The station, Wadl (Channel 38), and prospective buyer Mission Broadcasting now say the shot clock for the deal to be consummated will run out on June 29, or about 90 days out from their prior termination date of March 31.
The shot clock was extended after officials from Mission and Wadl’s current owner, Adell Broadcasting, held meetings with FCC officials on the matter.
The sale, announced last May, has been pending approval at the FCC following objections levied by cable and satellite industry groups who argue that the transfer of Wadl’s license to Mission will benefit the much-larger broadcast operation Nexstar Media Group, who operates...
- 3/25/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The Federal Communications Commission has determined that local TV giant Nexstar Media Group’s takeover of Wpix-tv in New York in 2020 violated federal limits on station ownership.
In a ruling issued Thursday, the regulatory agency ordered Mission Broadcasting, Nexstar’s partner in Wpix, to sell the station. Failing that, Nexstar could put the station under its umbrella and then shed other stations in its portfolio in order to remain under the ownership cap. The FCC also fined the company $1.2 million.
Nexstar responded by vowing to “vigorously” dispute the decision.
Wpix, which went on the air in 1948, has been a fixture in New York media and became an affiliate of The CW in 2006. Nexstar, the No. 1 owner of U.S. TV stations, acquired control of The CW in 2022. The company has operated Wpix since 2020 under a local marketing agreement with Mission. Such agreements, often described as “sidecar” deals, have come under scrutiny...
In a ruling issued Thursday, the regulatory agency ordered Mission Broadcasting, Nexstar’s partner in Wpix, to sell the station. Failing that, Nexstar could put the station under its umbrella and then shed other stations in its portfolio in order to remain under the ownership cap. The FCC also fined the company $1.2 million.
Nexstar responded by vowing to “vigorously” dispute the decision.
Wpix, which went on the air in 1948, has been a fixture in New York media and became an affiliate of The CW in 2006. Nexstar, the No. 1 owner of U.S. TV stations, acquired control of The CW in 2022. The company has operated Wpix since 2020 under a local marketing agreement with Mission. Such agreements, often described as “sidecar” deals, have come under scrutiny...
- 3/21/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
A suite in this Wichita Falls, Texas strip mall is listed as the corporate headquarters for Mission Broadcasting, the owner of 29 television stations that are controlled by Nexstar Media Group. (Photo via Google Street View)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fined Nexstar Media Group and one of its affiliated businesses more than $1.2 million for operating a New York television station in violation of federal ownership rules.
The fine, issued on Wednesday, says, Nexstar and Mission “willfully and repeatedly violated several of the Commission’s rules” when it engaged in a series of transactions that saw Wpix exchange hands several times while Nexstar was working to secure approval for its merger with Tribune Media several years ago.
Under the law, a broadcaster is not allowed to own licensed television stations that reach more than 39 percent of the American viewing audience. Nexstar and Tribune were forced to divest several television stations...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has fined Nexstar Media Group and one of its affiliated businesses more than $1.2 million for operating a New York television station in violation of federal ownership rules.
The fine, issued on Wednesday, says, Nexstar and Mission “willfully and repeatedly violated several of the Commission’s rules” when it engaged in a series of transactions that saw Wpix exchange hands several times while Nexstar was working to secure approval for its merger with Tribune Media several years ago.
Under the law, a broadcaster is not allowed to own licensed television stations that reach more than 39 percent of the American viewing audience. Nexstar and Tribune were forced to divest several television stations...
- 3/21/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Kevin Adell, the owner of Adell Broadcasting and Wadl in Detroit. (Photo courtesy Adell Media)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been urged to approve the sale of a Detroit-area television station to a Nexstar Media Group-controlled company by this week.
In a letter filed with the FCC last Friday, an attorney representing Wadl (Channel 38) owner Adell Broadcasting said time is running out for the station to be sold to Mission Broadcasting, whose assets are entirely operated by Nexstar, with the deal facing a March 31 deadline to be consummated in full.
During a meeting earlier this month, the office of FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel told Adell that the agency was weighing at least one other outstanding matter before it could hand down a decision on the sale, the letter obtained by The Desk said.
The sale of Wadl to Mission was first announced last May, as Nexstar was in...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been urged to approve the sale of a Detroit-area television station to a Nexstar Media Group-controlled company by this week.
In a letter filed with the FCC last Friday, an attorney representing Wadl (Channel 38) owner Adell Broadcasting said time is running out for the station to be sold to Mission Broadcasting, whose assets are entirely operated by Nexstar, with the deal facing a March 31 deadline to be consummated in full.
During a meeting earlier this month, the office of FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel told Adell that the agency was weighing at least one other outstanding matter before it could hand down a decision on the sale, the letter obtained by The Desk said.
The sale of Wadl to Mission was first announced last May, as Nexstar was in...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
In a party-line vote, the FCC ruled that cable and satellite distributors must give browsers the total price of their services up front.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is stepping in to put an end to a practice that has plagued pay-tv customers for years. This week, the commission voted 3-2 along party lines to crack down on hidden “junk” fees from cable and satellite companies, ensuring that going forward consumers who are trying to comparison shop for a pay-tv plan know exactly what they will be paying when they make a choice.
The new FCC rule compels cable and satellite outlets to list the “all-in price” for a service when advertising it. Cable and satellite providers say the old way of doing business was more helpful to consumers. Customers can end up paying as much as $50 per month extra when hidden fees are all added up, but live TV...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is stepping in to put an end to a practice that has plagued pay-tv customers for years. This week, the commission voted 3-2 along party lines to crack down on hidden “junk” fees from cable and satellite companies, ensuring that going forward consumers who are trying to comparison shop for a pay-tv plan know exactly what they will be paying when they make a choice.
The new FCC rule compels cable and satellite outlets to list the “all-in price” for a service when advertising it. Cable and satellite providers say the old way of doing business was more helpful to consumers. Customers can end up paying as much as $50 per month extra when hidden fees are all added up, but live TV...
- 3/15/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
The FCC passed new rules that will require cable and satellite providers to clearly disclose the “all in” price of subscriptions in promotional materials.
“The advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. “It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees that are separate from the top-line price you were told when you signed up.”
Rosenworcel cited fees like “broadcast subscription” and “regional sports assessments.” “It is not just annoying,” she said. “It makes it hard for consumers to compare service in a market that is evolving and has so many new ways to watch.”
The new rules passed 3-2. Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington voted against it.
Rosenworcel has also proposed other measures aimed at “junk fees,” while the White House has focused on the elimination or limitation of things like surcharges and late...
“The advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. “It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees that are separate from the top-line price you were told when you signed up.”
Rosenworcel cited fees like “broadcast subscription” and “regional sports assessments.” “It is not just annoying,” she said. “It makes it hard for consumers to compare service in a market that is evolving and has so many new ways to watch.”
The new rules passed 3-2. Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington voted against it.
Rosenworcel has also proposed other measures aimed at “junk fees,” while the White House has focused on the elimination or limitation of things like surcharges and late...
- 3/14/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
A Comcast gateway used to provide Internet service under the Xfinity brand. Comcast is one of several Internet providers that meet the new federal broadband benchmarks for download and upload speeds. (Courtesy image)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday approved a new standard benchmark for broadband Internet connections.
The new standard calls for broadband Internet to support download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps), or three times faster than the previous benchmark. Connections would also need to support upload speeds of at least 20 Mbps to be considered broadband.
The vote on Thursday was the first time since 2015 that the federal agency has increased the benchmark for consumer broadband Internet connections. Back then, the FCC updated its definition to include services that provide download speeds of 25 Mbps and upload speeds of just 3 Mbps.
Internet companies are not required to offer speeds that meet the benchmark, but they cannot...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday approved a new standard benchmark for broadband Internet connections.
The new standard calls for broadband Internet to support download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second (Mbps), or three times faster than the previous benchmark. Connections would also need to support upload speeds of at least 20 Mbps to be considered broadband.
The vote on Thursday was the first time since 2015 that the federal agency has increased the benchmark for consumer broadband Internet connections. Back then, the FCC updated its definition to include services that provide download speeds of 25 Mbps and upload speeds of just 3 Mbps.
Internet companies are not required to offer speeds that meet the benchmark, but they cannot...
- 3/14/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The board of the Federal Communications Commission. (Still frame via web video)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve a new rule that will require cable and satellite television providers to disclose programming-related surcharges and fees to customers in advertised prices.
The measure will force traditional pay TV providers that are regulated by the FCC to reveal the total cost a consumer will pay to subscribe to a programming package, including any broadcast and regional sports fees that have typically not been revealed to customers until after they purchase a service.
“No one likes surprises on their bill — the advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives,” FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel said on Thursday. “It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees.”
Cable and satellite TV groups opposed the proposal when it was first floated last year, saying any requirement...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve a new rule that will require cable and satellite television providers to disclose programming-related surcharges and fees to customers in advertised prices.
The measure will force traditional pay TV providers that are regulated by the FCC to reveal the total cost a consumer will pay to subscribe to a programming package, including any broadcast and regional sports fees that have typically not been revealed to customers until after they purchase a service.
“No one likes surprises on their bill — the advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives,” FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel said on Thursday. “It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees.”
Cable and satellite TV groups opposed the proposal when it was first floated last year, saying any requirement...
- 3/14/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
An aerial photograph shows the television studios of Adell-owned Wadl-tv in Detroit. (Courtesy photo)
A leading national activist is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to act on the proposed sale of a Detroit-area television station to a business affiliated with Nexstar Media Group, saying the matter has been held up at the agency for far too long.
On Friday, Reverend Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow Push Coalition sent a letter to FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel, restating comments he and other activists have made over the past few months while meeting with her and other FCC commissioners about the sale of Wadl (Channel 38) to Mission Broadcasting.
Document: Read the letter sent by Rev. Jesse Jackson to the FCC [Pro Access]
The sale has been pending since last May, when Mission Broadcasting and Wadl owner Kevin Adell announced the transaction. The FCC must sign off on business-related transactions involving licensed broadcast television stations,...
A leading national activist is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to act on the proposed sale of a Detroit-area television station to a business affiliated with Nexstar Media Group, saying the matter has been held up at the agency for far too long.
On Friday, Reverend Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow Push Coalition sent a letter to FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel, restating comments he and other activists have made over the past few months while meeting with her and other FCC commissioners about the sale of Wadl (Channel 38) to Mission Broadcasting.
Document: Read the letter sent by Rev. Jesse Jackson to the FCC [Pro Access]
The sale has been pending since last May, when Mission Broadcasting and Wadl owner Kevin Adell announced the transaction. The FCC must sign off on business-related transactions involving licensed broadcast television stations,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
The major cities where Nexstar Media Group owns or operates one or more local television stations. (Courtesy image)
Nexstar Media Group has asked a federal court to review a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision that limits the number of television stations a broadcaster may own at one time.
The petition for review was filed in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, and claims the FCC overstepped its authority by upholding a long-standing rule that prohibits a broadcaster from owning licensed stations that reach more than 38 percent of American TV households.
Nexstar is the largest TV broadcaster in the country, with more than 160 licensed stations under its direct ownership. It controls around 40 more TV stations through shared services agreements with other companies, including Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting, a practice that is technically permissible but has drawn immense scrutiny from cable and satellite groups following demands from...
Nexstar Media Group has asked a federal court to review a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision that limits the number of television stations a broadcaster may own at one time.
The petition for review was filed in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, and claims the FCC overstepped its authority by upholding a long-standing rule that prohibits a broadcaster from owning licensed stations that reach more than 38 percent of American TV households.
Nexstar is the largest TV broadcaster in the country, with more than 160 licensed stations under its direct ownership. It controls around 40 more TV stations through shared services agreements with other companies, including Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting, a practice that is technically permissible but has drawn immense scrutiny from cable and satellite groups following demands from...
- 2/29/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
(Stock image)
The broadcast television and radio industry’s main lobbying group is pushing against a proposal by some at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would offer preferential treatment to stations that produce local content.
Last November, FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel said TV stations that produce local news and other community-oriented programming should be given priority when the agency weighs an application to renew that broadcast station’s license. The same would be true for radio stations that are seeking renewal of their broadcast license.
“There’s something special about when you hear a local voice on the airwaves or see a familiar face on your television set in the evening,” Rosenworcel said in a statement distributed by the FCC. “Over time we’ve come to trust those voices, and they provide an important service to these communities. We want to recognize that dedication when it comes time for license renewals and transactions,...
The broadcast television and radio industry’s main lobbying group is pushing against a proposal by some at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would offer preferential treatment to stations that produce local content.
Last November, FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel said TV stations that produce local news and other community-oriented programming should be given priority when the agency weighs an application to renew that broadcast station’s license. The same would be true for radio stations that are seeking renewal of their broadcast license.
“There’s something special about when you hear a local voice on the airwaves or see a familiar face on your television set in the evening,” Rosenworcel said in a statement distributed by the FCC. “Over time we’ve come to trust those voices, and they provide an important service to these communities. We want to recognize that dedication when it comes time for license renewals and transactions,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Robocalls that use AI-generated voices, including those of celebrities and politicians, would be deemed illegal under a new proposal from FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
The agency would be able to restrict the calls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which limits the use of artificial or pre-recorded voice messages unless they have consent. The law was passed 30 years ago to try to limit robocalls, but it does not apply to calls that are not made for a commercial purpose.
The issue of Ia robocalls gained new attention just last week, when New Hampshire residents received calls that appeared to use AI voice technology to make it appear that it was coming from Joe Biden. But there also have been concerns over the use of deepfakes of celebrities like Taylor Swift. In the Biden call, the voice tried to discourage voters from heading to the polls, just as the president’s...
The agency would be able to restrict the calls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which limits the use of artificial or pre-recorded voice messages unless they have consent. The law was passed 30 years ago to try to limit robocalls, but it does not apply to calls that are not made for a commercial purpose.
The issue of Ia robocalls gained new attention just last week, when New Hampshire residents received calls that appeared to use AI voice technology to make it appear that it was coming from Joe Biden. But there also have been concerns over the use of deepfakes of celebrities like Taylor Swift. In the Biden call, the voice tried to discourage voters from heading to the polls, just as the president’s...
- 1/31/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
An aerial photograph shows the television studios of Adell-owned Wadl-tv in Detroit. (Courtesy photo)
The top official at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) met earlier this month with several industry stakeholders and the owner of a Detroit-area television station who is trying to sell his outlet to a Nexstar Media Group-controlled company.
The meeting, held on January 18, involved FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel, Wadl (Channel 38) owner Kevin Adell and two public interest groups — the American Television Alliance (Atva) and Ncta the Internet and Television Association (Ncta) — and was the latest to be held concerning Adell’s pending sale of Wadl to Mission Broadcasting.
For months, the Atva and the Ncta have argued against the deal, filing briefs with the FCC that accused Nexstar of attempting to circumvent federal ownership caps by bankrolling Mission’s purchase of Wadl.
Nexstar operates all of Mission’s television stations under shared services agreements,...
The top official at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) met earlier this month with several industry stakeholders and the owner of a Detroit-area television station who is trying to sell his outlet to a Nexstar Media Group-controlled company.
The meeting, held on January 18, involved FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel, Wadl (Channel 38) owner Kevin Adell and two public interest groups — the American Television Alliance (Atva) and Ncta the Internet and Television Association (Ncta) — and was the latest to be held concerning Adell’s pending sale of Wadl to Mission Broadcasting.
For months, the Atva and the Ncta have argued against the deal, filing briefs with the FCC that accused Nexstar of attempting to circumvent federal ownership caps by bankrolling Mission’s purchase of Wadl.
Nexstar operates all of Mission’s television stations under shared services agreements,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
An anti-piracy billboard.
Regulators at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week approved sweeping fines against a half-dozen pirate radio operators in the Miami area.
The fines, which totaled more than $3.5 million, were approved by the full board of the FCC during its open meeting on Thursday.
The matters were listed on a public agenda as “enforcement actions” with no further information. A spokesperson for the FCC told The Desk by email that enforcement actions are typically not made public until they are approved by commissioners at their open meetings.
The fines are connected to a sweeping federal law passed by Congress in 2020 that gave the FCC broader authority to pursue radio pirates who broadcast on reserved frequencies without a license. The law, called the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (Pirate) Act, allows the FCC to impose financial penalties of up to $2 million per instance, upward adjusted for inflation...
Regulators at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week approved sweeping fines against a half-dozen pirate radio operators in the Miami area.
The fines, which totaled more than $3.5 million, were approved by the full board of the FCC during its open meeting on Thursday.
The matters were listed on a public agenda as “enforcement actions” with no further information. A spokesperson for the FCC told The Desk by email that enforcement actions are typically not made public until they are approved by commissioners at their open meetings.
The fines are connected to a sweeping federal law passed by Congress in 2020 that gave the FCC broader authority to pursue radio pirates who broadcast on reserved frequencies without a license. The law, called the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (Pirate) Act, allows the FCC to impose financial penalties of up to $2 million per instance, upward adjusted for inflation...
- 1/26/2024
- by Matthew Keys
- The Desk
Tom Morello, Amanda Palmer, Speedy Ortiz, Kimya Dawson, and more have signed an open letter calling for the restoration of net neutrality, stressing the benefits of an open internet for artists.
Net neutrality, as initially codified during the Obama administration in 2015, broadly established regulations for a more open, accessible internet: The rules ensured that internet providers couldn’t do things like restrict access to certain content, slow or accelerate connection speeds, or hamstring connectivity for customers who didn’t pay a premium fee.
Those rules were scrapped during the Trump administration,...
Net neutrality, as initially codified during the Obama administration in 2015, broadly established regulations for a more open, accessible internet: The rules ensured that internet providers couldn’t do things like restrict access to certain content, slow or accelerate connection speeds, or hamstring connectivity for customers who didn’t pay a premium fee.
Those rules were scrapped during the Trump administration,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has unveiled a new proposal that would eliminate cable and satellite TV provider “junk fees,” including charges for early termination of service contracts.
If approved during the agency’s December 13 open meeting, the rule would also require providers to grant cord-cutters a prorated credit or rebate for the remaining whole days in a monthly or periodic billing cycle after the cancellation of service.
The FCC argues that early termination fees and billing cycle fees limit consumer choice and negatively impact market competition by making it costly for customers to switch their service. The agency notes that subscribers may terminate their service for a number of reasons, including moving, financial hardship or poor service.
“No one wants to pay junk fees for something they don’t want or can’t use. When companies charge customers early termination fees, it limits their freedom to choose the service they want,...
If approved during the agency’s December 13 open meeting, the rule would also require providers to grant cord-cutters a prorated credit or rebate for the remaining whole days in a monthly or periodic billing cycle after the cancellation of service.
The FCC argues that early termination fees and billing cycle fees limit consumer choice and negatively impact market competition by making it costly for customers to switch their service. The agency notes that subscribers may terminate their service for a number of reasons, including moving, financial hardship or poor service.
“No one wants to pay junk fees for something they don’t want or can’t use. When companies charge customers early termination fees, it limits their freedom to choose the service they want,...
- 11/22/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
The fees that cable and satellite companies charge to subscribers for eliminating their service before the end of their contracts would be prohibited under a new proposal from the FCC.
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today outlined a proposal that takes aim at video service “junk fees,” in line with President Joe Biden’s actions to curb such consumer levies across industries.
Some subscribers who sign contracts with cable and satellite operators face paying early termination fees if they want out of the agreement before the expiration date. The companies put such fees in place to reduce churn.
The FCC proposal also would target requirements that subscribers pay for the entire billing cycle when they end their service before that date. The proposal would require that the video providers grant a pro-rated credit for the remaining days in a billing cycle. The proposal applies only to cable and satellite providers, not streaming services.
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today outlined a proposal that takes aim at video service “junk fees,” in line with President Joe Biden’s actions to curb such consumer levies across industries.
Some subscribers who sign contracts with cable and satellite operators face paying early termination fees if they want out of the agreement before the expiration date. The companies put such fees in place to reduce churn.
The FCC proposal also would target requirements that subscribers pay for the entire billing cycle when they end their service before that date. The proposal would require that the video providers grant a pro-rated credit for the remaining days in a billing cycle. The proposal applies only to cable and satellite providers, not streaming services.
- 11/21/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
A group of Democratic senators are calling on the FCC to consider whether to extend broadcast and cable regulations to streaming outlets as a way of ensuring that local stations can get distribution on the new platforms.
The senators, all Democrats and independents, wrote a letter to the FCC’s five commissioners, “out of concern for the future of the media market and our constituents’ ability to access broadcasters’ unique locally-focused content on streaming platforms.” They were specifically referencing so-called “virtual MVPDs,” or YouTubeTV, Hulu and other services that offer a slate of linear channels via the internet.
The letter comes amid high profile standoffs over the carriage of broadcast and cable stations, leading to the recent blackout of Disney stations and channels from Spectrum’s systems, as well as increasing concerns over the future of linear TV in general.
Traditional media is bound by a set of regulations spelled...
The senators, all Democrats and independents, wrote a letter to the FCC’s five commissioners, “out of concern for the future of the media market and our constituents’ ability to access broadcasters’ unique locally-focused content on streaming platforms.” They were specifically referencing so-called “virtual MVPDs,” or YouTubeTV, Hulu and other services that offer a slate of linear channels via the internet.
The letter comes amid high profile standoffs over the carriage of broadcast and cable stations, leading to the recent blackout of Disney stations and channels from Spectrum’s systems, as well as increasing concerns over the future of linear TV in general.
Traditional media is bound by a set of regulations spelled...
- 10/19/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Update, Oct. 19, 9:25 a.m. Pt: The FCC launched a new effort today to reinstate a robust set of net neutrality roles.
The commission voted 3-2 along party lines to seek public comment on a proposal that would essentially return to the set of rules adopted during the Obama administration then repealed during the Trump years.
The proposal would classify internet service as a “telecommunications” service under Title II of the Communications Act. That’s a regulatory maneuver that would empower the FCC to prohibit blocking and throttling of internet content, or creating so-called “fast lanes” for those who pay up.
Over the past two decades, the FCC has tried multiple times to come up with a set of neutrality rules, only to be rebuffed in court or by GOP control.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel moved quickly to reinstate net neutrality last month, shortly after Democrats gained a majority on...
The commission voted 3-2 along party lines to seek public comment on a proposal that would essentially return to the set of rules adopted during the Obama administration then repealed during the Trump years.
The proposal would classify internet service as a “telecommunications” service under Title II of the Communications Act. That’s a regulatory maneuver that would empower the FCC to prohibit blocking and throttling of internet content, or creating so-called “fast lanes” for those who pay up.
Over the past two decades, the FCC has tried multiple times to come up with a set of neutrality rules, only to be rebuffed in court or by GOP control.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel moved quickly to reinstate net neutrality last month, shortly after Democrats gained a majority on...
- 10/19/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has had enough of broadcast blackouts due to carriage disputes.
The agency head has issued two notices of proposed rulemaking to her fellow commissioners aimed at “furthering the FCC’s strategic goal to empower consumers in the media marketplace.”
If adopted by a vote of the full commission, the first proposal would seek comment on whether and how to require cable and satellite TV providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout “due to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast station(s)/group owners.”
Meanwhile, the second would seek comment on requiring multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) to notify the FCC of blackouts lasting more than 24 hours due to a “failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement.”
“Enough with the blackouts,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “When consumers with traditional cable and satellite service turn on the screen,...
The agency head has issued two notices of proposed rulemaking to her fellow commissioners aimed at “furthering the FCC’s strategic goal to empower consumers in the media marketplace.”
If adopted by a vote of the full commission, the first proposal would seek comment on whether and how to require cable and satellite TV providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout “due to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast station(s)/group owners.”
Meanwhile, the second would seek comment on requiring multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs) to notify the FCC of blackouts lasting more than 24 hours due to a “failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement.”
“Enough with the blackouts,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “When consumers with traditional cable and satellite service turn on the screen,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
FCC Chair Proposes Rule Requiring Pay-tv Operators to Give Customers Refunds for Broadcast Blackouts
If your favorite broadcast network goes dark on a cable or satellite TV provider because of a business dispute, you should get some money back, FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel says.
Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced two proposals she said would “further the FCC’s strategic goal to empower consumers in the media marketplace.”
One proposal seeks comment on whether and how to require cable and satellite TV providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout “due to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast station(s)/group owners.” The other solicits input on a rule that would force pay-tv operators to notify the FCC via an online public portal if there’s a broadcast-programming blackout 24 hours or more.
“Enough with the blackouts,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “When consumers with traditional cable and satellite service turn on the screen, they should get what they pay for.
Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced two proposals she said would “further the FCC’s strategic goal to empower consumers in the media marketplace.”
One proposal seeks comment on whether and how to require cable and satellite TV providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout “due to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast station(s)/group owners.” The other solicits input on a rule that would force pay-tv operators to notify the FCC via an online public portal if there’s a broadcast-programming blackout 24 hours or more.
“Enough with the blackouts,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “When consumers with traditional cable and satellite service turn on the screen, they should get what they pay for.
- 10/11/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is floating a proposal that would require rebates to multichannel subscribers in the event of a blackout or broadcast stations.
Her proposal comes after the recent high-profile standoff between The Walt Disney Co. and Charter Communications, which left ABC-owned stations, ESPN and other cable networks dark for about a week and a half on Spectrum cable systems.
If adopted by the five-member commission, the proposal would then go to public comment period before a final vote. It would “require cable and satellite providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout doe to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast” station group owners.
Rosenworcel also outlined a proposal that would require cable and satellite companies to notify the FCC via an online public portal when there is a “blackout of 24 hours or more of broadcast programming due to a failure...
Her proposal comes after the recent high-profile standoff between The Walt Disney Co. and Charter Communications, which left ABC-owned stations, ESPN and other cable networks dark for about a week and a half on Spectrum cable systems.
If adopted by the five-member commission, the proposal would then go to public comment period before a final vote. It would “require cable and satellite providers to issue rebates to subscribers in the event of a blackout doe to a failure to reach a retransmission consent agreement with broadcast” station group owners.
Rosenworcel also outlined a proposal that would require cable and satellite companies to notify the FCC via an online public portal when there is a “blackout of 24 hours or more of broadcast programming due to a failure...
- 10/11/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Cord cutting may have left audiences with the impression that traditional TV is doomed, but there’s still a large portion of the population that values local news broadcasts highly. A recent survey found that local TV news garnered eight to 12 times as many viewers as streaming in major markets, and now local TV stations are banding together to publicly advocate for reforms from Congress and the Federal Communications Commission.
While it had originally been reported that the organization would lobby lawmakers, a spokesperson for the organization told The Streamable, “The Coalition will not be engaged in traditional lobbying at this point, but rather public advocacy efforts.”
According to Axios, the group of more than 600 local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations are requesting the government close a loophole that allows live TV streaming services to bypass negotiating with them directly. Instead, streamers can go all the way up to the national networks,...
While it had originally been reported that the organization would lobby lawmakers, a spokesperson for the organization told The Streamable, “The Coalition will not be engaged in traditional lobbying at this point, but rather public advocacy efforts.”
According to Axios, the group of more than 600 local affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC stations are requesting the government close a loophole that allows live TV streaming services to bypass negotiating with them directly. Instead, streamers can go all the way up to the national networks,...
- 7/18/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
The FCC outlined a proposal to require cable and satellite providers state from the outset the “all-in” price of their services, including such things as broadcast TV fees or regional sports surcharges.
The proposal comes amid a Biden administration push to tackle so-called junk fees on things such as concert and airline tickets, as well as banking fees.
FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement, “No one likes surprises on their bill. The advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives, rather than hide a bunch of junk fees that are separate from the top-line service price.”
She said that the pricing requirement would make it easier for consumers to compare service providers.
“Not only would this proposal reduce cost confusion and make it easier for consumers to compare services, but it would also increase competition among cable and broadcast satellite providers through improved price transparency,...
The proposal comes amid a Biden administration push to tackle so-called junk fees on things such as concert and airline tickets, as well as banking fees.
FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement, “No one likes surprises on their bill. The advertised price for a service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives, rather than hide a bunch of junk fees that are separate from the top-line service price.”
She said that the pricing requirement would make it easier for consumers to compare service providers.
“Not only would this proposal reduce cost confusion and make it easier for consumers to compare services, but it would also increase competition among cable and broadcast satellite providers through improved price transparency,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Veteran telecom lawyer Anna Gomez has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve on the Federal Communications Commission, a five-member regulatory body stuck in a 2-2 deadlock.
In addition to the nomination for Gomez, Biden announced the re-nomination of commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional 5-year terms.
Gomez, a former FCC and Senate staffer, is serving as a telecom policy adviser in the U.S. State Department. She also served as deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a key agency within the Commerce Department involved in improving internet accessibility.
For more than two years, the FCC has been in a stalemate, which has significantly limited its ability to weigh in on all but the most anodyne topics. Commissioners are nominated by the president, meaning the regulatory body should be in Democratic control with Biden in the White House. Gigi Sohn, a longtime Washington presence and veteran regulator,...
In addition to the nomination for Gomez, Biden announced the re-nomination of commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional 5-year terms.
Gomez, a former FCC and Senate staffer, is serving as a telecom policy adviser in the U.S. State Department. She also served as deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a key agency within the Commerce Department involved in improving internet accessibility.
For more than two years, the FCC has been in a stalemate, which has significantly limited its ability to weigh in on all but the most anodyne topics. Commissioners are nominated by the president, meaning the regulatory body should be in Democratic control with Biden in the White House. Gigi Sohn, a longtime Washington presence and veteran regulator,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate veteran telecommunications lawyer Anna Gomez as an FCC commissioner. The president also announced the renominations of FCC commissioners Brendan Carr (a Republican) and Geoffrey Starks (a Democrat) for five-year terms.
If Gomez is confirmed by the Senate to serve as an FCC commissioner, Democrats will have a 3-2 edge at the agency, which is led by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat. Trump appointee Nathan Simington is the other GOP commissioner. Biden’s previous pick for the open seat at the FCC, Gigi Sohn, withdrew her name from consideration after her confirmation was stymied along party lines.
Gomez currently works at the State Department, where she serves as a senior adviser for international information and communications policy in the bureau of cyberspace and digital policy. Gomez served as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (Ntia) deputy administrator from 2009 to 2013. She also served...
If Gomez is confirmed by the Senate to serve as an FCC commissioner, Democrats will have a 3-2 edge at the agency, which is led by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat. Trump appointee Nathan Simington is the other GOP commissioner. Biden’s previous pick for the open seat at the FCC, Gigi Sohn, withdrew her name from consideration after her confirmation was stymied along party lines.
Gomez currently works at the State Department, where she serves as a senior adviser for international information and communications policy in the bureau of cyberspace and digital policy. Gomez served as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (Ntia) deputy administrator from 2009 to 2013. She also served...
- 5/22/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
President Biden has found a new nominee to serve as a Democratic commissioner for the FCC, a critical post that, if confirmed by the Senate, would break a 2-2 deadlock at the telecommunications regulatory agency.
The nominee is Anna Gomez, a veteran government attorney.
Currently an advisor for international information and communications policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Gomez previously served as deputy administrator for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and also worked for 12 years in various roles at the FCC.
Gomez’s nomination is a critical one for the FCC, which has a Democratic chair in Jessica Rosenworcel, but an effective 2-2 tie between its Republican and Democratic members. Biden’s first FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, had been nominated in late 2021, but pulled herself from consideration earlier this year. Sohn, an outspoken supporter of net neutrality, had faced a bruising campaign from lobbyists tied to the telecom industry.
The nominee is Anna Gomez, a veteran government attorney.
Currently an advisor for international information and communications policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Gomez previously served as deputy administrator for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and also worked for 12 years in various roles at the FCC.
Gomez’s nomination is a critical one for the FCC, which has a Democratic chair in Jessica Rosenworcel, but an effective 2-2 tie between its Republican and Democratic members. Biden’s first FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, had been nominated in late 2021, but pulled herself from consideration earlier this year. Sohn, an outspoken supporter of net neutrality, had faced a bruising campaign from lobbyists tied to the telecom industry.
- 5/22/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
National Association of Broadcasters CEO Curtis LeGeyt, the top lobbyist for the broadcast industry, said he hopes the legal mess over the FCC’s handling of private equity firm Standard General’s acquisition of station group Tegna is not a sign of M&a meltdowns to come.
“My hope is it’s a one-off,” he said during a briefing with reporters Monday during the Nab Show in Las Vegas. “We have real concerns that this could disincentivize investment in local broadcast stations.”
The $8.6 billion deal requires only the approval of the FCC in order to close. It was proposed more than a year ago and was expected to close a few months later, but has instead faced a protracted delay. The FCC turned the wait into a more fraught situation by saying it planned to refer the merger review to an administrative law judge, a move that is tantamount to killing the deal.
“My hope is it’s a one-off,” he said during a briefing with reporters Monday during the Nab Show in Las Vegas. “We have real concerns that this could disincentivize investment in local broadcast stations.”
The $8.6 billion deal requires only the approval of the FCC in order to close. It was proposed more than a year ago and was expected to close a few months later, but has instead faced a protracted delay. The FCC turned the wait into a more fraught situation by saying it planned to refer the merger review to an administrative law judge, a move that is tantamount to killing the deal.
- 4/18/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
National Association of Broadcasters president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt spoke out on the potential dangers of Artificial Intelligence on Monday at the Nab Show in Las Vegas. “This is an area where Nab will absolutely be active,” he asserted of AI, which is one of the buzziest topics this week at the annual convention. “It is just amazing how quickly the relevance of AI to our entire economy — but specifically, since we’re in this room, the broadcast industry — has gone from amorphous concept to real.”
LeGeyt warned of several concerns that he has for local broadcasters, the first being issues surrounding “big tech” taking broadcast content and not fairly compensating broadcasters for its use. “We have been fighting for legislation to put some guardrails on it,” LeGeyt said. “AI has the potential to put that on overdrive. We need to ensure that our stations, our content creators are going to be fairly compensated.
LeGeyt warned of several concerns that he has for local broadcasters, the first being issues surrounding “big tech” taking broadcast content and not fairly compensating broadcasters for its use. “We have been fighting for legislation to put some guardrails on it,” LeGeyt said. “AI has the potential to put that on overdrive. We need to ensure that our stations, our content creators are going to be fairly compensated.
- 4/17/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel took the Nab Show stage Monday to announce a new public-private initiative led by the National Association of Broadcasters to guide the next steps of what is known as “NextGen TV.”
The “Future of TV” initiative will work to identify a roadmap to orderly transition from Atsc 1.0 to Atsc 3.0-based, essentially a set of more advanced engineering standards that create a unified experience for viewers. Long hailed by boosters and broadcasters as a savior for an industry beset on all sides by rivals from Netflix to TikTok, Atsc 3.0. Simply put, the new setup is capable of delivering ultra-high definition (4K) images, two-way interactivity, greater accessibility options, and multi-screen applications to televisions via over-the-air broadcast signals working in tandem with broadband.
Despite the utopian promise of Atsc 3.0, it has taken many years to get off the ground and remains short of wide-scale market penetration, with availability in roughly 60% of U.
The “Future of TV” initiative will work to identify a roadmap to orderly transition from Atsc 1.0 to Atsc 3.0-based, essentially a set of more advanced engineering standards that create a unified experience for viewers. Long hailed by boosters and broadcasters as a savior for an industry beset on all sides by rivals from Netflix to TikTok, Atsc 3.0. Simply put, the new setup is capable of delivering ultra-high definition (4K) images, two-way interactivity, greater accessibility options, and multi-screen applications to televisions via over-the-air broadcast signals working in tandem with broadband.
Despite the utopian promise of Atsc 3.0, it has taken many years to get off the ground and remains short of wide-scale market penetration, with availability in roughly 60% of U.
- 4/17/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: Standard General blasted the FCC’s decision to send its proposed acquisition of Tegna to an administrative law judge, accusing the agency of trying to scuttle the deal by delaying it.
On Friday, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued an order sending the transaction to the judge for a hearing. The bureau took issue with the transaction’s potential to raise consumer prices and to result in layoffs.
In a statement, Standard General’s managing partner Soo Kim said, “A decision delayed is a decision denied. Our proposed transaction is consistent with all FCC regulations and precedent. It is bolstered by a voluntary commitment to invest in local news, preserve newsroom jobs, and address purported concerns related to consumer pricing. But rather than rule on the transaction’s merits, as the law requires, the Media Bureau is attempting to scuttle the deal by ordering a wholly unnecessary hearing process,...
On Friday, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued an order sending the transaction to the judge for a hearing. The bureau took issue with the transaction’s potential to raise consumer prices and to result in layoffs.
In a statement, Standard General’s managing partner Soo Kim said, “A decision delayed is a decision denied. Our proposed transaction is consistent with all FCC regulations and precedent. It is bolstered by a voluntary commitment to invest in local news, preserve newsroom jobs, and address purported concerns related to consumer pricing. But rather than rule on the transaction’s merits, as the law requires, the Media Bureau is attempting to scuttle the deal by ordering a wholly unnecessary hearing process,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
President Joe Biden has renominated Eric Garcetti as U.S. ambassador to India, after the former Los Angeles mayor’s nomination failed to make the Senate floor last year.
Garcetti was among a series of nominees who will get restarts in the new Congress.
Biden also renominated Gigi Sohn to serve as the fifth commissioner on the FCC. Her nomination stalled out after the Senate Commerce Committee deadlocked. Republicans opposed her selection, amid opposition from commentators like Tucker Carlson and The Wall Street Journal editorial board, while industry lobbyists worked to stymie her nomination.
The difference for all of Biden’s nominations will be the Democrats’ expanded 51-49 majority, assuming that Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema caucuses with the Democrats after switching her affiliation to independent. That one vote difference from the 50-50 split in the last Congress could make it easier to advance nominees through committees and to the floor.
Garcetti was among a series of nominees who will get restarts in the new Congress.
Biden also renominated Gigi Sohn to serve as the fifth commissioner on the FCC. Her nomination stalled out after the Senate Commerce Committee deadlocked. Republicans opposed her selection, amid opposition from commentators like Tucker Carlson and The Wall Street Journal editorial board, while industry lobbyists worked to stymie her nomination.
The difference for all of Biden’s nominations will be the Democrats’ expanded 51-49 majority, assuming that Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema caucuses with the Democrats after switching her affiliation to independent. That one vote difference from the 50-50 split in the last Congress could make it easier to advance nominees through committees and to the floor.
- 1/3/2023
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Some of the biggest surprises in media M&a this year came not from ambitious CEOs or activist investors but from the clinical precision of regulators focused on warding off too much market concentration.
Industry insiders, meanwhile, say judges and antitrust watchdogs are focused on the wrong mature businesses while online-based media continues to operate like the Wild West. The anti-Big Media mood on both sides of the partisan divide in Washington is likely to complicate the completion of the biggest media transaction of the year, Microsoft’s proposed all-cash 68 billion takeover of gaming giant Activision Blizzard.
“Under this administration, that deal has a 50-50 chance of going through,” says a veteran entertainment attorney who specializes in M&a and regulatory issues.
The simmering regulatory probe by the Justice Dept. and Federal Trade Commission of the Microsoft-Activision merger is being closely watched as a litmus test for future transactions.
There...
Industry insiders, meanwhile, say judges and antitrust watchdogs are focused on the wrong mature businesses while online-based media continues to operate like the Wild West. The anti-Big Media mood on both sides of the partisan divide in Washington is likely to complicate the completion of the biggest media transaction of the year, Microsoft’s proposed all-cash 68 billion takeover of gaming giant Activision Blizzard.
“Under this administration, that deal has a 50-50 chance of going through,” says a veteran entertainment attorney who specializes in M&a and regulatory issues.
The simmering regulatory probe by the Justice Dept. and Federal Trade Commission of the Microsoft-Activision merger is being closely watched as a litmus test for future transactions.
There...
- 12/7/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Washington, Nov 26 (Ians) The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has prohibited communications equipment and video surveillance technology from Chinese companies like Huawei, Zte, Hikvision, Hytera, and Dahua to reach the country.
The FCC adopted new rules prohibiting communications equipment deemed to “pose an unacceptable risk to national security from being authorised for importation or sale in the US”.
This is a huge blow to Chinese companies as they can’t legally import or sell anything with a radio in the US without the FCC authorisation.
“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorised for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
“These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications,” she added.
The list (both equipment and services) currently...
The FCC adopted new rules prohibiting communications equipment deemed to “pose an unacceptable risk to national security from being authorised for importation or sale in the US”.
This is a huge blow to Chinese companies as they can’t legally import or sell anything with a radio in the US without the FCC authorisation.
“The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorised for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
“These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications,” she added.
The list (both equipment and services) currently...
- 11/26/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said she hopes the outcome of today’s elections will help break the longstanding 2-2 tie on the regulatory commission, but she also defended the body’s deadlocked body’s record during her leadership.
“We’ve turned the noise down, and turned up the number of things we’re getting done,” she said, alluding to the commission’s profile under her predecessor as chair, Ajit Pai. At the behest of former President Donald Trump, Pai spearheaded a series of dramatic rollbacks of longstanding media rules when the five-member commission tilted 3-2 in favor of the Republicans. Despite Joe Biden’s defeat of Trump, Pai then stepped down and Democrats’ nominee, Gigi Sohn, has seen her prospects stymied by Congress. The former FCC staffer and progressive activist has never received a full hearing in the Senate despite the usual dynamic of the commission leaning toward the party of the president.
“We’ve turned the noise down, and turned up the number of things we’re getting done,” she said, alluding to the commission’s profile under her predecessor as chair, Ajit Pai. At the behest of former President Donald Trump, Pai spearheaded a series of dramatic rollbacks of longstanding media rules when the five-member commission tilted 3-2 in favor of the Republicans. Despite Joe Biden’s defeat of Trump, Pai then stepped down and Democrats’ nominee, Gigi Sohn, has seen her prospects stymied by Congress. The former FCC staffer and progressive activist has never received a full hearing in the Senate despite the usual dynamic of the commission leaning toward the party of the president.
- 11/8/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Standard General’s proposed acquisition of Tegna is facing new scrutiny from Capitol Hill, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Commerce Committee Frank Pallone fired off a letter to the FCC expressing their concerns about the transaction.
Standard General, however, said that the lawmakers were being misled by opponents of the transaction, who include public interest groups and the NewsGuild Cwa, and that Pelosi and Pallone’s letter was applying “improper pressure” to the FCC.
Under the terms of the transaction, an affiliate of Standard General would purchase Tegna, which has 64 stations in 51 markets. Apollo Global Management, owner of Cox Media Group, is involved in financing the deal. Following the close of the transaction, Cox will acquire Tegna stations in Austin (Kvue), Dallas (Wfaa and Kmpx) and Houston (Khou and Ktbu) from Standard General.
In the letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Pelosi and Pallone focus in part on...
Standard General, however, said that the lawmakers were being misled by opponents of the transaction, who include public interest groups and the NewsGuild Cwa, and that Pelosi and Pallone’s letter was applying “improper pressure” to the FCC.
Under the terms of the transaction, an affiliate of Standard General would purchase Tegna, which has 64 stations in 51 markets. Apollo Global Management, owner of Cox Media Group, is involved in financing the deal. Following the close of the transaction, Cox will acquire Tegna stations in Austin (Kvue), Dallas (Wfaa and Kmpx) and Houston (Khou and Ktbu) from Standard General.
In the letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Pelosi and Pallone focus in part on...
- 10/6/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Washington, Oct 4 (Ians) The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has threatened to block calls from voice service providers that have failed to take action against illegal robocalls.
A robocall is a call that delivers pre-recorded messages through auto-dialing software to millions of people each day.
The FCC said that carriers must take key robocall mitigation steps and if they fail to demonstrate that they have met these requirements, they can be removed from the database and other networks will no longer take their traffic.
“This is a new era. If a provider doesn’t meet its obligations under the law, it now faces expulsion from America’s phone networks. Fines alone aren’t enough. Providers that don’t follow our rules and make it easy to scam consumers will now face swift consequences,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement late on Monday.
Removal from the database would require...
A robocall is a call that delivers pre-recorded messages through auto-dialing software to millions of people each day.
The FCC said that carriers must take key robocall mitigation steps and if they fail to demonstrate that they have met these requirements, they can be removed from the database and other networks will no longer take their traffic.
“This is a new era. If a provider doesn’t meet its obligations under the law, it now faces expulsion from America’s phone networks. Fines alone aren’t enough. Providers that don’t follow our rules and make it easy to scam consumers will now face swift consequences,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement late on Monday.
Removal from the database would require...
- 10/4/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
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