NAB Condemns Violence Against Journalists, Provides Resources for Stations
A Message from President and CEO Gordon H. Smith
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today as our country is not only engulfed in a pandemic, but facing extreme civil unrest in the wake of the unconscionable death of George Floyd.
While our nation continues to struggle on many fronts, I am writing to you today because I am gravely concerned about recent violence against journalists who are legally covering the protests taking place across the nation. Equally troubling are reports from some localities that have sought to prevent journalists from covering the news by including them in town curfews, which prompted me today to release this statement.
Our dedicated journalists in local communities across the country are once again putting themselves in harm's way to cover the news and to shine a light on our nation's challenges.
This is the commendable charge that you – our members – and your broadcast journalists have taken on. You do not shy away from reporting the news in the face of danger, whether that be a hurricane, tornado, war or dangerous protests.
We applaud you as your teams work to hold local officials and citizens accountable, to find the answers and to seek justice. This has never been a more important task.
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Senate Subcommittee Hears Testimony on Performance Tax
Last week, NAB Chief Operating Officer Curtis LeGeyt testified at a Senate Judiciary Intellectual Property Subcommittee staff briefing, "The Scope of Music Rights within the DMCA." Although presented as part of a broader review the subcommittee is undertaking of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the briefing focused on the performance tax issue. Click here to view LeGeyt's statement.
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COVERING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC |
Latest Coronavirus Relief Legislation Includes Expanded Eligibility for Broadcasters
NAB's advocacy team has been working around the clock to obtain relief for broadcasters struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic.
We are pleased that newly introduced legislation expands eligibility for broadcasters to participate in the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan program. Read NAB's press release here.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA-12) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-07) led the effort in the House of Representatives to include expanded access to Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans for local radio and television stations in the legislation. Sens. Maria Cantwell (WA), John Boozman (AR), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Joni Ernst (IA) and Chuck Schumer (NY) introduced the companion legislation in the Senate.
Educational Resources for the COVID-19 Crisis
NAB is actively working to provide vital resources to support the needs of broadcasters. For a limited time, NAB has made the following tools and resources available for free to members and non-members. Use your nab.org login credentials to sign up. For assistance, please contact Member Services at membership@nab.org or call (202) 429-5400.
Returning Revenues the Focus of New NAB Podcast Episodes
Revenue generation and sales outlooks are the focus of the two most recent NAB Podcast episodes. Listen to guests Brad Seitter from the TVB and Jeff Schmidt from the RAB as they discuss reemerging ad categories and local sales strategies for television and radio respectively.
New COVID-19 Spots that Focus on Mental Wellness Now Available
NAB has produced new public service announcements (PSAs) for stations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are available here for TV stations and here for radio stations. The PSAs focus on a mental wellness message of hope and encouragement for Americans, and direct listeners and viewers to WeAreBroadcasters.com/Hope.
COVID-19 Webcast: Guiding Your Community
NAB and research firm SmithGeiger provide timely and detailed information on how broadcasters can best operate during the coronavirus pandemic.
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NEWS
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Stations Must Add Carriage Election Contacts to Online Public Files by July 31, 2020
In July 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) modernized its carriage election notice rules by permitting broadcasters to post their carriage elections online, and to send notices to covered multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) by email only when changing their carriage election status. The approach replaces the requirement to send a paper notice via certified mail to MVPDs every three years.
Reminder: Stations Should Make Clear to Advertisers That Certain Terms and Conditions Restrict Use of the FCC's Temporary Policy for Free "Goodwill" Commercial Spots
On March 25, the FCC's Media Bureau announced a temporary, limited exemption to the federal requirement that broadcasters must charge political candidates no more than the lowest unit rate (LUR) for the same class and time of advertising offered to commercial advertisers. The FCC took this action because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some commercial advertisers to cancel or reduce their advertising commitments, and the FCC wanted to provide broadcasters more flexibility to fill excess inventory and build goodwill with commercial advertisers. Therefore, the FCC's exemption allows broadcasters to provide free time to commercial clients, and exclude such free time when calculating the LUR, so long as the arrangement complies with certain terms and conditions.
FCC Updates Rules for Public Notice of Broadcast Applications
On May 13, the FCC adopted an order that will streamline and modernize its rules governing broadcaster-generated public notices of applications. The revised rules make application notices more consistent across services and application types, permit broadcasters to provide shorter on-air notices on a reduced and more flexible schedule and replace the current print newspaper notice requirement with online notices. Specifically, stations will conspicuously place an "FCC Applications" link or tab on their home pages that brings users to the text of the notice, which includes a link to the application.
FCC Annual DIRS Exercise Scheduled for June 2-3, 2020
In preparation for the 2020 hurricane season, the FCC will conduct an annual Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) exercise on June 2-3, 2020. The FCC often activates DIRS during times of crisis, such as hurricanes and wildfires, providing a system for broadcasters to voluntarily report their operational status to the FCC and request assistance. Participation in the annual DIRS exercise is voluntary and may help your company to confirm that it can access the DIRS system, train new employees to become familiar with DIRS reporting process and update your DIRS contact information.
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You Still Have Access to the Best Content!
NAB Show Express isn't over! If you didn't get a chance to participate a couple of weeks ago, it's not too late. Content is available on-demand and exhibitors have set up dynamic profiles. Head over to nashowexpress.com today, tomorrow, next week, next month!
NAB Show Express: Small and Medium Market Radio Forum On-Demand
Designed specifically to help the small and medium market radio community, don't miss out on the Small and Medium Market Radio Forum sessions to help radio broadcasters adapt to the changing business landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These on-demand sessions will cover business operations management, digital advertising, revenue generation and audience engagement.
NAB Show Express: Business of Media Sessions On-Demand
Don't miss the Business of Media track available via NAB Show Express, which offers informational sessions for broadcasters covering topics such as Generation Z listenership insights, managing massive change during a crisis, generating ROI from your digital upgrade, popular podcast monetization strategies and more. Sessions are available now for on-demand viewing.
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We Are Broadcasters Campaign Highlights Community Support
During the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, local broadcasters across the country have stepped up to provide their communities with the news, support and comfort they need most. The We Are Broadcasters campaign is proud to highlight this service, including the ways broadcasters are helping to give the class of 2020 the graduation celebrations they can't have in person due to the pandemic. Please tag your stories of service on social media with #WeAreBroadcasters or reach out to WeAreBroadcasters@nab.org so we can honor your station's work.
Radio Reaches Listeners During Moments of Crisis
In 2020, radio is celebrating its centennial year. To highlight this special anniversary, we're putting the spotlight on the enduring value of radio with #Radio100. See how broadcasters provide a community hub in times of uncertainty.
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| NAB LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION |
2020 Service to America Awards Finalists Announced
The NAB Leadership Foundation announced the finalists for this year's Service to America Awards last week. The 2020 Celebration of Service to America Awards, previously scheduled for June 9, has been reimagined as a pre-recorded event, accessible online and available for broadcast stations to air on a specific date in late August. The 2020 Celebration of Service to America Award winners will be announced for the first time during the program, and all eight category finalists will be highlighted for their excellence in community service.
Short Videos with Big Insights
Explore the NAB Leadership Foundation's new #LeadershipLabs series for a variety of tips, insights and reminders to help you lead and manage your team through a crisis and beyond. Featuring a range of Foundation program faculty and experts, these quick two to four-minute clips cover topics including financial fundamentals, the power of listening versus hearing and so much more.
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