The NAB Pulse November 9, 2009

NAB.org | Industry Areas | News Room

Biennial Ownership Reports for Commercial Broadcast Stations Due Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently received approval from the Office of Management and Budget for its revised ownership report form, FCC Form 323. The FCC's Media Bureau announced that biennial ownership reports for all commercial broadcast licensees, including LPTV licensees, will be due on Tuesday, December 15. A print version of FCC Form 323 and instructions can be accessed here. As in the past, these ownership report forms are required to be filed electronically using the FCC's consolidated database system (CDBS). The electronic version of the form is not yet available in CDBS, but the Media Bureau reports that the form should be available by approximately November 16, 2009.
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FCC Clarifies AM Antenna Performance Verification Method
On September 26, 2008, the FCC amended its rules to allow use of computer modeling techniques, known as moment method modeling, to verity that AM directional antennas are working as authorized. In response to a series of questions from interested broadcasters, the FCC last week issued a Public Notice clarifying several aspects of this new procedure.
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Keep Track of Your Holiday Community Service Efforts As you work to aide your community throughout the holidays and winter months, remember to keep track of your efforts and include them in your entry for NAB's Crystal Radio Award for year-round community service. Entry rules, guidelines and tips can be found here.

TV Stations Sue SESAC For Antitrust
Last week a group of television stations filed a class action antitrust suit against performance rights organization SESAC. The suit alleges that because stations cannot control what music is used in most programs they air, and because they cannot remove the music, SESAC effectively has a monopoly with respect to programs containing music of the composers it represents, and is engaging in anticompetitive practices in licensing the music in those programs. The lawsuit asks the court to order SESAC to stop price fixing and engaging in other anticompetitive acts and seeks damages. A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.

Competing With Newspaper - Training by Webcast
It's no secret that the newspaper industry is losing advertising revenue. The question is, where is it going and how can you get your share? Right now, television has the greatest opportunity to not only compete with newspaper - but to actually beat them. Doc Holliday, president of Superior Sales Training, will present a fast-paced and informative webcast on competing with newspaper that will provide the answers.
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In Brief

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising
Sens. Al Franken (MN), Sherrod Brown (OH), Tom Udall (NM) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) have introduced S. 1763, a bill to disallow the business expense deduction for all advertising and marketing of pharmaceutical medications as a way to help pay for healthcare reform. The legislation, Protecting Americans from Drug Marketing Act, will have a direct and negative impact on broadcasters' advertising revenues. The amendment represents a tax on free speech that is protected by the First Amendment, and it would dramatically reduce advertising dollars for radio and television as individual stations are struggling to survive an economic recession.
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Three Weeks Left to Air Congressional PSAs
With only three weeks remaining until the end of the NAB Congressional Families Public Service Campaign, NAB encourages television and radio stations to air public service announcements (PSAs) featuring your elected officials frequently before November 30, 2009. More than 230 members of Congress and their families are featured in the campaign, which includes nearly 800 PSAs on a variety of important health and social topics. Radio stations can download the PSAs from NAB Spot Center and television stations can order a free dub by contacting NAB.
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What's New in 2010 at the NAB Show?
The Exhibit Halls have been reorganized! Attendees can now experience the NAB Show exhibits with greater efficiency as we have consolidated each product category into one hall.
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NAB Seeking Entries for 2010 International Broadcasting Excellence Awards
Entries are now being accepted for the 2010 NAB International Broadcasting Excellence Awards. The awards will be presented during the NAB Show in Las Vegas, 10-15 April 2010. Established in 1995, the International Broadcasting Excellence Awards recognize international broadcasters who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing the broadcast industry and the services they provide to their communities and audiences.
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The 2009 NAB Legal Calendar is available here.

WIBC-FM Indianapolis, Ind. - WIBC airs a three-hour open forum every Saturday for listeners to sound off on any issue, from social security to snow removal. The station helped the Melanoma Association of Indiana raise awareness and $11,000 by supporting their "Outrun the Sun" race, held in the evening to avoid UV ray exposure. The station also organized a "Suiting Up for School" campaign over the summer months to help more than 2,000 kids meet a new requirement that all students attending public schools wear uniformed clothing. Click here to learn more.