The NAB Pulse April 28, 2008

NAB.org | Industry Areas | News Room

NAB Making Strides Against FCC Effort to Increase Broadcast Localism Requirements
Today is the last day to file comments with the FCC
Reps. Mike Ross (D-AR-04) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, have agreed to sponsor a congressional letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to express congressional concern in response to the current FCC effort to increase broadcast localism requirements. During the NAB State Leadership Conference, broadcasters met with their congressional representatives to advocate on behalf of the Ross-Blackburn letter. NAB, state association executives and NAB network and radio allies have continued to push for a strong show of support from Congress. To date, the Ross-Blackburn letter has the support of 123 members of the House.
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Marconi Deadline This Friday
The deadline for submitting entries for the 2008 NAB Marconi Radio Awards is Friday, May 2. A Marconi separates you from your competition, so don't miss this opportunity to bring national recognition to your station. Nominate your station for Station of the Year by Market Size and Station of the Year by Format, as well as your outstanding air personality for Personality of the Year. You also will want to submit your nominations for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year and Legendary Station.
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Have You Heard About Radio Heard Here?
Last week at the 2008 NAB Show's Radio Luncheon NAB launched the next phase of the Radio 2020 initiative - a campaign called Radio Heard Here - among all of radio's constituents. Radio Heard Here is a comprehensive, multiplatform, viral campaign that includes a wide spectrum of promotional and educational initiatives designed to engage virtually the entire ecosystem that radio touches. With this campaign, we will remind radio insiders, the media industry and consumers of radio's value.
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More Radio News

In Radio's Competitive Environment, It's Not Just Who You Know, But What You Know >

Register Today for Tomorrow's AE Sales Seminar Webcast - Turning Prospects into Clients
Register today for tomorrow's Account Executive Sales Seminar Series webcast - Turning Prospects into Clients - to be presented by Michael Guld on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Michael Guld is an author, speaker, trainer and marketer. Guld's book, "The Million Dollar Media Rep: How to Become a Television and Radio Sales Superstar," has received tremendous reviews from across the country and has become recommended reading for many broadcast groups.
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Satellite Coordination Schedule Available
Our partners at the Association of Maximum Service Television (MSTV) have made available the latest schedule for satellite broadcast DTV coordination, available here. The schedule lists all markets through February 2009.

Digital Television Transition News

NTIA Proposes Changes to Include Seniors in Nursing Homes in DTV Converter Box Program
In early March, NAB president David Rehr wrote to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) asking that senior citizens residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities not be excluded from the digital television converter box coupon program, as was happening under NTIA rules defining "household" for eligibility for the program. Last week, NTIA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing changes to its rules to enable seniors residing in nursing homes or other senior care facilities to apply for and receive a coupon for a digital-to-analog converter box.
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New DTV Spots Address Low-Power Issue
To help consumers understand that some channels they watch may not go digital after the transition, NAB will distribute new television spots specifically produced to address this issue. The spots also instruct low-power viewers to obtain converter boxes with an analog pass-through feature. The spots are available in 30- and 60-second versions in both English and Spanish. On April 29, they will be distributed to stations via satellite in markets with a high number of low-power translators.
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Huge Hispanic Crowds Expected at DTV Town Halls
In partnership with the Spanish-language television network Univision, NAB is producing a series of town hall forums to raise awareness among Hispanics in America about the upcoming transition to digital television (DTV). The series kicked off on April 27 at the Mary Help of Christians Church in Oakland, Calif.
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In Brief

Senate Commerce Committee Passes Key Television Broadcasting Bills During Mark-Up
During last week's Senate Commerce Committee mark-up, members of the committee voted on key television broadcasting legislation. The following bills all passed by unanimous consent: Sen. Byron Dorgan's (D-ND) resolution, S. J. Res. 28, disapproving the FCC's new media ownership rules; Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-ME) bill, S. 2607, to allow for the early distribution of funds to assist LPTV and translator stations to convert to digital; Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R-TX) bill, S. 2507, which would permit certain television stations along the U.S.-Mexico border to delay their conversion to digital.
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Celebration of Service to America Sponsorship Opportunities
The 10th annual National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation's Celebration of Service to America Awards will be held Monday, June 9, 2008 in Washington, D.C. In addition to recognizing the outstanding community service provided by local radio and television broadcasters across the nation, the Service to America Leadership Award will be presented to entertainment industry icon Quincy Jones for his humanitarian work in establishing the "Listen Up Foundation" and the "We Are the Future" project, both dedicated to helping underprivileged youth.
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The 2008 NAB Legal Calendar is available here.