The NAB Pulse September 15, 2008

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Educate Your Audience with Timely Election 2008 Materials
With Election Day less than two months away, be sure to utilize the Election 2008 guidebook to educate your audience about the importance of casting an informed vote. NAB and the League of Women Voters collaborated on the guidebook to provide helpful public service announcement (PSA) scripts and programming ideas. Pre-produced Election PSAs are also available for both radio and TV stations from NAB Spot Center. NAB encourages stations to share their Election 2008 activities by visiting NAB's online Station Debate Tracker and Log of Voter Education Activities. Stations may also access useful political advertising information by clicking here. For more information or to order your free Election 2008 guidebook contact NAB at publicservice@nab.org or (202) 429-5448.

Radio's Big Night
Winners of this year's NAB Marconi Radio Awards will be revealed Thursday at the annual Marconi Radio Awards Dinner & Show, held in conjunction with The NAB Radio Show in Austin. Billy Bush, host of Westwood One's The Billy Bush Show, will emcee the event as stations and personalities across America learn if they will be walking away with one of radio's most prestigious honors. The big night will also include a taste of Austin's live music scene, and high-profile radio executives will be on hand to present the awards. For a complete list of finalists, as well as music artists, click here. The dinner and show is sponsored by Broadcast Interactive Media.

Note: Hurricane Ike has not disrupted plans for The NAB Radio Show, the event will proceed as planned. For the full update, visit www.nabradioshow.com.

October 1 Deadline for Must-Carry/Retransmission Consent Election
The deadline for television stations to make their election between must-carry and retransmission consent for cable, satellite and other multichannel video program distributors is October 1, 2008.
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Program Spotlight - NAB Small Market Television Exchange
The NAB Small Market Television Exchange is the only national industry meeting for stations in DMAs 70 and above. This intense three-day gathering for is for senior managers whose primary responsibility is growing the station's bottom line - and it delivers. Recent research shows that for a travel expenditure of $1,800, the ideas from the Exchange generate an average of $84,000.
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More Television News

FCC DTV Public Service Announcements Headed to Stations Soon >

Maryland Lottery Tickets Feature DTV Information >

In Brief

FCC Offers Demonstration of E-Section 106
The FCC is implementing a voluntary electronic system for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for Review of Effects on Historic Properties for Certain Undertakings Approved by the Federal Communications Commission (NPA). The new "E-Section 106" system will enable parties constructing communications facilities to submit FCC Form 620 (New Tower Submission) or FCC Form 621 (Collocation Submission) electronically to a secure Web site maintained by the FCC.
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Reminder: Political Window for General Election Fast Approaching
The lowest unit charge (LUC) window for the General Election opened Friday, September 5. Stations should have already calculated their LUC for each daypart and class of time sold at the station. These rates should be disclosed in the station's political folder in the public file. Additionally, the FCC has informally stated that stations that sell political spots on Election Day must sell at the LUC rate. If you have specific questions on political advertising, please call the NAB Legal department toll free at (866) 682-0276.

Hurricane and Disaster Preparedness Materials Available
With hurricane season well under way, NAB wants to make sure broadcasters have the tools they need to help their station and community before, during and after an emergency.
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FCC Warns Fee Payers About Phishing
The FCC has opened the filing window for payment of fiscal year 2008 regulatory fees. Payments are due by 11:59 p.m. (eastern) on September 25, 2008. The FCC has also warned fee payers that non-government entities may be using Internet sites to misdirect fee payers. Some fee payers have complained that these entities are attempting to collect financial information. The FCC encourages parties to submit their fees directly through the FCC's official Web site: www.fcc.gov/feefiler. The FCC has also released updated procedures for submitting regulatory fees, or you may visit the FCC fee page for further information.

The 2008 NAB Legal Calendar is available here.