Early Thursday morning, the U.S. Senate voted to cut federal funding for PBS and NPR in a bill that also included cuts for foreign aid. In a 51-48 vote, the action to cut $9 billion in federal funding represents perhaps the biggest threat to public broadcasting in recent years and a moment of capitulation to President Trump from Congress, which normally has the final say in spending federal funds.

The bill will now go to the House, which is expected to approve it. Most of the funds—approximately $8 billion—targets foreign aid, while $1.1 billion was supposed to go to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS.

The Trump administration has been a long-time critic of public broadcasting, which he claims is "biased" against conservatives and ordered the elimination of funding earlier this year.

“Republicans must defund and totally disassociate themselves from NPR & PBS, the radical left ‘monsters’ that so badly hurt our country!” Trump posted on Truth Social on April 1.

The CPB funds about 2% of NPR’s budget and about 15% of PBS’s, so it’s unlikely that public broadcasting would cease; however, there is more concern over how the cuts will impact rural communities, who, in an age of declining local news outlets depend on public media more than ever. That was a major point of contention for Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), who voted against the measure. Murkowski criticized the bill on X, referring to an earthquake that struck her state on Wednesday.

“Some colleagues claim they are targeting ‘radical leftist organizations’ with these cuts, but in Alaska, these are simply organizations dedicated to their communities,” Murkowski wrote. “Their response to today’s earthquake is a perfect example of the incredible public service these stations provide. They deliver local news, weather updates, and, yes, emergency alerts that save human lives.”

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) was also initially opposed to the cuts, expressing concern that they would negatively impact the future of tribal radio stations. Although he was later assured that an agreement had been struck with the Trump administration that such cuts would not happen, the leader of Native Public Media warned that no such guarantee could be made.

“There is currently no clear path for redirecting these funds to tribal broadcasters without significant legislative and administrative changes,” said Loris Taylor, the president of Native Public Media.

Rounds’ colleague, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) defended the cuts.

“I think $9 billion is a very small amount of money—as I mentioned, one-tenth of 1% of all federal spending,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News on Wednesday night before the vote. “But we’ve got to look at all aspects of the federal budget and figure out where we can root out waste, fraud and abuse, to put this country on a more sustainable fiscal path. We just can’t sustain where we are.”

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a longtime advocate for public broadcasting, took issue with Thune’s description of calling funding for public media “waste, fraud and abuse.”

“Republicans are making a Clifford-sized mistake by choosing Donald Trump and multibillionaires over ‘Daniel Tiger’ and ‘Masterpiece Theater,’ ” the Senator said in a statement after the vote. “By eliminating public media funding, Republicans are silencing rural broadcasters. They are stripping communities of essential emergency alert infrastructure. They are taking away trusted educational programming from millions of children. And by gutting global public health programs, they’re abandoning vulnerable populations around the world.

“The consequences of this reckless package will be felt for years to come,” Markey added. “But I am committed to ensuring that characters like ‘Arthur’ and ‘Molly of Denali’ can continue to educate our children, and that public radio and television stations can continue to connect and protect people in every community across America.”

Kate Riley, President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, the primary advocate for public broadcasting, said the association was “devastated” by the vote and noted that federal funding of public broadcasting amounts to about $1.60 per person per year and less than one 1/100th of a percent of the federal budget.

“This elimination of federal funding will decimate public media and put local stations at risk of going dark, cutting off service to communities that rely on them—many of which have no other access to locally controlled media,” Riley said. “After over 50 years of federal support for public broadcasting, the Senate has now voted to eliminate this exceptional public-private partnership that has educated generations of children, protected countless lives, and connected and celebrated communities large and small throughout this nation.

“As the rescissions package moves back to the House for its final consideration, we urge the House to oppose the package and the elimination of public media. If this package passes the House, all funding to local stations will be cut off starting October 1, 2025 and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will shut down."

WASHINGTON—Curtis LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters told a Senate Forum this week that while local broadcasters have historically been among the most trusted sources of news and information, the rapid dissemination of misinformation fueled by advances in generative artificial intelligence is creating new challenges.

“Broadcasters are committed to delivering trusted, fact-based local and national news and are investing heavily to ensure stories are verified before they are aired,” LeGeyt said during the Senate AI Insight Forum "Transparency, Explainability, Intellectual Property and Copyright.” “While many broadcasters are responsibly embracing AI tools for operational efficiencies, such as scripting commercials and first drafts of content for human review, AI presents challenges to the critical local journalism broadcasters provide.”

Calling the trusted journalism broadcasters provide “the antidote” to such AI-based misinformation, LeGeyt said such “uncontrolled advancement”  of generative AI increases the costs of vetting stories and footage for local broadcasters and lead to copyright violations. 

“The ingestion of broadcasters’ copyrighted news content in AI systems without authorization or compensation risks further diminishing reinvestment in local news,” he said. “AI tools use stations’ work product without compensation while at the same time broadcasters are being forced to devote more resources to fight the misinformation AI systems so easily proliferate.”

“Broadcasters’ expressive content is particularly valuable for AI ingestion precisely because it is vetted and trusted,” LeGeyt added. “If broadcasters are not compensated for use of their valuable, expressive works, they will be less able to invest in local news content creation.”

LeGeyt used the current violence in the Middle East as an example of the issues broadcasters face in verifying footage.

“After the terrorist attacks on Israel in October, fake photos and videos reached an unprecedented level on social media in a matter of minutes,” he said. “Of the thousands of videos that one broadcast network sifted through to report on the attacks, only 10% of them were usable or authentic.”

In addition to the difficulties posed by AI-generated misinformation to distinguish the difference between fake and real news, LeGeyt added several other concerns to the list. 

Using generative AI in news production “increases the likelihood of legitimate, copyrighted broadcast content being ingested and then mixed with unverified and inaccurate third-party content, especially when the particular use wasn’t authorized in the first place,” LeGeyt said. “There is also particular concern among broadcasters about AI tools being used to create images, video and audio that replace the likeness of a trusted radio or television personality to spread misinformation or perpetrate fraud. The use of AI to doctor, manipulate and distort information is a significant and growing problem that must be addressed in balance with the First Amendment.”

LeGeyt cited numerous efforts from broadcasters to deal with misinformation, including CBS News’ “CBS News Confirmed” unit that investigates misinformation and deepfakes; Tegna’s VERIFY team, used across all of its 49 newsrooms to evaluate stories and help viewers identify misinformation; and Hearst Television’s partnership with FactCheck.org to produce segments combating misinformation for its stations across the country.

LeGeyt’s warnings come amidst the 2024 presidential election campaign in which AI-generated misinformation could have serious consequences for the country. 

“According to the Pew Research Center, an overwhelming majority of Americans believe that “false information online” is a major threat to our democracy,” LeGeyt said. “According to Morning Consult, just 37% of Americans believe the upcoming 2024 election will be both honest and open, and nearly two-thirds believe that disinformation will influence the outcome.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Anna Gomez to the FCC, breaking a longstanding tie between Republican and Democratic Party appointees that could allow the Commission to move forward on more of the Biden administration’s communication policies. 

The Senate voted 55 to 43 mostly along party lines. 

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, applauded her confirmation to be the fifth Commissioner, completing the Commission and unlocking the years-long 2-2 deadlock. 

“Americans need an FCC that is fully equipped to expand access to affordable high-speed internet, protect and strengthen local news broadcasting, and promote spectrum innovation and emerging technologies,” said Sen. Cantwell. “With today’s bipartisan vote confirming Anna Gomez as its fifth commissioner, the FCC has gained an extremely qualified, thoughtful leader who will bring her expertise and consumer-focus to deliver on these priorities.”

In response to the Senate confirmation of Anna Gomez to the Federal Communications Commission, NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said “NAB congratulates Anna Gomez on her confirmation to the Federal Communications Commission. Her wealth of experience in telecommunications policy making will help the FCC address the critical issues facing radio and television broadcasters. NAB looks forward to working with Ms. Gomez and a fully seated Commission to provide the regulatory certainty, modernization and flexibility that will enable local broadcasting to thrive and enhance our service to tens of millions of American every day."

Gomez’s confirmation will make it easier for the FCC to move forward on such topics as net neutrality rules and a reclassification of virtual MVPDs. 

Once sworn in, Gomez will become the first Latina to serve on the commission since Gloria Tristani stepped down from the agency in 2001.

Domingo Garcia, president League of United Latin American Citizens said "LULAC congratulates Commissioner Gomez on her appointment to the FCC at a time when historic advances in digital technology are being made, and Latinos must be at the table when these decisions are made. Her skills and experience have earned Ms. Gomez this position, and LULAC is poised and ready to work with her on the critical issues at hand which the FCC oversees."

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A bipartisan group of 27 U.S. senators, led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Todd Young (R-IN), have sent a letter today to Federal Communications chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel urging the Commission to take an active role in expediting the continued rollout of the Next Generation TV, aka ATSC 3.0 standard. 

“A successful ATSC 3.0 transition should be a priority of the FCC going forward to ensure that local broadcasters can continue to best serve their communities as a trusted source of local news,” the letter said. 

“Just as the FCC has successfully championed other innovative technologies like 5G, Wi-Fi, and the 2009 digital TV transition, we believe there is an essential role for the FCC in helping broadcasters and viewers fully realize the potential of Next Gen TV,” the Senators wrote. “We urge the FCC to take an active role in addressing the complex – but imminently solvable – questions posed by the transition from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0, including working with Congress, public broadcasters, and industry to ensure consumers with legacy TVs are not harmed by any changes.”

The Senate letter also warned that failure to act could have dire consequences for broadcasters

“The Next Gen TV standard is essential to the continued vitality and competitiveness of local television broadcasters’ free, local, and trusted service in our communities,” the Senators noted. “Already, more than 60% of Americans have access to Next Gen TV. And, while local markets continue to launch every month, many outstanding markets face challenges like capital and spectrum constraints, particularly in rural and urban markets, respectively. At the same time, the video marketplace has evolved, and it is now a competitive imperative for video platforms to deliver ultra-high-definition (4K) programming. If broadcasters cannot compete for high-value, 4K sports programming for example, and it instead flows to tech platforms, broadcasters’ proven, decades-long investment in local news content will be undermined and, most important, viewers will lose a competitive option that is available for free over the air.”

In January meetings with the FCC and in a subsequent letter to the FCC, the NAB had urged the agency to help speed up the transition to NextGen TV and warned in similar language that a slow rollout could imperil local media. 

“Local broadcasters thank Sens. Schatz, Young and their colleagues for encouraging the FCC to use their platform to make the transition to ATSC 3.0 a reality for viewers across the country,” said NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt in response to the Senate letter. “NAB is proud of the progress broadcasters have made transitioning to Next Gen TV, especially given spectrum constraints and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the FCC’s championing of ATSC 3.0 is critical to ensure a successful transition to this groundbreaking technology. We thank these local broadcast advocates in the Senate for ensuring all Americans have access to quality local news, information and entertainment.”

In addition to Senators Young and Schatz, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) also joined the letter.

The full letter is available here. 

WASHINGTON—The FCC’s authority to regulate spectrum auctions expired on Friday after a Senate vote to renew its authority failed to pass on Thursday. 

The FCC has had responsibility over the management of spectrum auctions for more than 30 years and in 2017, in particular raised nearly $20 billion in selling off portions of the broadcast spectrum. The House approved reauthorization in February but the Senate failed to pass the resolution amid disagreement on military spectrum needs.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), one of two sponsors of the legislation tore into senators on Friday. “For reasons unknown to me, certain senators decided to risk U.S. wireless leadership over a date change,” she said during a hearing. “A date change. That is unacceptable.”

Sen. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), the co-sponsor with McMorris Rodgers, was equally critical. 

“Yesterday, for the first time since the agency gained this authority 30 years ago, Congress failed to extend it when the Senate refused to act,” he said. “The House did its work — we unanimously passed a bipartisan bill introduced by me and Chair Rodgers last month to extend the spectrum auction authority to May 19th. Our legislation would have prevented this lapse in authority. I am disappointed that the Senate did not pass the House’s bipartisan bill, but we cannot give up and our work continues.”

In a statement issued on Friday, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel urged that action be taken to restore authorization.

“For three decades, the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction the nation’s airwaves has been an indispensable tool for harnessing the promise of new wireless technologies while also spurring economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening our national security and global leadership,” she said. “Time and time again our auctions have proven to be an enormous engine for market innovation and the flourishing internet ecosystem, and for expanding the reach of next-generation connectivity to everyone, everywhere. To date, the FCC has held 100 auctions and has raised more than $233 billion in revenues and unlocked extraordinary benefits for the American people. 

“It is my hope that the FCC’s auction authority is restored quickly so that this important program is once again able to produce results for consumers and the economy.”

The CTIA warned that the lack of authorization could have a negative impact on the nation’s technological competitiveness.

“Congress has never allowed the FCC’s spectrum auction authority to lapse until now. Since 1994 spectrum auctions have raised over $233B for the U.S. Treasury and the wireless industry has invested more than $265B to put that spectrum to work, generating $825B in GDP annually, and supporting 4.5M U.S. jobs,” Meredith Attwell Baker, president and CEO of the trade group CTIA said. “Without this authority and a pipeline of spectrum to meet accelerating demand for wireless broadband, the U.S. risks falling behind China and other nations to lead globally in new 5G innovations and the industries of the future. We call on Congress to act quickly to restore the FCC’s authority, and schedule the necessary future spectrum auctions so that we can secure our 5G leadership and our nation’s economic and national security.”

WASHINGTON—TV stations and radio stations are the best message carriers to reach populations with information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and other related information, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith told members of the Senate Commerce Committee, citing research that broadcasters are “the most reliable and trustworthy information source.”

Smith gave this testimony today, April 15, as part of the Senate Commerce Committee’s “Shot of Truth: Communicating Trusted Vaccine Information” hearing.

In his testimony, Smith said that local broadcasters have long served as primary sources of information for communities during times of emergency, with the coronavirus pandemic no different, keeping communities informed about the ongoing developments of the pandemic.

Now that a vaccine is available and being distributed, Smith said that broadcasters are eager to work with government agencies and public health and medical communities to best inform their viewers.

Viewers are looking toward broadcasters for this information as well. Smith cited a study that NAB partnered with the Reynolds Journalism Institute on, showing people find local news to be the best source of information—social media was the least trusted. Smith said the research proved that a local and regional approach would be a more effective strategy than a “one-size-fits-all national message.”

Smith acknowledged that the report did show that certain demographics—like African Americans, Hispanics, conservative-leaning Whites and women aged 18-34—are more hesitant about the vaccine. However, local broadcasters are better suited to help remove some of that hesitancy.

“With the highest reach of all media platforms into more than 90% of households, and a service that is ubiquitous and free to the public, broadcast radio and TV stations are the best message carriers to reach vulnerable populations,” said Smith. “Local stations serve communities of color, multilingual ethnic minorities and rural areas of the country where vaccine hesitancy is highest.”

NAB is also doing what it can to promote COVID-19 vaccines, with Smith sharing that NAB is a founding member of the Biden administration’s recently announced Community Corps, whose mission is to support trusted messengers in local communities to encourage people to get vaccinated.

“As this pandemic has shown once again, localism and journalism are central to broadcasting’s franchise,” said Smith. “Therefore, we are eager to continue to assist Congress, the Administration and local leaders by using our airwaves to carry the message America needs—and trusts—to get over the finish line with the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

WASHINGTON—The Improving Minority Participation and Careers in Telecommunications (IMPACT) Act has been introduced into the Senate by Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.). The bill is designed to provide funds to minority-serving institutions to develop job training programs for students.

The IMPACT Act would create the Telecommunications Workforce Training Grant Program, which would provide $100 million in grants from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and other minority-serving institutions for these training and education programs. NTIA would be required to split the grants up equally, with at least 30% going to HBCUs and at least another 30% to TCUs. The bill would also require that schools apply for grants in order to partner with industry organizations to develop these programs. 

The grants could be used to hire and train faculty, design and develop the curriculum, pay for costs associated with instruction, fund internships and apprenticeships, and recruit and support students.

Other elements of the IMPACT Act require schools include a plan to increase female participation in the program and require reporting to ensure schools are using the funds as required, that students are being trained appropriately and that students are securing work in telecommunications.

“There are thousands of vacant jobs that are needed to deploy broadband networks, but we do not have a trained workforce to fill them,” said Sen. Wicker. “HBCUs and TCUs can help fill these jobs by providing career-specific opportunities for students. The IMPACT Act would support these institutions in developing telecommunications-related career building programs that will help bridge the digital divide.”

Congress previously introduced other legislation that sought to address the workforce gap in telecommunications.

NATE President and CEO Todd Schlekeway commended the bipartisan bill, saying that it “recognizes the critical importance of promoting educational and employment opportunities in the telecommunications field, which is so essential to the nation’s economy, competitiveness, security and vital communications capabilities.”

The full bill is available to read online. 

WASHINGTON—The highest court in the land could be coming to television, as a new bill was introduced in the Senate on March 18 that would allow for TV coverage of Supreme Court proceedings.

The bill, the Cameras in the Courtroom Act, was introduced by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa); it is also co-sponsored by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). The legislation would require the Supreme Court to permit TV coverage of all open sessions, unless it is decided by a majority of the Justices that doing so would constitute a violation of due process rights. This bill only applies to sessions where the public are already invited to observe in person.

The bill aims to produce greater accountability, transparency and understanding of the judicial system. In 2016, a Government Accountability Office report highlighted the value of broadcasting video and audio coverage of the Supreme Court.

“It’s time to put cameras in the Supreme Court so Americans can finally see deliberations and rulings on cases which will affect them for generations to come,” said Sen. Durbin. “This bipartisan bill shines a light into the Judicial Branch of government so more than just a few hundred lucky Americans can watch proceedings in the Court’s historic halls.”

There has long been a debate to add cameras to the Supreme Court, as nearly all other courts in the country allow. During the pandemic, the Supreme Court has made live audio streaming available of its proceedings, though it is not clear if that will continue when in-person proceedings begin again. 

WASHINGTON—Sen. Ben Ray Luján has been tapped to chair the Senate Communications Subcommittee, according to CTIA, the wireless association, which gave him a shout out Friday (Feb. 19). Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) took over as chair of the parental Senate Commerce Committee Feb. 11.

Luján, who had been a member of the House before being elected a senator in 2020, was on the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Communications Subcommittee and is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Before being elected to the House, he was the chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

While in the House, Luján pushed for rural broadband deployment and for unlimited voice minutes and data for the FCC's low-income Lifeline subsidy-eligible households for the duration of the pandemic.

He also spoke out publicly against threats by President Trump to pull TV licenses. "I am both shocked and disappointed that President Trump today suggested the revocation of a major network’s broadcast license because he doesn’t like the negative light in which he has been portrayed in their newscasts," he said.

That included introducing a bill, the Protecting Dissenting Viewpoints and Voices Act, that would have prevented the FCC from targeting broadcasters "or anyone else" on the basis of viewpoint, toughen FCC political ad disclosure rules, and boost broadcast diversity.

“CTIA congratulates Senator Luján on his selection as chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media and Broadband," said the wireless association's president, Meredith Attwell Baker. "Chair Luján is a strong advocate for connecting consumers to the power of wireless. We look forward to working with him, Ranking Member Thune and the members of the Subcommittee and broader Senate Commerce Committee to close the digital divide and build the 5G Economy.”

HACKENSACK, N.J.—With all of the recent goings on at the U.S. Capitol, FedNet has had no shortage of live video coverage of proceedings and events that are shared with broadcasters across the country. To help manage all of this content, FedNet has been relying on LiveU technology.

FedNet is a credentialed news organization that provides multimedia content of Congress, pushing out more than 30 hours of live video of Senate and House debates, hearings, press conferences and special events; they also were critical in capturing footage of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

FedNet says that it has been using LiveU technology since the 2016 Presidential Conventions and eventually invested in LiveU dedicated transmission appliances to build out its infrastructure on the Hill. This was part of a move from traditional satellite technology.

Part of this infrastructure now includes the LiveU Matrix for IP content management and distribution. The IP feed option has made it easier to provide the live content FedNet captures to global broadcasters, FedNet says.

“Managing the content and its distribution is a no brainer when we are covering major news events,” said Keith Carney, FedNet president. “Broadcasters used to pay upward of six figures to access feeds. Now clients can access live feeds at a fraction of the cost and use the content they want. Many are already LiveU users, so it is a seamless process to deliver the live feeds to their receivers.”

The impact of the pandemic has caused less news organizations to send crews to the Capitol, which makes FedNet’s coverage a potential resource for many. FedNet says that Trinity Broadcasting Network and the Los Angeles Times recently picked up the Inauguration Day feeds.

For the Capitol riots, Carney said: “It was a scary moment, but it was our duty to make the live feed available to clients using LiveU to show how things unfolded that day. These major events demonstrate the importance of giving our clients a steady supply of content that they can use at a price they can afford.”

UPDATE 12/8, 10:10 a.m.: TVT's sister publication Multichannel News has reported that a Senate confirmation vote is scheduled for today, Dec. 8.

WASHINGTON—Nathan Simington’s nomination to be an FCC commissioner could be voted on as soon as Tuesday, Dec. 8, according to reports. However, Democratic senators oppose the nomination and are working to deny his confirmation.

TVT’s sister publication Next|TV has cited multiple reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has filed a cloture motion to end the debate on Simington’s nomination for the FCC seat that is being vacated by Commissioner Michael O’Rielly.

Meanwhile, per Multichannel News, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are teaming with civil society groups against Simington’s nomination and hope to convince other senators to do the same.

Simington was nominated by President Donald Trump after O’Rielly’s nomination for another term as an FCC commissioner was rescinded following comments he made questioning whether the FCC had the authority to review Sec. 230 of the Communications Decency Act, something President Trump has been adamant about.

Simington works for the National Telecommunications & Information Association (NTIA), the president’s chief communications policy advisory arm. Simington testified that he had at least some involvement in NTIA’s petition to the FCC to review Sec. 230, and it was later reported that he reached out to Fox News to push coverage on the effort.

Sen. Blumenthal has cited these incidents as reasons why Simington’s nominations should be blocked. Simington, during his testimony, did not say whether or not he would abstain from voting on an FCC review of Sec. 230, but said he would follow the FCC Ethics team’s recommendation. 

WASHINGTON—It apparently won't be all smooth sailing to a second term for FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, as Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe (Okla.) has announced that he has placed a hold on O’Rielly’s nomination until the commissioner publicly commits to overturning the Ligado Order.

The Ligado Order refers to a modification to satellite communications company Ligado’s L-band spectrum license, which Inhofe says will allow them to operate at a power level that testing and studies prove causes significant interference with GPS and satellite communications. The FCC’s proposed mitigation strategies, Inhofe claims, are not practical or adequate.

Inhofe says that he has made several attempts to raise the issue on how the Ligado order would negatively impact the military and other GPS users since the FCC approved the order in April.

“I understand that O’Rielly has stated that he would give ‘due consideration to stay’ ‘based on new data or evidence’—but that isn’t enough,” Inhofe said. “I need his commitment in plain English to vote to overturn the order, not just consider it, before I will allow his nomination to proceed.”

O’Rielly’s nomination has already been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, and now awaits a vote by the full Senate. As of publication, O’Rielly has made no comment in response to Inhofe.

WASHINGTON—The nomination of Republican FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly for a new, five-year term at the FCC has been favorably reported out of the Senate Commerce Committee and now moves to the full Senate for a vote.  

That came by voice vote Wednesday (July 22), but with ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) voting no, even though, procedural, she was the one to propose that it be reported favorably. Also asked to be recorded as "no" on the O'Rielly nomination were Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Michael Schaatz (D-Hawaii).

In explaining her no vote, Cantwell pointed out that in 2018, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel concluded that O'Rielly had violated the Hatch Act with political comments made at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).*

O'Rielly was issued a warning letter that a repeat of such statements could incur more than a warning. O'Rielly countered that he disagreed that an offhand remark was a violation, but said he took the warning seriously.

Cantwell also said that O'Rielly "had recently injected, I believe, politics into part of the spectrum issue," which she said she found "disturbing." She did not elaborate. 

In contrast, Committee chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he looked forward to advancing O'Rielly's nomination. He said he appreciated O'Rielly's commitment to the speedy deployment of broadband, particularly given the pandemic and the greater reliance on connectivity, as well as his commitment to insuring it was targeted to areas that need it most.  

Like his fellow Republicans, O'Rielly wants the FCC to focus on the unserved first, rather than overbuilding existing service. 

O'Rielly's term expired at the end of June 2019, but commissioners can continue to serve until the close of the next Congress. The new term would date from July 1, 2019.  

O'Rielly, who has been on the FCC since 2013, is a conservative former Hill staffer who generally favors deregulation, including of ISPs, and lifting media ownership rules given the rise of competition from cable and broadband and satellite, and was instrumental in loosening KidVid regs on TV stations.    

He has also pushed for the FCC to collect better data on broadband availability before handing out billions for 5G buildouts. 

* Asked at a CPAC panel session how to avoid the regulatory issue ping-pong of changing administrations, O'Rielly said: "I think what we can do is make sure as conservatives that we elect good people to both the House, the Senate, and make sure that President Trump gets reelected." O'Rielly told the special counsel he was not advocating for the President's election but meant to relay the point that "the only way to retain that current outcome was to maintain the current leaders in government. In other words, retaining the current Administration is the only sure way to prevent regulatory ping-ponging.”

WASHINGTON—Federal advertising dollars should be earmarked for local media, including broadcasters and newspapers, during the current coronavirus pandemic details a letter signed by 74 U.S. Senators to the Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Russell T. Vought.

NAB and other media organizations, as well as smaller bipartisan groups in the Senate and House, have been calling for similar support to assist local media stations that have lost significant advertising revenue since the outbreak of COVID-19. Local TV stations, and other local media resources, have become the most trusted source of news for communities during this time, according to multiple reports.

With the passage of the CARES Act and other COVID-19-related legislation, the senators believe there is an opportunity to provide federal advertising dollars from different programs and federal agencies to get essential information to American communities.

“We strongly believe that local newspapers and broadcasters play an integral role during the COVID-19 pandemic and making sure that stations are able to continue operating during this time is critical,” the letter reads. “We therefore encourage the Office of Management and Budget to work with federal agencies throughout the government to increase advertising in local newspapers and on broadcast stations in order to help ensure they are able to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Among the senators that signed the letter are Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah). Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) did not sign the letter.

The complete letter is available to read online. 

WASHINGTON—STELAR went to Washington on Wednesday, and both sides of the debate regarding whether the STELAR should be reauthorized or allowed to sunset made their cases, as well as some introducing new proposals that would better serve customers.

STELAR, which was first introduced in 1988 to establish the compulsory license that allows satellite operators to import distant network TV station signals into local markets where viewers lack access, is approaching the end of its latest five-year renewal in 2019. Most cable operators want the law renewed, while broadcasters believe it is time for it to go away.

According coverage from TVT’s sister publication, Multichannel News, Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) made it clear that he sees STELAR as a critical law for preserving access to video services for rural residents, and even said that “the committee is preparing to reauthorize STELAR.” However, there were some on the committee, like ranking member Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who side with broadcasters and the amount of competition in the industry today makes STELAR unnecessary.

Another area that was discussed was about how STELAR could be used as a vehicle for reforms and just what some of those reforms could be. Things brought up by witnesses included having the current set-aside for noncommercial channels on satellite in the Telecommunications Act also include independent commercial channels; a True Fees Act that would offer transparency to all the fees customers are subject to from MVPDs; and the issue of stations on state borders not receiving signals from stations actually located in their state.

One piece of legislation not on the table, however, is the Local Choice Act that Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) previously introduced during the last renewal five years ago. The act would have required broadcasters to sell their signals directly to consumers, who could choose not to take them.

For more information on the STELAR hearing proceedings, read the full report on Multichannel News.

WASHINGTON—Leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate Friday, March 2, jointly announced a bipartisan agreement in both chambers that addresses the shortfall in funding to reimburse full-power and Class A stations for their repack expenses, establishes funds to pay for the authorized relocation expenses of translators, low-power TV and radio stations impacted by the repack and a fund to educate consumers regarding the repack.

The legislation, called the RAY BAUM’S Act (H.R. 4986), addresses several other issues, including the reauthorization of the Federal Communications Commission; a boost to 5G wireless broadband development via inclusion of provisions of the Senate-approved MOBILE NOW Act (S.19); a spectrum auction fix authorizing the FCC to deposit upfront payments from bidders directly into the U.S. Treasury; FCC creation of a national policy for unlicensed spectrum; and consumer protection from fraudulent calls.

“This legislation, combining provisions that have previously passed both the House and Senate, does what no legislation has done in 28 years—it reauthorizes the FCC and includes provisions that help make sure that the Commission is transparent, efficient and ready for the 21st century communications landscape,” according to a joint statement released by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Ranking Member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-Fla.).

[Bill to Address Repack Shortcomings Advances]

“Importantly, it includes spectrum legislation that passed the Senate unanimously last year and authorizes reimbursement for broadcasters who were displaced in the successful incentive auctions,” the statement said.

A vote in the House is scheduled for March 6. The RAY BAUM’S Act is named for Ray Baum, a telecommunications policy staffer and friend of Walden, who died in February.

NAB welcomed word of the agreement. Gordon Smith, president and CEO of NAB, called Friday's agreement a "significant step toward fully reimbursing broadcaster repack relocation expenses."

"A truly voluntary incentive auction means tens of millions of Americans who rely on local TV and radio sations—as well as low-power TV stations and translators—are not unfairly burdened by the repack," he said in a statement released to the press. "America's hometown broadcasters fully support swift passage of RAY BAUM's Act and remain optimistic that appropriations will include full repack relocation funding in the final omnibus spending bill."

WASHINGTON—NAB’s Sam Matheny testified to the U.S. Senate that broadcasters are “the backbone of the Emergency Alert System,” during a hearing on Thursday, Jan. 25, that took a direct look at policy concerns around the use and effectiveness of Emergency Alert Systems. “This is Not a Drill: An Examination of Emergency Alert Systems,” sought answers on Wireless Emergency Alerts and recent failures, most notably the Hawaii false alarm of an impending missile attack. Matheny, NAB’s executive vice president and chief technology officer, was one of the witnesses brought in to provide testimony and answer additional questions from senators.

Sam Matheny

In his testimony, Matheny said that broadcasters take their responsibility as a source for news and emergency updates seriously and that in some situations broadcasters may be the only available communications medium if wireless networks fail.

“Because broadcasting plays such an important role in this critical communications infrastructure, it is vital that the government support and foster broadcasting,” Matheny stressed in his testimony. 

He provided three areas that he believed should be of focus for the government in improving broadcasters’ EAS capabilities: The need to support the deployment of ATSC 3.0; support and passage of the Viewer and Listener Protection Act to ensure that TV and radio stations that provide emergency alerts are not pushed off air as part of the ongoing repack process; and that Apple be encouraged to activate the FM tuner in future models of its iPhone as other wireless phone manufacturers have to improve people’s access to vital disaster information.

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The committee asked Matheny whether the current estimate of $1.75 billion for repack funding for broadcasters was enough to ensure that stations are not forced off the air and run the risk of not being available in the case of an emergency. Matheny said that he believes there is a “substantial disconnect from what’s available and what is going to be needed.” Matheny agreed with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai that the current funding is not enough and that the real number is going to be around $3 billion.

When the issue of the Hawaii false alert was brought up, Matheny was questioned on how the alerts were disseminated. Matheny said that the emergency alerts worked as designed, issuing a text scrawl across television and an audio alert across radio. “The broadcast infrastructure worked,” he said. “The message did get out, unfortunately, in this case it was a mistaken message… that piece of the process (the alert) worked as designed.”

Matheny’s full prepared testimony to the committee is available here.

WASHINGTON—The Senate Commerce Committee will give their decisions on the nominations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and commissioner nominees Jessica Rosenworcel and Brendan Carr in an executive session scheduled for Aug. 2. In the same session, the nomination for David Redl as head of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration will be voted on.

The full story is available on TVT’s sister publication B&C.

WASHINGTON—Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations, praised the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on its recent funding of public broadcasting. The bipartisan committee—which included Thad Cochran (R-MS), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Patty Murray (D-WA)—approved funding for multiple public broadcasters for a combined total of more than $500 million in the 2017 and 2019 Fiscal Years.

The largest sum of funding was provided to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which received $445 million level funding for the 2019 Fiscal Year. The Ready to Learn program will receive $25.7 million during the 2017 Fiscal Year. The Committee also approved the request for $50 million for a new interconnection system for public broadcasting in the 2017 Fiscal Year.

“These federal funds are essential to local public television station’s public service missions of education, public safety and civic leadership, and to ensuring that everyone everywhere in America has access to these services,” said Butler in his statement. Some of the specific services that Butler points out include the PBS LearningMedia initiative that turns public television programming into digital learning objects, a public safety capability, and a network billed as the “C-SPAN” of local government.

“We are hopeful that the Congress will continue to demonstrate its bipartisan support for public media as the appropriations process moves forward,” concluded Butler.