More than 90% of local retailers and two-thirds of national advertisers are poised to put more money into FM radio when geo-targeting, or ZoneCasting, becomes available, according to a joint study by BIA Advisory Services and Advertiser Perceptions. ZoneCasting is new tech that enables FM radio stations to air different ads for listeners More

FCC Reverses Revocation of Cox's WCGA Woodbine License

FCC

The FCC's Media Bureau has reversed its revocation of the license held by Cox Broadcast Group, for Talk WCGA-AM/Woodbine, GA -- which is currently off the air -- for failure to pay delinquent regulatory fees owed to the Commission. The agency said the Revocation Order failed to consider a pleading filed by Cox on December 27, 2019, in More

FCC Rejects Another Challenge to Camden NJ FM Translator

The FCC has denied Prometheus Radio Project's Petition for Reconsideration of the Media Bureau's June 8, 2018, Letter Decision dismissing, and alternatively denying, an informal objection filed against Mega/Philadelphia LLC's (MPL) application for a new cross-service FM translator for W239DS at Camden, NJ. In the informal objection, the More

FCC Enters Consent Decree With Salem Media for $50,000

FCC

The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has entered into a Consent Decree to resolve its investigation into whether Salem Media Group violated the agency's live broadcast rules by airing pre-recorded programming as "live" without announcing before the broadcast that the programming was pre-recorded. To settle the matter, Salem admits that it More

FCC Revokes License for Cox Broadcast's WCGA-AM/Woodbine

FCC

The FCC's Media Bureau has revoked the license held by Cox Broadcast Group, for Talk WCGA-AM/Woodbine, GA -- which is currently off the air -- for failure to pay delinquent regulatory fees owed to the Commission. The agency also dismissed the pending applications for renewal of the More

U.S. Senate Passes the PIRATE Act Boosting Fines to $100K

U.S. Congress

The U.S. Senate has passed the PIRATE Act. The act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Gary Peters (D-MI) and unanimously passed the House in February, 2019. Under the Act, any person operating a pirate radio station will be subject to a fine of not more than $100,000 per day of More

FCC Order Reinstates 2016 Quadrennial Media Ownership Rules

FCC

Following the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC vacating and remanding the Commission's 2018 Incubator Order and its 2017 Order on Reconsideration, the agency has issued an order reinstating the Newspaper/Broadcast More

FCC Proposes Highest Fine Ever for Pirate Operator in Boston

FCC

The FCC proposed a $453,015 fine against Gerlens Cesar, the operator of an enterprise identifying itself as "Radio TeleBoston," for apparent unlicensed broadcasting. The action marks the largest fine ever proposed by the FCC against a pirate radio operation. The agency says Cesar More

Mainstay Station Trust Closes on Sale of WNUQ-FM/Albany GA

Cumulus Media

The Mainstay Station Trust LLC has closed on the sale of Country WNUQ-FM (102.1 Nash Icon)/Albany, GA to Joe Harris Morgan III's Pretoria Fields Collective Media for $90,000. The station will change call letters to WPFQ as "Q102, The Queen Bee" on January 2 under a new undisclosed format. The Mainstay More

FCC Adopts NPRM Allowing AMs to Air All-Digital Signals

FCC

The FCC has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), allowing AM broadcasters to air an all-digital signal using HD Radio in-band on-channel (IBOC) mode known as MA3. The agency concluded that a voluntary transition to all-digital broadcasting has the potential to benefit AM More

Petition Requests 3rd Circuit Rehearing on Ownership Rules

FCC

NAB along with other radio and TV broadcasters have filed a petition requesting a rehearing by the full Third Circuit Court of Appeals of a challenge to the Commission's 2016 quadrennial review order on broadcast ownership rules. In September, a three-judge panel of the Court vacated More

FCC Commissioner Starks Announces New Legal Advisor

FCC

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks appoints Austin Bonner as Legal Advisor covering wireline and public safety issues. Bonner most recently served as an associate with the law firm of Harris, Wiltshire, & Grannis LLP, where she practiced with the Communications and Appellate More

FCC Proposes to Revise 74-Year-Old Antenna Site Rules

FCC

The FCC has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), seeking comment on whether it should eliminate or revise the requirements of the Commission's rules, regarding access to FM and TV broadcast antenna sites. Currently the 74-year-old rules prohibit the grant, or renewal, of a More

NABOB Proposes Concentrated Broadcast Industry Initiative

NABOB

Last week, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded the FCC's 2017 decision, which had relaxed some of its broadcast ownership rules. In doing so the Court said, "We do conclude, however, that the Commission has not shown yet that it adequately considered the effect More

The FCC Proposes Notifying Public of Applications Online

FCC

The FCC is moving to notify the public of applications through the Internet, in conjunction with broadcast announcements, while considering simplifying the rule. In October, 2017, the Commission issued the NPRM to seek comment on whether to update or even eliminate the requirement. More

Court Orders FCC to Better Justify Media Deregulation

The U.S. the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered the FCC to redo and better justify any changes to its media ownership rules in its ruling regarding Prometheus Radio Project vs. FCC. The decision vacated and remanded FCC action relaxing media consolidation limits because of More