FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s proposed broadcast localism rules dre...
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s proposed broadcast localism rules drew fire from 24 senators. Industry also calls them burdensome. A proposal to require community advisory boards for radio and TV stations, discussed in an FCC localism notice, is unnecessary, 23…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
Republican senators, including Commerce Committee members Jim DeMint, S.C., and David Vitter, R-La., said Thursday. The advisory board proposal and one to create “redundant and burdensome requirements for license renewal” disturb the senators most, they wrote. They also criticized an FCC proposal to revive a requirement that broadcasters staff studios at all times. The so-called main- studio rule ignores “that advances in technology make these burdensome regulations needless,” said the letter, initiated by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. Reviving the rule would cost broadcasters money without benefiting audiences, they wrote. Parts of the notice raise “clear constitutional concerns regarding the specter of government regulated content,” the politicians wrote. In a separate letter to Martin, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., urged that the commission “not overburden local broadcasters with punitive regulation prompted by the failures of a few.” Both letters were released Monday by NAB and resemble a message April 15 from 123 House members (CD April 18 p5). Broadcasters opposed parts of the FCC localism notice in comments filed ahead of a deadline late Monday. The ABC affiliates association said there’s no need to require that stations be able to preview network shows before they air. ABC already lets affiliates pre-screen programs, it said. In a Monday e-mail to broadcasters, NAB said it’s “making strides” against the regulator’s effort to strengthen localism requirements.