| March 4, 2013 | News for broadcast and electronic media leaders |
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- Broadcasters plan PSAs to highlight mental health issues
Broadcasters, as part of their role in a coalition of entertainment groups addressing gun violence, are developing TV spots with the Ad Council to spotlight mental health issues. "When I was in Congress, one of my passions was mental health, and I think that is an area where television and movies can do a great deal to inform," said NAB chief Gordon Smith, a former senator from Oregon. "The thread that runs through all gun tragedies is mental health. These are afflictions that can be highly lethal." Roll Call (free content)
(3/3)     
| Business & Industry Report | | |
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- Sinclair grows with a focus on small-market TV stations
Sinclair Broadcast Group has been in acquisition mode over the past few years, making more than $1.5 billion worth of deals to boost its portfolio, including last week's $370 million purchase of 18 Barrington TV outlets. Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker praised the latest deal, writing that Barrington would make a "sensible addition" to Sinclair's "small market focus." Broadcasting & Cable
(3/1)
- Intense competition is expected for low-power FM licenses
Competition will be heavy as the Federal Communications Commission prepares to issue low-power FM radio licenses later this year, according to this blog post. Organizations that commit to substantial local content and local staffing will be given preference for the 100-watt stations, with the goal of boosting competition and the range of voices in local markets. Wired.com/Gadget Lab blog
(2/28)
- NBCU in talks with Web TV providers about licensing full lineup
NBCUniversal is in the midst of negotiations with several Internet video providers to forge "full freight" licensing deals for a roster of programming similar to what's available to traditional pay-TV operators, according to a regulatory filing by Comcast. NBCU programming must be offered to Web TV providers "on the same terms and conditions" as traditional cable providers as part of the terms of the Comcast-NBC merger. Multichannel News
(3/1)
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- Cleveland station brings "Matlock" back to prime time
NBC affiliate WKYC in Cleveland on Thursday chose to air "Matlock: The Legacy," a 1992 TV movie, instead of the network's regular prime-time schedule of reruns of "The Office" and "Law & Order: SVU" and a new episode of "1600 Penn." Brooke Spectorsky, president and general manager of WKYC, said the preemption wasn't due to any concerns over NBC's regular programming -- it was merely a move to maximize inventory for the station. Broadcasting & Cable
(3/1)
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- Poll: Price is main factor in pay-TV customers' dissatisfaction
One in 5 pay-TV customers are unhappy with their service, with nearly 7 in 10 of those citing rising prices as the source of the problem, Digitalsmiths has found in a new survey. Some 1.3% intend to go from a pay-TV service to an online offering within six months, and 4% said they will stop paying for TV programming completely, according to the survey. Multichannel News
(3/1)
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- Telecom activist says U.S. Internet service is "second-class"
Susan Crawford, a former tech policy adviser to President Barack Obama, has written a book in which she notes the U.S. has fallen behind other developed nations in Internet access. Crawford, whose name has been floated as a potential successor to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski, advocates for increased regulation to produce a more competitive environment. In this interview, she says that "years of enormous consolidation have left Americans paying more for second-class service." The Washington Post
(3/2)
| NAB News | | |
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Radio managers at NAB Show: Attend Digital Strategies Exchange for Radio
Digital Strategies Exchange for Radio (DSX4r), held Wednesday, April 10, within NAB Show's Broadcast Management Conference, will follow its successful debut last year with information on the latest alternative delivery systems, radio's place within in-vehicle and handheld platforms, "hybrid" radio and strategies for maximizing on-air and online content. DSX4r will include an interactive lunchtime discussion of social media for radio hosted by Holland Cooke.
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Entry deadline tomorrow: Celebration of Service to America Awards
Nominate your station for the 2013 Celebration of Service to America Awards, recognizing local broadcasters' outstanding public service. Stations can win for individual campaigns, programs that focus on serving children and overall community service efforts. The NAB Education Foundation will honor winners at the Celebration of Service to America dinner on Monday, June 3, at the Washington Convention Center.
| Legislative & Regulatory | | |
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- Ohio lawmakers raise concerns about signal interference
Members of Ohio's House delegation are the latest lawmakers to voice their concerns to the Federal Communications Commission about potential disruptions to TV service from border issues following the incentive spectrum auction. The lawmakers pointed to potential problems with coordinating signals with Canada for Cleveland, Akron, Toledo and Youngstown. "As you implement the incentive auction ... we ask that you pay close attention to our Ohio constituents and their access [to] local broadcast television services," they wrote. Multichannel News
(3/1)
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