| February 22, 2012 | News for broadcast and electronic media leaders |
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- FCC nominations "at risk" due to GOP senator's hold, election-year politics
The nominations of Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai to the Federal Communications Commission are "at risk" and "could be in limbo for a very long time," in spite of their qualifications, according to a Washington insider. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is refusing to lift a hold on the nominees, pending the FCC providing paperwork about a waiver received by wireless broadband startup LightSquared; the agency has said it won't release the documents. Meanwhile, other GOP senators are trying to block all White House nominees because they are upset that President Barack Obama made recess appointments to fill positions in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and on the National Labor Relations Board. TVNewsCheck (free registration)
(2/22)     
| Business & Industry Report | | |
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- Is unlicensed TV service Aereo a potential retrans killer?
The startup broadcast TV streaming service backed by media tycoon Barry Diller is likely to get the cold shoulder from broadcasters because its unauthorized streams could put a "bullet" in the retransmission consent model, Steve Passwaiter writes. New York's WNBC-TV alone could lose a few million dollars annually in retrans revenue if Aereo were to reach 5% of MVPD homes in Gotham, according to Passwaiter. BIA/Kelsey
(2/21)
| Technology | | |
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- Radio broadcasters wary of the cloud
Radio broadcasters are moving only cautiously into the cloud, where content is managed by others. In radio, the cloud is mainly for social media technology that links broadcasters and their audiences, according to NAB Vice President of Technology John Marino. But security is a concern, with one executive, Crawford Broadcasting engineering director Cris Alexander, noting, "We like to keep everything in-house, behind closed doors so to speak, where we control everything." Radio World
(2/21)
- Market for in-car equipment for media devices topped $170M in 2011
U.S. consumers last year spent more than $170 million on products to facilitate the use of portable media devices in their vehicles, The NPD Group has found. More than eight in 10 vehicle owners possess a portable media device and more than three in four use them in their cars, while just under three in four with FM radio listen to that during most trips, according to NPD. Radio Business Report
(2/21)
| Broadcast Programming | | |
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- Macy's, H&M, Saks to feature designs from "Fashion Star"
Some designs from the NBC reality series "Fashion Star" will be sold at Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue, right after they are displayed on the show, according to a deal among the network, various production companies and the retailers. The arrangement is thought to be the first in which a reality series has inspired a changing, weekly clothing line. LicenseMag.com
(2/22)
- Brands see a winner in "Biggest Loser"
Marketers of foods, drinks, exercise equipment and other items are eager for exposure on the weight-loss reality TV show "The Biggest Loser." Noah Everist, broadcast supervisor for Compass Point Media, said product placement costs "significantly more" than a 30-second commercial. Variety (subscription required)
(2/21)
| Related Industry News | | |
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- AT&T's failed bid for T-Mobile exacts toll on company, top executive
AT&T's failure to complete a $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA exacted a financial toll on the company and chief executive Randall Stephenson. AT&T used $4 billion in cash and assets for the failed deal, and Stephenson, partially because the transaction wasn't completed, lost out on a short- and long-term bonus of more than $2 million, according to a securities filing. Stephenson's compensation shrank from $27.34 million in 2010 to $22.02 million last year, including a drop in his stock options and the value of his pension and deferred pay. The Wall Street Journal
(2/22)
- Groups back proposed sale of cable spectrum to Verizon Wireless
Verizon's proposal to acquire spectrum from the SpectrumCo consortium and Cox Communications "should benefit consumers and does not in itself raise antitrust concerns because the spectrum is currently not being used" and therefore should be approved, the Tech Policy Institute wrote in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission. Another group, the Free State Foundation, urged the FCC to leave out of its considerations separate proposals between Verizon and the cable providers to market each other's services. Broadcasting & Cable
(2/21)
| People & Personalities | | |
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| NAB News | | |
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Entries Open for NABEF Celebration of Service to America Awards
NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) will honor outstanding community service of local broadcasters at the 14th annual Celebration of Service to America Award dinner on June 11, 2012, at the Washington Convention Center. For information on awards criteria and entry rules, click here. Categories include the Service to America Community Awards for Radio and Television, Service to Children Awards for Radio and Television, and the Service to America Television Award. The entry deadline is March 6, 2012.
| Legislative & Regulatory | | |
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- Groups to picket Supreme Court over Citizens United decision
Common Cause and other groups that oppose the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision allowing unfettered spending on election ads by corporations and unions plan to stage a demonstration Thursday on the steps of the high court in Washington, D.C. The rally is being held in response to the nation's high court placing a stay on a Montana Supreme Court ruling in favor of a state prohibition on corporate political ads until it can hear an appeal. Broadcasting & Cable
(2/21)
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