FCC Media Bureau approval of Gray Television’s request for a channel switch for KAIT Jonesboro, Arkansas, from 8 to 27 took effect Wednesday, said that day's Federal Register.
The FCC should grant Global Media & Entertainment Investments’ request for a declaratory ruling to own up to 49.99% of iHeartMedia over the radio broadcaster's objections, said a GMEI filing posted in docket 21-141 Wednesday. The radio broadcaster’s arguments (see 2105250041) that only the licensee can petition for such “would set a new, dangerous precedent that the Commission cannot veer from the level of advance approval,” said GMEI, which is controlled by U.K. citizens. IHeart sought permission for GMEI to own up to 14.99%. “Acceptance of iHeart’s theory would undermine the Commission’s ability to perform its obligations under the Administrative Procedure Act and otherwise deprive it of its authority to make a public interest determination based on the full record before it,” said GMEI.
ATSC will return its Next Gen Broadcast Conference and annual member meeting to an in-person event Aug. 25-26 at the Reagan Building in Washington, blogged President Madeleine Noland Tuesday. “We’ll be moving to a different room in the vast complex and will also plan to livestream the event.” Doing the conference as a physical event with a virtual component cleared a big hurdle when Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser's (D) May 17 order lifted COVID-19 capacity restrictions on large business gatherings (see 2105240054).
The FCC Media Bureau's seeking new comments on 2018's quadrennial review “is a positive step toward ensuring that the pillars of diversity, localism and competition are fully considered in determining what future media ownership regulation should look like,” tweeted Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. The original QR comment period ended in May 2019. “Given the passage of time since the prior comment period ended ... [and] the Supreme Court’s recent decision, we now seek further comment to update the record,” said Friday’s public notice, referring to SCOTUS' reversal of Prometheus IV (see 2104010067). The agency seeks comment on any materials filed in docket 18-349 since the comment period ended, on how the media market has changed since then, and on effects of COVID-19 and the rise in online video and spread of ATSC 3.0. The PN mentioned evidence that the pandemic didn’t affect retransmission consent revenue, asked about increasing use of online news sources, and questioned whether the FCC should account for multicast streams and satellite stations in the local TV rule. “Have recent industry developments altered the incentives or behavior of any market participants in ways that are relevant to this proceeding?” the PN asked. Comments are due 30 days after publication. “It may well be sometime in the Fall before the comment cycle for the updated comments runs its course,” broadcast lawyer David Oxenford blogged Monday. “Don’t look for any FCC action until 2022, presumably after a permanent Chair of the FCC is appointed and the vacant FCC seat is filled.”
The FCC Media Bureau reinstated media ownership rule changes resurrected by Supreme Court reversal of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ Prometheus IV (see 2104010067), said an order Friday’s. “The Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule are eliminated, and the Local Television Ownership Rule and Local Radio Ownership Rule are reinstated.” Such actions are ministerial, and rules have effectively been in operation since SCOTUS ruled (see 2105070053). The bureau said it's revising forms for assignment, transfer of control and FM construction permit applications.
Channel substitutions in St. George, Utah, and Amarillo took effect Thursday, said the Federal Register. KUTV Licensee’s KMYU St. George swapped from Channel 9 to 21, and KVII Licensee’s KVII-TV Amarillo switched from 7 to 20.
Bidding on four AM construction permits and 136 FM CPs begins July 27, said an FCC Media Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics public notice on Auction 109 Thursday. The bureau received 158 short form applications, of which 107 are complete. Fifty are incomplete, and one was rejected, the PN said. Corrected applications are due June 16.
Gray Television increased its offer for Meredith’s TV stations to $2.83 billion after an unsolicited bid, said both broadcasters Thursday. Gray’s original offer was $2.7 billion. Gray’s amended offer also includes an increased termination fee, it said. “Meredith's Board of Directors gave due consideration to both proposals and carefully assessed the risks and benefits of each and unanimously approved the revised Gray proposal,” said Meredith. The deal is still expected to close in Q4. Regulatory approval is expected (see 2105030056).
ATSC 3.0 consortium BitPath and Sinclair-affiliated One Media and Cast.Era demoed possible use of 3.0 to enhance GPS accuracy, BitPath said. Called “enhanced GPS,” this allows positional accuracy within centimeters, BitPath said. “Using the high-power data transmission capacity of terrestrial broadcast stations, the reliability of eGPS positioning can be broadcast to an unlimited number of vehicles inside of the range of a licensed broadcast television station.” The technology allows “near real-time broadcasting of live images” that could provide additional information to first responders and enhance newsgathering, it said.
Petitions to deny are due June 25 in docket 21-234 on Gray Television’s proposed $2.7 billion buy of Meredith’s TV stations, said an FCC Media Bureau public notice in Thursday’s Daily Digest. The deal includes 16 full-power stations in 12 markets, and a single divestiture. Oppositions to petitions are due July 12, replies July 22, the PN said. Regulatory OK is expected (see 2105030056).