Legislative Update
CDC Releases Guidance for People Who are Fully Vaccinated
On March 8, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its first set of guidance for fully vaccinated people. Here’s what fully vaccinated people can do: Visit other vaccinated people indoors without masks or physical distancing Visit indoors with unvaccinated people from a single household without masks or physical distancing, if the…
Read MoreMichigan to Expand COVID Vaccine to those 50+
Effective this coming Monday (3/8), MDHHS is moving forward with the vaccination of Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs. Beginning Monday, March 22, vaccine eligibility will again expand to include all Michiganders 50 and older. To…
Read MoreEmergency Alerts, Preparedness will be on FCC March Agenda
Emergency preparedness and emergency alerts will be on the top of the FCC March meeting agenda in the wake of Winter Storm Uri. Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel outlined her agenda for the commissions open March meeting in her February 23 “Notes from the Acting Chairwomen” blogpost. “Here’s a preview of what we have on deck…
Read MoreSports Betting Advertising Q & A Issued
According to an MAB conversation with the attorney for Michigan Gaming Control Board and based on the rules, broadcasters who are required to be registered for accepting sports betting advertising may do so by company rather than per station. If your advertising comes through an ad agency, it is the agency that must register even…
Read MoreNAB to FCC: Broadcasters Can Promote Emergency Broadband Benefit
Broadcasters want to get a cut of those billions of dollars in the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) established by legislation passed last December, according to a report in Broadcasting+Cable. The bill provides for $3.2 billion in subsidies to be handed out by the FCC over a six-month period. Under a tight congressional deadline, the FCC…
Read MoreThe Return of the Fairness Doctrine – What it Was and Why it Won’t Return
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP It seems like whenever Democrats are elected to serve as President and take control of Congress, there is talk about the revival of the Fairness Doctrine as some panacea for restoring balance and civility to political debate. In recent weeks, we have seen many articles blaming conservative talk…
Read MoreLobbying Firms Kelley Cawthorne, Brown Consulting Announce Merger
Longtime MAB legislative consultant firm Kelley Cawthorne has announced a merger with Berton Brown Consulting. The combined firm will remain known as Kelley Cawthorne. The merger also launches a new initiative, Kelley Cawthorne Empower. Led by Berton Brown, the minority-owned consulting group focuses on diversity and inclusion, community engagement and traditionally under-represented entities, in addition…
Read MoreSpecial Bulletin: Sports and Online Casino Game Betting Update
By Karole L. White, MAB President/CEO Deputy Executive Director/General Counsel to the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), Dave Murley met with more than 50 Michigan broadcasters via a Zoom call yesterday, hosted by our government relations consultant, Rob Elhenicky of Kelley Cawthorne and the MAB. He explained some of the rules and regulations that impacted…
Read MoreLooking at the Performance Complement and Other Rules that Apply to Webcasting Companies Relying on the Sound Recording Statutory License
By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP We are waiting on the Copyright Royalty Board to release its decision setting the royalties that webcasters (including broadcasters who simulcast their over-the-air programming on the Internet) will pay to SoundExhange for the public performance of sound recordings in the period 2021 through the end of 2025. As we wrote here, that decision would normally have been released in…
Read MoreStay A Lot More Than Six Feet From The NFL’s Trademarks! 2021 Update on Super Bowl Advertising and Promotions
By: Mitchell Stabbe, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP via the Broadcast Law Blog For the last five years, I have posted guidelines about engaging in or accepting advertising or promotions that directly or indirectly reference the Super Bowl without a license from the NFL. As hard as it may be to believe, the NFL has almost made its…
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