By: David Oxenford, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP In 2019, the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice began a review of the court-administered antitrust consent decrees that have bound ASCAP and BMI since the 1940s. We wrote about the issues in their review here. The formal review of these decrees began as part of the DOJ’s broader review of its…
In response to the Department of Justice’s decision to take no action on the consent decrees governing the performance royalty organizations ASCAP and BMI, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith released the following statement: “NAB is very pleased that the Department of Justice will not move to make changes to the ASCAP and BMI consent…
The FCC and National Association of Broadcasters made their virtual arguments to the Supreme Court Tuesday (1/19) on why a lower court was wrong to invalidate the FCC’s 2017 broadcast ownership deregulation decision, a defense that came in the waning hours of the FCC’s Republican majority, which had approved the rule changes over the objections…
WKAR Public Media is presenting another PBS Kids Day on Saturday, January 30. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, this PBS Kids Day will be held online. Viewers can login and explore science with the Curious Crew and enjoy story time with PBS Kids favorite Daniel Tiger and WKAR’s Mrs. Pizzo. Morning and afternoon sessions are available.…
By: Seth Resler Jacobs Media Strategies When I speak to radio broadcasters about pulling all of their different digital tools together into a coherent Content Market Strategy, I am usually talking to people in the programming department who want to reach more listeners. But Content Marketing is also an effective strategy for the radio sales…
Cherryl “Cher” Lynn Allen, a long-time employee of WBKB-TV (Alpena), passed away Friday, January 15 at MidMichigan Medical Center in Alpena. Allen worked for 35 years for WBKB in many roles, retiring as the general manager. She loved making memories with family and friends. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and a board…
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her third State of the State Address on Wednesday, January 27. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the State of the State address will be held virtually, in compliance with CDC and the State of Michigan’s best practices. Under normal circumstances, Governor Whitmer would request the House Chambers to deliver…
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) on Thursday (1/14) announced the launch of an online toolkit to help local journalists craft COVID-19 vaccine education messages that best resonate with their audiences. The toolkit is designed to provide journalists with…
The Federal Communications Commission is reminding broadcasters and other EAS participants of their obligations to comply with the Emergency Alert System rules, including ensuring that alerts are accessible to persons with disabilities. “In reporting on the most recent national level test of the EAS, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau noted improvements in…
WJR-AM (Detroit) Mid-Morning On-Air Host Frank Beckmann has announced his retirement after a 48-year radio career with the Detroit station. A sports broadcasting legend, Beckmann has hosted “The Frank Beckmann Show” on WJR weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to Noon for the last 18 years. His last show will air on Friday, March 26, 2021. Named…