A recent study by the Pew Research Center focused on the changing relationship consumers have with local television news. The analysis titled “Americans’ Changing Relationship with Local News” reported both good and bad news. The report noted: “While local television stations are still the most common source of local news beyond friends, family and neighbors, the share who often or sometimes get news there has declined from 70% to 64% in recent years.” While a traditional television set remains the preferred method of receiving local news, Pew reported that consumers’ preferred pathways are changing. “Fewer people now say they prefer to get local news through a television set (32%, down from 41% who said the same in 2018). Americans are now more likely to say they prefer to get local news online, either through news websites (26%) or social media (23%).  Both of these numbers have increased in recent years. Smaller shares prefer getting their local news from a print newspaper or on the radio (9% each).” It must be remembered that while consumers may be looking at local news online, the key question is who is creating the news content. Local broadcasters create much of the news content that is viewed online. Thus, local broadcasting remains essential in the provision of local news. You can see Pew’s analysis titled “American’s Changing Relationship with Local News” here.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is devoted to helping our fellow broadcasters in times of need. Since 2016, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has distributed $770,000 to deserving New York grantees. This is an important mission and one that NYSBA supports. As part of this effort, we are helping to sponsor the Broadcasters Foundation’s annual New York mixer. The event will take place on June 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event will be hosted by Gandhi from the Elvis Duran in the Morning Show, with songs from Jackie Romeo from The Voice. The event is free, but space is limited. Please register in advance here. Also please consider contributing to the Broadcasters Foundation. You can access the BFOA’s website here.

As we reported earlier, the FCC will now allow FM boosters to provide 3 minutes of original programming per house. Until final rules are adopted, the Commission will allow such operation as an experimental license. Stations may apply with the FCC for such experimental authority starting on May 16th. Recently, the FCC issued a guide to stations seeking to take advantage of the new rules: “In accordance with Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, this Small Entity Compliance Guide (Guide) is intended to help small entities—small businesses, small organizations (non-profits), and small governmental jurisdictions—comply with the rules adopted in the above-referenced Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) rulemaking dockets. This Guide is not intended to replace or supersede these rules, but to facilitate compliance with the rules.  Although we have attempted to cover all parts of the rules that might be especially important to small entities, the coverage may not be exhaustive.  This Guide cannot anticipate all situations in which the rules apply.  Furthermore, the Commission retains the discretion to adopt case-by-case approaches, where appropriate, that may differ from this Guide.” Again, you must apply through the experimental license process. You cannot begin broadcasting on an FM booster station without first getting experimental authority. You can access the FCC’s guide here. You can access the FCC’s new FM program origination booster rules here.

Over the years, radio has had several issues regarding how to measure performance. In a recent article in Inside Radio, RAB Sr. VP Tammy Greenberg explains how a number of new attribution sources will help radio. In the article, she stated: “Radio can be a full-funnel solution for brands, both on its own and by amplifying the performance of other media,” Greenberg writes in “If You Dream It, Radio Can Measure It.” Depending on the advertiser’s goal, there are a litany of methodologies to measure and improve radio’s return on ad spend: attribution, multitouch attribution, upper-funnel lift studies, engagement neuroscience, creative evaluations, and media mix models.” She noted further that for attribution, “Each requires methodology suited to the form in which advertising content is delivered.” You can see Greenberg’s analysis in Inside Radio here.

As we noted previously, the Biden Administration has signaled its intention to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug. With respect to advertising, this may be considered a step in the right direction but does not mean broadcasters will be completely free to advertise recreational cannabis, even where it has been legalized in a state like New York. Noted Communications Attorney David Oxenford recently expressed a possible concern in his Broadcast Blog: “Schedule III drugs include many that require prescriptions to use – including anabolic steroids and barbiturates – not exactly the kind of drugs one usually sees advertised on TV.  Schedule III drugs generally require FDA approval before marketing and are subject to restrictions as to how they are distributed.  Warning labels may be required.  Federal registration is required for those who dispense and manufacture these controlled substances, and users must be tracked as well unless the Attorney General decides that such user registration is not in the public interest.  These kinds of restrictions are certainly not in line with the ways that marijuana is sold in states that have “legalized” it under their state laws.” Thus, while reclassification will help, it does not mean that broadcasting such advertisements is risk-free.  There are also some restrictions under New York State law that must be considered. You can see a full discussion of the cannabis issue in Attorney Oxenford’s Broadcast Blog here. You can see a summary of the New York cannabis advertising rules here.

We recently hosted a webinar to discuss the new artificial intelligence law in the New York budget that governs “materially deceptive” political communications. It is currently in effect and impacts nearly every corner of the broadcasting industry. The new law applies to: All media, including radio and TV stations Your station’s internet and social media platforms It also can affect a station’s newscasts and political advertisements The webinar covered the scope of the new law and how to comply with it. You can access the webinar here. You can access the slide deck here.

As we reported last year, the Biden administration is moving forward to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. There were a number of press accounts last week indicating that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration plans to move forward with a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug. As a Schedule 1 drug, cannabis is classified in the same category as heroin and LSD. A Schedule 3 drug is defined as a drug with accepted medical use and a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. This would include products such as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone. There is still a long way to go on this issue. First, the Justice Department will make its recommendation.  The proposal is then reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. Then, the proposal will be sent out for public comment. Thus, it will be months before a decision is made. What will this mean for broadcasters? Even with reclassification, cannabis remains illegal under federal law. This is not federal legalization or decriminalization. Even though medical and recreational cannabis is legal in New York, broadcasting an advertisement for a state-licensed recreational cannabis outlet still poses a risk to your federal license. The nature and scope of permissible advertising will depend in large measure on the nature and scope of the DOJ’s rules. From a practical standpoint, reclassifying cannabis will be a step in the right direction. For broadcasters, the risk has always been that advertising cannabis could be considered as aiding in the distribution of a controlled substance. Under the Controlled Substances Act, this means a loss of a federal benefit, i.e., your broadcast license, upon conviction. So, the risk has been based on the potential for a conviction under the federal drug laws. As a practical matter, the DOJ is more likely to prosecute those illegally selling a Schedule 1 drug, as opposed to a Schedule 3 drug. Nonetheless, even with reclassification, there is still a technical risk to your license. To date, the FCC has not adopted any rule to either prevent or allow cannabis advertising. We do not expect it to make any pronouncements soon. Moreover, the FDA has not approved any medical cannabis use, so stations must be cautious as they approach the issue. While this is a step in the right direction, there is a long way to go on this issue. Reclassification does not resolve the conflict between New York and federal law. You can see an explanation of the reclassification in JD Supra here. Another good explanation about the proposal can be found from the law firm Clark Hill here. Noted communications attorney Greg Skall penned a good article on the issue in Inside Radio here.

The Federal Trade Commission will host an online compliance webinar on May 14, 2024, at 11 AM ET to provide an overview of the FTC’s final rule banning post-term non-competes, which will include information on how to comply with the rule after its effective date. The webinar is free and open to the public. Staff of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning will provide an overview of the rule and will answer questions submitted prior to the webinar. The webinar is expected to last 45 minutes. A LINK TO THE WEBINAR WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT, SHORTLY BEFORE THE WEBINAR STARTS VIA FTC.GOV. The webinar will be recorded and available on the Commission’s website after the meeting. The FTC invites members of the public to submit questions ahead of the webinar by email at asknoncompete@ftc.gov. As we noted last week, post-term non-compete provisions have been illegal in New York since 2008.  However, under New York law, stations could still use the term non-competes for managers. The FTC’s regulations pre-empt state laws. The new FTC regulation would ban any new non-competes, even for managers, once the rules go into effect (about 120 days). Under the FTC regulations, existing manager contracts would be grandfathered but only for those managers that meet the definition of “Senior Executive.” To be a “Senior Executive,” the manager must be in a policy-making position and earn at least $151,164. If a manager does not meet these requirements, the post-term covenant not to compete may no longer be enforceable. If an existing manager meets these requirements, then the existing contract, including the post-term non-compete provision, would remain in place. This is a one-time grandfather. Once the rules become effective, stations can not use a non-compete provision in any employment contract, even for “Senior Executives." It's worth noting that the FTC’s decision will be the subject of numerous lawsuits. There is a long way to go on this issue. You can find more information about the webinar from the FTC here. You can see the FTC’s primer devoted to small business here.

The effectiveness of radio has been based on measuring the effectiveness of the advertising 20 minutes after the broadcast.  However, a recent study by Radiocentre and Colourtext proved that this was too short a time to measure the true effectiveness of radio.  The report found that current attribution methods underestimate radio’s effectiveness by 92%. A recent article in Radio Ink noted: The research demonstrates that it takes a full 19 hours for the effects of each radio advertisement to be fully realized, challenging the conventional measurement approach that captures only 8% of an ad’s effectiveness in the first 20 minutes following transmission. When the full impact of radio is accurately accounted for, the medium is shown to significantly enhance performance-led media campaigns. For example, radio advertising was found to boost daily web sessions by 9% and achieve these results twice as cost-efficiently as other demand-generation media. While the analysis focuses on the United Kingdom, this analysis has implications for America’s radio industry. You can see the report in Radio Ink here. You can see the complete Radiocentre study here.

As we noted earlier, the FCC has reinstated its EEO Form 395B annual report.  The FCC rules reinstating the form will become effective on June 3rd.  However, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must review and approve the actual form before it can be used by the FCC. This is an administrative matter and will not lead to a change in the law. The FCC will issue a Public Notice once the Form 395B is approved. Once approved, stations will be required to file each year by September 30th. On a related note, two religious broadcasting groups filed petitions for reconsideration with the FCC. In addition, the National Religious Broadcasters and the American Family Association have gone directly to the US Court of Appeals. The focus of the filings is the inclusion of a “non-binary” option with respect to the form's gender reporting. They argue that complying with the non-binary question violates their right to religious freedom under the First Amendment. We will let you know when OMB completes its approval. You can see our previous story on the rule here. You can see a detailed discussion of the rule from noted FCC attorney David Oxenford here.

Since 2008, broadcasters in New York have been subject to the New York Labor laws that ban the use of post-term covenants not to compete in the broadcast business. Post-term covenants not to compete deal with restrictions that apply after the contract term has expired. For example, an employment contract stating that a person cannot work in the same job in the same markets for a period of 6 months after the contract expires is a typical “post-term” covenant not to compete. Under New York law, the ban on post-term covenants not to compete does not apply to managerial positions. Moreover, you can enter into these agreements so long as they are not negotiated as part of the underlying employment contract. Also, the law does not prohibit other types of contractual restrictions such as a right of first refusal or confidentiality agreements. The new FTC regulations clearly apply to broadcasting. In fact, the FTC’s decision makes specific reference to broadcast journalists. The FTC rules adopted last week will change the nature and scope of covenants not to compete as they apply to broadcasters and all businesses throughout the United States. The FTC found that using covenants not to compete is an unfair method of competition. The FTC rule will not become effective for some time - 120 days after it is officially published. The following outlines the basics of the FTC regulation: New Contracts: Post-term non-competes entered into, on, or after the effective date are banned as violating the FTC Act. This applies to all contracts. Existing Contracts: For existing contracts with post-term non-competes (entered into before the effective date): Senior executives – existing non-compete provisions can remain in force. All other workers – covenants are not enforceable. According to the FTC, it is an unfair method of competition for a person to enter into or attempt to enter into a non-compete clause, to enforce or attempt to enforce a non-compete clause, or to represent that the worker is subject to a non-compete clause. The final FTC rule defines a “non-compete clause” as “a term or condition of employment that prohibits a worker from, penalizes a worker for, or functions to prevent a worker from (1) seeking or accepting work in the United States with a different person where such work would begin after the conclusion of the employment that includes the term or condition; or (2) operating a business in the United States." All businesses are required to notify their employees that the non-competes in their contracts are unenforceable. The final FTC rule does not apply to non-competes entered into by a person pursuant to a bona fide sale of a business entity. In addition, the final rule does not apply where a cause of action related to a non-compete accrued prior to the effective date. The Commission has determined that the definition of “senior executive” should include both a compensation threshold and job duties test. Accordingly, a senior executive is a worker who was in a policy-making position and who received a total annual compensation of at least $151,164 in the preceding year. Remember, the “senior executive” exception applies only to the enforceability of existing contracts. All new non-compete contracts are prohibited after the rule becomes effective, even for senior executives. There is the question of how this affects New York State law. The final rule does not limit or affect the enforcement of state laws that restrict non-competes where the state laws do not conflict with the final rule, but it preempts state laws that conflict with the final rule. Bottom line, the FTC action preempts state laws. However, state law would apply if it was stricter than the FTC's new law. Unlike New York law, which allows post-term non-competes for all managers, the FTC rules are more restrictive. Thus, under the FTC rules, a covenant not to compete contained in an existing contract for a manager earning $125 thousand a year would no longer be enforceable under the FTC rules, even though it complied with New York Law. This is because the manager failed to meet the definition of a “senior executive” under the new FTC regulations. The FTC’s new rules constitute a radical change in labor law. We urge you to contact your attorney to see how these new rules affect your station. A number of business interests, including the Chamber of Commerce, plan to litigate the FCC’s authority to craft such rules. We will keep a close watch on this litigation. You can see the FTC’s new rules (all 570 pages) here. You can see the current New York covenant not to compete law §202k here. You can see a summary discussion by the law firm Crowell here. You can see an additional discussion by noted communications attorney Scott Flick here.

You can now watch last week's “Maximizing Political Dollars in Small and Medium Markets” webinar from Gen Media Partners and the Ten-Minute Trainer Network. The archived webinar features industry experts sharing insight and ideas on how to leverage political advertising budgets. Join Roger Rafson, SVP of Political/Issue Advocacy and Strategic Alliances, Linley Grande, VP, Political Strategies Manager, and Heather Karban, Political Broadcast Strategist, as they provide actionable tactics to maximize every advertising dollar while adhering to legal boundaries. Click here to watch it now!

As we have noted in the past, stations must file their quarterly issues/programs lists on time. The FCC recently focused on a “Class A” non-commercial station in Massachusetts. Documents were uploaded between one day and one year late.  According to the FCC: “In total, the Licensee failed to upload in a timely manner to the Station’s OPIF a copy of the Station’s issue/programs lists for one quarter and copies of the Station’s children’s programming reports for six quarters. These lists were between one day and over one year late. We therefore find that the Licensee has apparently willfully and repeatedly violated sections 73.3526(e)(11)(i) and (iii) of the Rules.” The FCC is going to remain strict with respect to public file enforcement. Stations are urged to redouble their efforts to make sure they meet all their public and political file requirements in a timely manner. You can see the FCC’s Notice of Apparent Liability here.

As we go to press, the Senate has announced that 60 U.S. Senators are now supporting the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (S.1669). Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, announced today that the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act now has bipartisan support from 60 members of the Senate. “Democrats and Republicans are tuning in to the millions of listeners, thousands of broadcasters, and countless emergency management officials who depend on AM radio in their vehicles. AM radio is a lifeline for people in every corner of the United States to get news, sports, and local updates in times of emergencies. Our commonsense bill makes sure this fundamental, essential tool doesn’t get lost on the dial. With a filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate, Congress should quickly take it up and pass it.” Securing 60 votes of the legislation is essential because it can no longer be blocked by a filibuster. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is a co-sponsor of the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also supports the legislation. In the House, the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce hosted a hearing on the legislation. Opening statements from members of Congress on the Committee indicated there is strong support for the legislation. Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Ranking Democrat Frank Pallone support keeping AM radio in vehicles: “Communities across the country, especially rural communities, rely on AM radio service for critical information. It plays an essential role during public emergencies when other alert systems that rely on the electric grid and cellphone networks don’t work, which is why it's so alarming that some auto manufacturers are considering not installing AM radios in new cars," said Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone. "We look forward to working together to preserve Americans’ access to this vital source of information.” Melody Spann Cooper, Chairwoman and CEO of Midway Broadcasting Corporation in Chicago, testified on behalf of the National Association of Broadcasters. Mr. Justin C. Ahasteen, who is the Executive Director of the Navajo Nation’s Washington Office, also testified to support the legislation. These are critically important steps in moving this legislation forward. We look forward to working with the New York Delegation to get this bill passed. You can see the joint press release regarding the Senate on Sen. Markey’s website here. You can access the House Commerce Committee's hearing here. You can see the testimony of Melody Spann Cooper here.

As we reported last week, we have been working with the Assembly and Senate on proposed political “AI” legislation.  This legislation was supposed to be considered outside of the NY Budget Process. That changed last Wednesday night as a political AI bill was dropped into the Governor’s budget process. We activated “grassroots” on Thursday morning asking them to contact key staff in the Senate, Assembly, and the Governor’s office. Despite our grassroots efforts last week, the legislation passed over the weekend. The legislation requires: Stations may be liable for the distribution of materially deceptive “AI.” Liability attaches if a station knew or should have known the content contained politically materially deceptive “AI.” Materially deceptive “AI” includes creating an event that did not occur or altering an event in a significant way using computer-generated or technical means. To avoid liability, stations need a disclosure stating: “This (image, video, or audio) has been manipulated.” Disclosure would be visual for video, and read aloud for audio. There is an exemption for bona fide news reports, provided they contain the disclosure mentioned above. Establishes a good faith requirement to establish the material is not materially deceptive. Candidates are empowered to bring a lawsuit and obtain injunctive relief, court costs, and attorney’s fees. Our position is simple, liability should rest with the creator of the political content, not the broadcaster or any entity that distributes the content.  The bill became effective upon signing.  As a result, we will be sending out a notice to stations suggesting that: Stations obtain a letter in writing from any political content provider (advertising or other content) stating that “This advertisement does not contain any materially deceptive “AI.”  This would also apply to content used in entertainment and newscasts. We are drafting a form that you can use. If you cannot obtain a letter, we suggest you attach the disclosure “This (image, video, or audio) has been manipulated,” to any political content. Under the law, a candidate can sue a station for running political content that contains materially deceptive AI. This includes running "deceptive" political material in a newscast. The law only exempts news when the station has broadcast the disclosure, which of course is no exemption at all. Stations have no way of knowing if the content they receive from third parties contains deceptive AI. Another concern is that liability could attach even if the political image was essentially correct but manipulated in some matter. The legislation may impose liability if an image or voice is altered in a significant way by a computer or technological means. All content is stored and displayed using computers. Any changes in color or selecting parts of a speech could be considered deceptive manipulation. The recent experience with the Royal Family’s portrait is a case in point. Note, the law not only applies to broadcasting but to all forms of distribution including station websites and social media platforms. While there are other exemptions for satire or entertainment, the fundamental question remains. A station will not know if the content being provided contains deceptive AI images. Political advertising also raises litigation risks and conflicts. Under federal law, stations cannot edit a political advertisement received from the federal candidate’s campaign committee. This includes adding a label or disclosure. Moreover, a station cannot refuse to air the ad from a federal candidate’s campaign committee. You must broadcast the ad as you receive it. This sets up a direct conflict between federal and state law with respect to political advertisements received directly from a federal candidate's campaign committee. A station can edit federal political ads, including those promoting a particular candidate or issues that you receive from a third party such as a PAC, citizens group, or political party. Thus, the no-edit rule applies only to campaign ads received directly from the federal candidate’s campaign committee. The same general rule applies to state and local candidates. You are not allowed to edit political advertisements from a candidate’s authorized campaign committee. You can edit political ads from third parties, such as PACs or state committees. For third-party political ads, you can include the disclosure, “This (image, video, or audio) has been manipulated." This law became effective when the Governor signed the bill. Thus it would apply to any political content broadcast after April 20th.  We will be sending out notices directly to stations along with a release form they can use with political content providers. We want to thank all of the stations that contacted the NY legislative leadership last week. While the legislation was not changed, we have received some assurances that the language may be changed. So, your efforts will not be in vain. We already have meetings set up for this week. So, stay tuned. You can see the text of the legislation here.

The budget that passed last Saturday included the “Newspaper and Broadcast Media Jobs Program.” Working with the newspaper association, we were able to break the ice and obtain a journalism tax payroll tax credit for local stations. As previously noted, this triggered a huge battle between the Senate and the Governor. After battling for weeks, the legislation: Creates a 3-year payroll tax credit for newsroom employees beginning in tax years 2025 – 2028. There is a $5,000 tax credit for each new employee. Stations may receive a tax credit for 50% of an existing employee’s salary up to $50,000. Total credit cap for each employer is $300,000. Each station serving a separate market is considered to be a separate employer. Total $30 million budget allocation for journalist employee tax credit across the state. This will be divided up where 50% of the funds will go to media companies with less than 100 employees and 50% to entities with 100 employees or more. While the total amount of the credit - $30 million – is small for covering the entire state, it is a huge step in the right direction. It establishes the principle that we can use the tax code to help fund journalists.  After all, businesses are able to take business deductions for investments in technology to produce the news. There is no reason not to extend the concept and obtain a payroll tax credit for hiring reporters and newscasters. There is one technical problem. The bill contains legislative language that seems to indicate stations owned by publicly traded companies are not eligible for the tax credit. Throughout the process, we were told that all broadcast stations licensed to communities in NY would be eligible for the tax credit. However, the final wording was changed at the last minute and this needs to be clarified. Nearly all TV stations and many radio stations in New York are owned by publicly traded companies. We are told by the Governor’s office that there was no intent to exclude broadcasters.  We are working to clarify this language. You can see the text of the legislation here.

The FCC announced that May 16 is the effective date of its decision to allow FM boosters to provide 3 minutes of original programming per hour. As we noted earlier, the FCC authorization will take the form of an experimental license, which can be renewed annually. In addition, the FCC is seeking comments on permanent rules to govern these boosters. Comments are due May 16. You can see the FCC’s decision here. You can see a summary of the new rules by noted communications attorney David Oxenford here.

It's not what we do once in a while that makes us more money and brings us to a much higher level of success; it's what we do every single day. In this fast-paced, jam-packed session, broadcast management consultant and sales guru Stefan Rybak reveals the simple yet powerful steps that help sellers take their income from where it is now to where they'd like it to be in a rapid, dramatic, and significant way. This presentation is geared explicitly for sellers who want to learn the best business plan, the 3 critical sales skills, how to get clients to a 10, the very best way to cold call, why nobody is reading your emails, the number one sales skill that no one is using, how to create your own opportunities, the power question to ask every client, the top traits of high-performing salespeople, and how to program yourself for much greater success! Pay attention, take notes, and then immediately apply what you learn! The webinar will feature New York’s own, Stefan Rybak. Stefan has 47 years of experience in the media, including (but not limited to) radio, television, print, digital media, sales, sales management, station management, management consulting, and professional speaking. He is also a Certified Life Coach and has written over 500 published articles and the best-selling book The Shadow on My Heart, which vaulted into the Top 10 of Amazon's Best Seller list on its very first day of release. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS PRACTICAL AND PRODUCTIVE TIME! This webinar is provided free of charge to NYSBA members in good standing. You may register in advance here.

Over the past few months, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act (H.R. 3413) has been gaining support in the House of Representatives.  Today, the legislation has 246 co-sponsors, including 16 from New York. Despite significant support, the legislation has seen no movement through the House Commerce Committee. The Chair of the House Commerce Committee had concerns about the bill being a “technology mandate.” This is about to change. Last week, House Commerce Chairwoman Kathy McMorris Rodgers (R. WA) and Ranking Democrat on the Committee Frank Pallone (D NJ) issued a joint statement scheduling a legislative hearing for April 30, before the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce. In a joint press release, they stated: “Communities across the country, especially rural communities, rely on AM radio service for critical information.  It plays an essential role during public emergencies when other alert systems that rely on the electric grid and cellphone networks don’t work, which is why it's so alarming that some auto manufacturers are considering not installing AM radios in new cars," said Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone. "We look forward to working together to preserve Americans’ access to this vital source of information.” They introduced a new version of the legislation. This version has the same requirements as H.R. 3413, which means that every vehicle must have an AM radio receiver as standard equipment and provided at no extra charge. It does provide for a longer phase-in for these requirements. It also contains the requirement that vehicles sold without an AM radio be labeled as such. Significantly, this new version mirrors the bill that passed the Senate Commerce Committee earlier. The fact that the language of the bill is the same as the Senate version indicates that the House is serious about passing this legislation. We applaud Chairwoman Rodgers and Ranking Democrat Rep. Pallone for their efforts and support.  This is an important bill, and we will continue to work to ensure passage. You can see the joint press release here. You can see the new version of the bill here.

Submissions to our Annual Excellence in Broadcasting Awards set a new record. We received 585 entries from broadcast stations across the Empire State, exceeding previous years by more than 100 entries. Competition this year will be fierce. Entries are now being submitted to out-of-state judges. Once again, we will be presenting the awards at regional lunches across the state in September. Luncheons will start at 12 noon. Here is the schedule: New York City – Manhatta, 21 Liberty Street| Thursday, September 12th Long Island – Blackstone Steakhouse, 10 Pinelawn Road| Friday, September 13th Buffalo – Aloft Buffalo Downtown, 500 Pearl Street | Monday, September 23rd. Rochester – The Strathallan Hotel, 550 East Avenue| Tuesday, September 24th Syracuse – Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA, 311 Hiawatha Blvd.| Wednesday, September 25th Binghamton – DoubleTree Hotel, 225 Water Street| Thursday, September 26th Albany – Wolfert’s Roost Country Club, 120 Van Rensselaer Blvd. | Friday, September 27th We will be announcing winners in the early summer. The luncheon registration will be open at a later date.