The Business of Television : FCC

DTV Soft Test Results in Record Number of Helpline Calls

News — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:28:13 GMT

A record number of consumers called the Federal Communications Commission’s national helpline Thursday in response to a nationwide DTV soft test. The FCC helpline received more than 55,000 calls from consumers, a single-day record. The helpline has averaged...(read more)

Editorial: Stations Are at Risk if Renewal Term Changes

News — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:36:00 GMT

Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairman Michael Copps last week said the process for renewing station licenses should be radically altered. We couldn’t disagree more. There are stations on the ropes around the country, and tinkering with the...(read more)

Supreme Court Upholds FCC Policy on ‘Fleeting Expletives,’ Returns 1st Amendment Issue to Lower Court

News — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:41:03 GMT

Swearing on television remains potentially punishable by FCC fines following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the power of federal regulation over “fleeting expletives” in live broadcasts. In a 5-4 vote written by Justice Antonin Scalia, the court upheld...(read more)

FCC’s Adelstein to Unveil DTV Web Site at NAB Show

News — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:04:08 GMT

FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein will unveil the FCC’s new, enhanced digital transition Web site at the NAB Show on Tuesday. The new site, www.dtv.gov, will help guide consumers, providing them with local TV support and answers to questions about DTV...(read more)

Pointing the Way to Progress

News — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 03:37:00 GMT

A strong visionary with remarkable finesse—that consensus pretty well sums up TelevisionWeek ’s 2009 Cable Executive of the Year, National Cable & Telecommunications Association President-CEO Kyle McSlarrow. While the adjectives “smart” and “decent...(read more)

FCC Enlists AmeriCorps for DTV Outreach

News — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:16:55 GMT

The Federal Communications Commission has partnered with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps to for a digital transition outreach effort. Forty-nine at-risk cities believe to be less prepared for the DTV switch have been targeted for the outreach...(read more)

DTV Switch Getting Less Scary, Month by Month

News — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 04:05:00 GMT

If Americans continue to prepare themselves at the current rate for the June 12 switch to all-digital television signals, the number of homes that aren’t ready by the deadline could be quite small, vindicating the Obama administration’s decision to push...(read more)

Almost Half of Stations to Beat DTV Deadline

News — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:01:46 GMT

About 44% of the country’s TV stations aren’t going to wait for the national switch to digital television on June 12, instead dropping their analog broadcasting signals before the deadline. Stations that wanted to switch before June 12 had to notify the...(read more)

FCC Allows Some Stations to Make Digital Switch April 16

News — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:50:19 GMT

The Federal Communications Commission is giving a reluctant go-ahead to a new round of early DTV switchovers, telling stations they can terminate their analog signals starting April 16, but imposing more conditions on network affiliates. The FCC said...(read more)

TV Awaits New FCC Approach

News — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 04:38:38 GMT

While technology issues may sit at the top of the to-do list for Julius Genachowski, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Federal Communications Commission, he may be compelled to delve into the world of television before the ink on his business cards...(read more)

Mixed-Up Signals

News — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:09:16 GMT

Despite the recent delay of the U.S. digital television transition from Feb. 17 until June 12, television stations across the country are still trying to answer consumers’ many questions, using their own airwaves and just about any other means available...(read more)

Genachowski Faces High Expectations at FCC Helm

News — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:35:03 GMT

As the welcomes roll in for Julius Genachowski, whom President Obama formally announced Tuesday as his nominee for FCC chairman, so are hints of some of the challenges and changes he could bring. Expectations for change from Mr. Genachowski quickly started...(read more)

FCC to Re-Examine V-Chip, Other TV Tech

News — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:30:06 GMT

The Federal Communications Commission is kicking off the formal process of re-examining the V-chip and other technologies that could protect kids from potentially indecent content on video—on television and other video devices. The FCC announced the review...(read more)

Obama Nominates Genachowski to Lead FCC

News — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:57:49 GMT

President Barack Obama made it official today, nominating Julius Genachowski to be chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. “I can think of no one better than Julius Genachowski to serve as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission,...(read more)

Senate Offers Ban on Reinstating Fairness Doctrine

News — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:11:00 GMT

The Senate today added a ban on the Federal Communications Commission reintroducing the Fairness Doctrine to proposed legislation giving residents of the District of Columbia the right to vote. The Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to offer...(read more)