Category: COVID-19

More Lawmakers Push For Financial Aid For Broadcasters

Topics:

Did you know there was a Broadcasters Caucus in Washington? If not, you do now. Several members of that Caucus have sent a letter to the House and Senate leadership pushing for financial relief for broadcasters.

Representative Tom Emmer (left) of Minnesota and Representative Brendan Boyle from Pennsylvania, who co-chair the Broadcasters Caucus, sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging that a portion of the funding provided within the upcoming Coronavirus relief package be dedicated to support local broadcasters who have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic.

NAB CEO Gordon Smith praised the move. “During these unprecedented times, broadcasters have been hit hard by an unparalleled blow to the advertising revenue that funds local journalism and emergency news coverage. Ensuring that small broadcasters, including those that may be owned by station groups, have access to the Paycheck Protection Program will help them continue to serve their communities and provide lifeline information. NAB and America’s local radio and TV stations thank Reps. Emmer and Boyle for fighting to help broadcasters remain on the air and free to their local audiences.”

Contact info:

Univision serves as lifeline to disengaged Latinos

Topics:

On Friday the thirteenth of March, Lourdes Torres, the senior vice president of political coverage at Univision News, traveled from Miami to Washington, DC. Her team was to cohost, along with CNN, the first virtual presidential debate in United States history. Nearly two thousand Americans had already tested positive for the novel coronavirus; more than forty had died. In a matter of days, the debate’s organizers had decided to move the event from a large theater in downtown Phoenix to a television studio in the nation’s capital. There would be no crowd in the room—no raucous cheers or applause, no in-person audience questions. The two Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, would have to stand six feet from each other. The moderators would need to account for the public’s sense of fear and doubt over the spread of covid-19. This was to be a defining event in the election, and a test with no precedent for everyone involved. “I left Miami that day feeling as if a hurricane was coming our way,” Torres said.

Florida was still weeks from a lockdown, but people were beginning to worry about stocking up their pantries and filling up their gas tanks. Having worked at Univision for nearly three decades, Torres soon realized that covid-19 would be the single most disruptive story of her career.

Contact info:

Ajit Pai Says FCC Is Looking For Ways To Help Radio Weather COVID-19.

Topics:

Ajit Pai brought a positive review of how broadcasters are responding to the coronavirus pandemic from the Federal Communications Commission to the NAB Show Express on Wednesday. “It’s been incredible,” said Pai, who had been scheduled to appear at the Las Vegas conference but instead spoke in a two-way video session with National Association of Broadcasters President Gordon Smith as part of the two-day online event.

“The legacy of public service that broadcasters have long had is showing up in spades right now,” said Pai. He said one of his favorite industry events has been the NAB Educational Foundation’s annual awards, which showcase how broadcasters are helping their local community during in an emergency. “Now, we’re talking about broadcasters everywhere in the country who are doing that kind of thing every single day. It’s almost as if this award show were living in real-time,” said Pai, who added, “I can’t say enough how much I appreciate the work that broadcasters have done.”

Contact info:

The Senate to the Rescue

Topics:

Tuesday’s monster $3 trillion COVID-19 wish list, which included financial relief for struggling local media outlets, was quickly stamped D.O.A. by Senate Republicans. On Wednesday something happened that has a much better chance of leading to you getting money faster. Here’s what you can do to push that along.

Bi-partisan legislation was introduced in the Senate that expands eligibility for SBA loan access for local radio and TV stations and newspapers.

The expansion of PPP for local media would treat broadcasters and newspaper owners much like hotels and restaurants were treated under the original CARES Act PPP. It would require stations to fit within the SBA size standard for the broadcasting industry, or under $41.5 million in annual revenue.

Contact info:

Michelle Vetterkind Speaks with RBR+TVBR about how Broadcasters Have Stepped Up During COVID-19

Topics:

A small town AM started working with local farmers and creameries to donate unused milk normally served with school lunches. Local media is still hiring. These are some of the positive stories shared by Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s President/CEO in this latest podcast, hosted by RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

Contact info:

FEMA Effort Provides Masks to Broadcasters

Topics:

State associations are the conduit; NAB is helping coordinate

An effort is underway to distribute washable cotton masks to essential employees of U.S. broadcasters, those responsible for maintaining operational continuity of operations, during the coronavirus pandemic.

In Georgia, members of the Georgia Association of Broadcasters received an email this week that stated, “FEMA is providing every broadcast facility in Georgia the opportunity for free cotton masks to protect their employees as they perform their broadcast responsibilities during COVID-19. Please click the link below to fill out the form to request masks for your station.” It added that masks would be sent in packages of 10.

Contact info:

Pandemic Offers New Role For Local TV News

Topics:

New findings from international research and strategy firm SmithGeiger show a resurgence of linear TV over SVOD viewing during the pandemic with Americans flocking to local news.

It’s a significant bump that local TV stations can convert to a longer-term, multiplatform trend says Dr. Seth Geiger, the firm’s co-founder.

In the March 2020 survey of more than 1,300 U.S. news consumers aged 18-64, SmithGeiger found that 85% of Americans have seen their lives affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact info:

NAB Coronavirus Response Toolkit

Topics:

As local radio and television broadcasters navigate the editorial and operational challenges presented by COVID-19, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is providing tools and resources, including radio and television public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish, to help stations accurately cover this issue and prepare for the impact on your staff, community and business.

Resources include Station Operation Resources, Editorial Guidelines. Broadcast-Ready PSAs, Social Media Samples and Tools in Spanish.

Contact info:

What Does the Coronavirus Have to Do with Association Marketing

Topics:

Answer: It’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst.

Today’s major crisis is the coronavirus. Maybe the next cause for panic will be an economic downturn. Or perhaps something else will impact your membership, events, and revenue. Now is the time to be proactive to ensure your association can thrive no matter what the future brings

Contact info: