Category: issues

Politicians Coming After Radio

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As the NAB battles to prevent radio stations from having to pay for the music they air, legislation has been introduced that may pave the way for radio managers to have to dig deep into their wallets. It’s called the AMFM Act. Here are the details…

The Ask Musicians for Music Act was introduced by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in the House and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in the Senate. The AMFM Act gives music creators control of their own work by requiring broadcasters to obtain consent before playing their music. Under the AMFM Act, artists who want to allow terrestrial radio to continue to use their work for free can choose to do so. Artists who seek compensation for their work can exercise their right to negotiate rates for the use of their sound recordings from broadcasters. Both bills provide special treatment by protecting small, public, college, and other non-commercial stations.

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Emergency Alert System was delayed during El Paso’s Walmart shooting; why it took 77 minutes

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Madeline Ottilie, KVIA

EL PASO, Texas — No matter how you were affected, you probably remember where you were on August 3rd, the morning an active shooter entered the Cielo Vista Walmart and took 22 lives.

“I remember our phones going off with alerts from the police saying to stay clear of the area,” said El Paso resident Jennifer Gurrola.

“It was just crazy to hear that people that are not even here in El Paso had to notify me,” said El Pasoan Kaitlyn Deguire.

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NJBA Warns About EAS Potential Failure

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Radio World, EMILY M. REIGART

Garden State’s current EMNET-EAS is more than a decade old and has become unreliable, association says

The New Jersey Broadcasters Association sounded an alarm about New Jersey’s emergency alert system in its latest  e-newsletter, stating that “EAS failure” might occur as soon as the New Year unless something changes in the state.

The current EMNET-EAS is more than a decade old, and NJBA President Paul S. Rotella wrote that it “has flaws that make it unreliable.” Therefore, the association is lobbying state officials and lawmakers to augment, upgrade or replace the system as soon as possible.

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FCC Gives Stations More Time To Update EAS Equipment.

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INSIDE RADIO

A later than expected release of a technical update to Emergency Alert System (EAS) hardware used by broadcasters has led the Federal Communications Commission to give stations more time to install the software without running afoul of its rules. Stations were to have had the update installed by Friday, Nov. 8. But the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau will give an extra 60 days on the clock, meaning the updates need to be in place by Jan. 7, 2020.

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The Next Generation of Broadcast Television is on the Horizon

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The next generation of broadcast television technology will deliver life-saving advanced emergency alerting, stunning pictures, immersive, customizable audio and improved reception – all for free – to enhance and expand your broadcast viewing experience. Because the new technology combines the best of broadcast television and broadband, Next Gen TV allows local stations to better personalize their broadcasts with information and interactive features to give viewers the content that is most relevant to them.

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