By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 8-10-20
Broadcasters are ramping up the pressure, and the rhetoric, in their attempt to get the FCC to hold off on increasing the regulatory fees it charges TV and radio stations, especially during a pandemic that has done a number on revenue.
The FCC supports itself through its regulatory fees and has proposed increases for broadcasters and others. Official comments were due by the end of last month, but that hasn’t stopped broadcasters from weighing in.
In two socially distanced meetings with FCC staffers, executives with the National Association of Broadcasters said that given the pandemic’s dramatic impact on “certain industries,” the FCC should not raise any industry segment’s contribution, “apart possibly from any planned increases due to previously determined changes in policy.” That appeared to be a reference to the FCC’s ramping up of fees on direct broadcast satellite-TV operators. » Read More