NJBA Weekly Newsletter, Friday, March 2, 2007

Live from Washington, DC

NJBA Tackles Capitol Hill

The NJBA team set out to meet all New Jersey members of Congress with in person visits to Capitol Hill. Headed by NJBA President Phil Roberts and NJBA former chairman Robert McAllan, the team will present each member with broadcasters’ issues and request the member’s assistance in reaching the goals for the members of NJBA. The major issue concerns a bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Kennedy of MA prohibiting certain advertising on radio and TV. Claiming there are too many overweight children in the US, the bill prohibits the advertising of Hamburgers and breakfast cereals with sugar on the radio and TV. In addition, drug advertising will be banned along with alcohol and beer advertising. If this comes to pass, it could be devastating to broadcasters’ bottom lines. The legislation is not only bad, it is unconstitutional. Advertisers have a right to commercial free speech. 

Promote Green Humanitarian Award

All stations are being requested to run either the live spot or the recorded MP3 spot to promote the Howard L. Green Humanitarian Award.  Information and nomination form is available on our web site, www.njbroadcasters.org, as is the spot in MP3 format. Either download and use the MP3 or run your own copy. However, please run this spot as soon as possible. 

Congressman Glenn Walden Talks about Indecency

Oregon Congressman Walden, who is also a broadcaster, told the NAB the Supreme Court could very easily strike down the rules for indecency from the FCC and tell the commission that they have no authority in that area at all. Walden called the last burst of fines from the commission and the commission’s reasoning for them a joke at best. In addition, Walden sounded the alarm regarding the Kennedy bill covered above. He said it is time for broadcasters to hit the “panic button” on the free speech issue.  

Other Broadcasting Issues

Other Issues being brought before Congress by NJBA Broadcasters Pat Delsi, Scott Taylor, Dick Swetits, and John Mozes are:

Satellite Radio:  We oppose a merger, “A monopoly is a monopoly”, and we demand that it broadcast a national service only, with no local content as its license calls for it to do.

Performance Tax: We oppose a performance tax on broadcasters for playing records on the air. Broadcasters have long had a relationship with record companies wherein we give their records air play, resulting in record sales and we are allowed to play those records with no additional fees beyond ASCAP, BMI and Sesac. 

Reminders: Keep your FCC inspection up to date.  It’s the cheapest insurance you can get.

Get those Best of the Best entries ready.  Deadline is Thursday, April 5, 2007.

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