NJBA Weekly Newsletter for Friday, July 3, 2009

NJBA President Meets with new FCC Chairman

NJBA President Paul Rotella met with newly installed FCC Chairman Genachowski this week in Washington to discuss the various issues of concern that the NJBA is working on, and in particular, the current regulatory environment in Washington and the important commercial and public service significance of New Jersey broadcasters in the metropolitan tri state region. Rotella congratulated the Chairman and newly reappointed Commissioner Mc Dowell and pledged to continue to work closely with the Commission on all matters which effect Garden State broadcasters. Commissioner McDowell was sworn in by the new Chairman at the meeting.  In other news, Larry Strickling was confirmed by the Senate this week as head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

NJ Broadcasters Should Register for DIRS Program

On Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at 3:30 p.m. EDT, the National Association of Broadcasters will host a 30-minute live webcast on why broadcasters should participate in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS). In the event of a major disaster, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Homeland Security's National Communications System need to have accurate information regarding the status of communications services in the disaster area, particularly during restoration efforts. DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that communications companies, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, and cable providers, can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis. DIRS is a voluntary, Web-based system that broadcasters can use to report their operational status and locate critical resources they may lack during emergencies. The FCC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local public safety officials rely on the information in DIRS to identify and help broadcast stations in need of fuel, generators and other needed equipment during times of emergency. DIRS is a win-win for broadcasters because participating in DIRS requires very little effort in return for potentially tremendous benefits, such as the government’s help in securing a needed generator or fuel in the midst or wake of a disaster. To view the Webinar, simply copy and paste this site in your browser: http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/services/cip/dirs/dirs.html

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau launched DIRS on September 11, 2007. DIRS will only be activated in the event of a major Disaster. All information entered into DIRS is treated as confidential. To sign up, visit the FCC’s website www.fcc.gov You may also contact NAB's Larry Walke at (202) 429-4313 or the FCC’s John Healy at 202-418-2448 for more information. 

NJBA Remembers Former Chairman Don Brooks

Don Brooks, longtime radio station owner at the Jersey Shore, died over the weekend of a heart attack. He was 68 years old. Cleo "Don" Brooks sold his six Atlantic City-market stations in 2002 to Gary Fisher’s Equity Communications. Gary said that while he bought WTTH, WBNJ, WZBZ, WGBZ and WMID-AM and FM, “WTTH was Don’s pride and joy” and that Don “put the station on the air as an 80-90 drop-in, in 1994.” Don and his wife Ora were a charming couple and one-of-a-kind owner/operators. Don handled management, programming and sales; Ora handled bookkeeping, accounting, traffic and mentoring of the staff. Don was a good friend of the NJBA and a leader in our industry. In recent months, he was talking with NJBA President Paul Rotella about how excited he was regarding New Jersey radio and how he was looking forward to working with the new NJBA board on the many challenging issues facing NJ radio again. His warm words and genuine enthusiasm, while briefly experienced, were most welcome, and Don will surely be missed.  

EAS Summit and NAB Leadership Dates Set for 2010

The NASBA EAS planning Committee met this week in Washington, DC, where several agenda items were discussed and policy goals set for next year’s EAS Summit, which is tentatively scheduled for February 28^th and the 2010 NAB State Leadership Conference is scheduled for March 1^st through the March 3^rd in Washington, DC. NJBA President Paul Rotella will be heading up a committee to examine and report on the status of the nation’s Primary Entry Point (PEP Station) capacity and join a delegation of his fellow state executives who will be meeting with FEMA and DHS to address the many concerns each state has with EAS readiness, infrastructure and operation. New Jersey and Pennsylvania currently have no PEP stations to broadcast emergency presidential messages to the citizens of the region, putting the heavy population centers of Philadelphia and southern New Jersey in jeopardy in the event of an emergency.

NJBA Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program 

In this challenging economic environment, the New Jersey Broadcasters Association is adamant about protecting your station from a disabling monetary fine due to operational or facility violations that you may not be aware of.  When you sign up your station(s) for an NJBA-ABIP Inspection, the FCC is notified that your station is formally participating in the NJBA-ABIP and will therefore be operating at a higher level of station regulatory compliance than might ordinarily be the case.  In return, the FCC has agreed that any station which successfully completes our NJBA-ABIP program has freed itself, with some exceptions, from the risk of FCC inspections for a period of three years, as well as from monetary fines that might have resulted from an FCC inspection that was not preceded by a successful ABIP inspection. 

Your Station's successful participation in the NJBA-ABIP program is clear evidence of its positive attitude toward regulatory compliance – a significant factor in your favor in the event the Licensee is ever involved in mitigating a violation with the Commission.  A station that participates in the NJBA-ABIP Program receives the same type of input that for example an outside accountant/auditor provides to your financial department; namely the NJBA-ABIP Inspector verifies that adequate FCC Rules compliance systems are in place (or not), that station personnel are knowledgeable and diligent about compliance (or they are not), that your facility is operating as licensed (or not) and that certain things need to be attended to (or not). To request a copy of the agreement, please contact Mary at 609-860-0111 or 1-888-657-2346.  The NJBA-ABIP is a paid member benefit!

Florida Joins PPM Controversy

The Miami-Dade County Commissioners yesterday passed a resolution expressing dismay about what the People Meter – coming to their market right now – will do to minority radio listeners. The brushfire that started with the attorney general of New York spread across the Hudson to New Jersey and then south to Maryland. Now, Miami-Dade County has formally requested Congress to “enact legislation” and on the FCC to “enact rules” regarding PPM deployment and methodology. Going one step further, the county commissioners have also asked the Florida legislature and the Florida Public Service Commission to investigate Arbitron’s PPM service, even setting a new policy to “direct the county’s federal and state lobbyists to advocate” for its new position.

And Now it Will Take an Act of Congress

Arbitron’s PPM woes continue to grow with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee launching an investigation into PPM Methodolgy and deployment this week in Washington. Chairman Edolphus Towns said he will begin an investigation into Arbitron’s Portable People Meter that will have far reaching implications. In a statement released by the New York Democrat, Towns said that he remains “deeply concerned that without deliberate and timely investigations into this matter the increased use of PPM will further threaten the financial viability of minority targeted radio stations.” After the MRC, FCC, AGs’ from Florida, New Jersey, Delaware and New York, the PPM Coalition, and now the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Arbitron needs to focus on fixing the troubles many important constituencies see with their new ratings service, which remains unaccredited in our embedded metro markets. In fact, the MRC denied Arbitron accreditation of its PPM ratings system in New York just last month.

Speaking of Congress: Happy Birthday America!

Independence Day is more than a chance for family and friends throughout the country to gather for barbecues and fireworks displays, it is an annual celebration to commemorate the courage and faith of our founding fathers in their pursuit of liberty. Today, we are surrounded by modern day patriots, especially in our profession, where broadcasters have been credited with saving the lives of countless people with Emergency Alerts, disaster relief, and public service messaging that benefits every American, every day. And let’s keep the unsung heroes of our great Armed Forces, who are deployed here at home and around the world, in our prayers of gratitude this weekend for keeping the light of liberty ignited in Philadelphia burning bright and strong for over 233 years. Happy Fourth from the Board and Staff of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association!

The Trenton Report from The Marcus Group

School is Out 

Like college students cramming for finals, our legislators rushed through some modifications to the state budget and passed it late last Thursday evening. Governor Corzine signed it into law Monday and the legislators quickly fled the Trenton State House campus for their summer recess. Their job was made somewhat easier by an unanticipated windfall in tax amnesty collections--a program widely publicized through New Jersey radio stations.

Attention now shifts to the November elections for Governor and for all 80 seats in the State Assembly. And, it is back to school again as Jon Corzine hopes for a major boost for his campaign when President Barack Obama comes to the Rutgers New Brunswick campus for a rally with the Governor on July 16.

In the marathon legislative session last week, a bill was adopted to set the ground rules for gubernatorial nominees to select candidates for the newly created post of Lieutenant Governor. The nominees have until late July to select their running mates but the speculation is that Republican candidate Chris Christie may act shortly after the July 4 weekend and Jon Corzine would like to complete his ticket in advance of the President's visit.

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