FCC Extends Comment Date on Localism Proceeding
The FCC today released a Public Notice granting the request of several broadcast organizations for an extension of time to respond to the extensive proposals for re-regulating the broadcast industry contained in the FCC's Localism Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. We wrote about those proposals, here. Comments, which were to be filed next week, have now been extended, with a new due date of April 28. Reply comments in the proceeding are now due on June 11. Broadcasters should seriously consider filing comments in this proceeding (see our post here explaining how to file such comments), which could substantially affect the way that they do business, dramatically increasing the paperwork and regulatory burdens that they face.
Broadcast local programming is tradtionally considered to be news, weather and sports, but the bulk of programs seen or heard are nearly always national in origin. Radio in particular misses a golden opportunity to represent the local community by ignoring the wealth of local talent, in particular local musicians, who rarely have the opportunity to have their work heard over the air. The FCC and all governing bodies should encourage the development of local talent in local media, not just news, weather and sports. Rick Crandall - www.MusicTampaBay.com