The FCC’s International Bureau today dismissed an application to deliver Mandarin Chinese programming from a studio located in Irwindale, California to XEWW-AM in Rosarito, BCN for rebroadcast back into the United States. The application was dismissed because the parties failed to include in their application a key participant, Phoenix Radio, which produces the Mandarin programming in its studio. Phoenix Radio is partially owned by two entities with Chinese government ownership, Extra Steps Investment Limited and China Wise International Limited. The parties have 48 hours to cease broadcast operations related to this application.
Continue reading FCC Tells XEWW to Shutdown Chinese Programming from IrwindaleCategory Archives: National
FCC Reminding LPTV Stations to Abandon the 600 MHz Band
The FCC yesterday issued a Public Notice reminder for low power television stations to cease operations on the “duplex gap” spectrum by the end of July 13, 2020. Some LPTVs were allowed to continue operating temporarily on TV channels 38 where a guard band exists between telecom channel A and old TV channel 37, or on TV channels 44, 45, or 46, where there’s a duplex gap between telecom uplink and downlink channels.
In the San Diego region, Entravision’s KTCD-LP on Mt. Woodson operated for a short time on channel 46 with analog service. They’ve since signed off.
In Los Angeles, KTAV-LD operates on channel 46 and will have to shut down or share a channel since they have no pending application for a new home channel. [Edit 6/23/2020 – The FCC granted KTAV-LD a Construction Permit for a displacement allocation on channel 21 from a Beverly Hills tower site. Channel 21 is adjacent to land mobile T-band channel 20, and had been off-limits to DTV in Los Angeles. ]
FCC and FTC Demand Service Providers Cut-off Phone Scammers
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2020—The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission today demanded that gateway providers allowing COVID-19 pandemic-related scam robocalls into the United States cut off this traffic or face serious consequences. And this time, they named names. This is the second such action taken during the pandemic, following a successful push in April with similar letters from the agencies that led to the termination of other robocallers’ access to American phone networks.
Continue reading FCC and FTC Demand Service Providers Cut-off Phone ScammersFCC Chooses New Logo
The Federal Communications Commission announced a new graphic design for a seal they intend to use at a new headquarters being built.
The design was a winning entry in an internal contest, submitted by Umasankar Arumagam. The logo uses a combination of new and old elements, including a flat-top AM broadcast tower antenna design from the 1920s.
The FCC move to their new campus has been delayed, as you might guess, by the pandemic.
NAB Show 2020 Canceled
The National Association of Broadcasters said this morning they would cancel the NAB Show, but CEO Gordon Smith said he hoped they could hold the show later in the year. Several major exhibitors, including Ross Video, Canon, Avid, and AJA had already called off their participation due to concerns about spreading COVID-19, the virus that the World Health Organization today labeled an “international pandemic.”