Government

A series of 2010 Census promotional videos have won several prestigious Telly Awards as well as a Videographer Award of Excellence — awards that honor the best in video production.

The FCC issued an Order and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNRPM) to improve its collection of data on minority and female broadcast ownership to be able to more accurately assess and effectively promote diversity of ownership in the broadcast industry.

The Census Bureau will launch a massive operation on March 30 to verify and update more than 145 million addresses as it prepares to conduct the 2010 Census.

Nationwide, more than 140,000 census workers will participate in the address canvassing operation, a critically important first step in assuring that every housing unit receives a census questionnaire in March 2010.

The United States Mint will release the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico commemorative quarter into circulation on March 30. It is the second coin in the 2009 District of Columbia & U.S. Territories Quarters Program.

After a calling for a very important meeting, where minority broadcasters would have had the opportunity to voice their opinions on the importance of allowing Class A and Low-power TV stations the opportunity to have full-carriage rights on cable systems (Must Carry). Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Martin suddenly cancelled the meeting due to political pressure or lack of interest from other Commissioners. Many interested parties were in route to Tennessee for this meeting when he canceled the meeting.

Following this flip-flop, Commissioner Martin created an impromptu reporter meeting and teleconference to state that he has not decided if the FCC has the right to investigate Arbitron’s PPM impact on minority broadcasters.

Industry insiders see once again the long arm of lobbyist placing incredible political pressure on Washington DC and the FCC.

On September 2, 2008, PPM Coalition (“PPMC”) filed an “Emergency Petition for Section 403 Inquiry.” PPMC consists of National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, Spanish Radio Association, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies, Border Media Partners, Entravision, ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Spanish Broadcasting System, and Univision. PPMC asks the Commission to immediately open an inquiry, under Section 403 of the Communications Act, into Arbitron’s use of Portable People Meters (“PPM”). PPMC notes that on July 28, 2008, the Commission’s Advisory Committee on Diversity recommended the same action that PPMC formally requests here. PPMC argues that PPM methodology undercounts minority radio listeners, that the rollout of PPM methodology starting October 8, 2008 in eight markets (including the four largest radio markets) will seriously harm minority broadcasting and defeat the Commission’s diversity goals, and that the Commission

The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) filed jointly with the PPM Coalition in an emergency petition for Section 403 inquiry by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) into the current Portable People Meter (PPM) methodology used by Arbitron, Inc. AHAA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to support the petition that formally questions the accuracy of PPM sampling and methodology. The PPM Coalition’s petition reiterates many of the same concerns expressed by the AHAA PPM Council in a meeting with Arbitron on Monday, August 18th and previous to that in a written document.

A report on the status of the digital build out by full power television broadcasters by the FCC’s Media Bureau shows that over 96 percent of active full power television stations are either fully operational with digital service or are on track to have their full digital service operational by February 17, 2009.

The Federal Trade Commission has charged the marketer of a work-at-home business opportunity with violating federal law by falsely promising Spanish-speaking consumers substantial income for stuffing envelopes. The Commission seeks to prevent further violations and to obtain redress for affected consumers.