FCC Lifts Freeze

The FCC has lifted the freeze on station deals, effective with the publication of the notice in the Federal Register. All deals that would have qualified under the old rules will be acted upon. If a station deal was on file with new rules paperwork, it will have to be resubmitted using the old forms. The good news is, deals that have been pending approval, will now be able to be approved. There are several deals in New Jersey that should now go through.

 September 25, Registration Day

NJBA’s EEO+ program goes live on September 25, 2003. The program which will help member stations comply with all of the EEO rules, both broad outreach and reporting, is ready for prime time. Stations need to go to www.eeo1source.com to register. Once you have registered, every time you have a job available you go to the web site, post the job, check off organizations for your area, both prong one and prong two, and that’s it. As the resumes roll in, just decide which candidates you want to interview, fill out the on line form for each candidate and check off the hire. The system will take it from there, including printing all of the necessary FCC forms, in the proper FCC format.

The NJBA program, also in Minnesota, California and Missouri, does it all. EEO+ is a free member service benefit of the NJBA. You must be a member in good standing to use NJBA’s EEO+.

 New ABIP Contracts In The Mail

The National Alliance of State Broadcasters Association’s has negotiated a new Alternate Inspection Contract with the FCC. The contract is with the Enforcement Bureau, as opposed to the present one which is with the individual field offices. The major change has to do with notifying the FCC when a station signs a contract for inspections, and then the station has 150 days to complete the inspection and cure any problems. If you have an inspection scheduled, you will come under the new contract. If your inspection is completed, you are under the old contract, however, you must display you certificate of completion in the lobby of your main studios.

 Special Salute

Dale Gehman, our FCC inspector, has completed inspecting WMBC-TV, and has issued a special tribute to the station for the BEST public file he has ever seen. Congrats to WMBC-TV !!!

 Movers and Shakers

Dick Taylor, longtime manager of some of New Jersey’s finest stations, is now the new General Manager of Nassau’s Egg Harbor Station, WEMG-FM. Taylor was formally with the Green Group and spent time at WPGC-A/F in Atlantic City for many years. Way to go, Dick.

 Remember to register now for the Sean Luce Seminar for sellers and sales manager. Go to www.njba.com  to register on line!

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