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CHILDREN NOW TAKES ISSUE WITH WAIVER
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Allbritton, McGraw-Hill, and Media General are among the broadcast groups who planned to file comments with the FCC by close of business Monday--when public comments were due--asking for the waiver for DTV public interest channels -- news, weather, politics. They argue that the FCC was simply choosing one type of public interest -- kids -- over another, and suggested kids shows might break up the flow of those channels. Children Now's Christy Glaubke counters: "Not only do broadcasters have the ability under the rules to program their children’s educational shows on any of their digital channels as long as they have carriage, but there is no reason to believe that a mere three hours per week of children’s educational programming would harm a public interest channel. Some broadcasters, such as NBC, are actually using this rule as an opportunity to create shows for kids about the weather or news. These programs will add much-needed diversity to the educational programming that is currently being offered to kids and may even create a new audience for weather and news programming. Finally, it is important that kids get something in return for the billions of dollars worth of spectrum that broadcasters are receiving for free."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6327740?display=Breaking+News

WEBS GEARING UP FOR SUPREME SHOWDOWN WITH THE FCC
[SOURCE: Variety, AUTHOR: Michael Learmonth]
Ten days ago, all four broadcast networks, their 800 affiliated stations and the Hearst-Argyle station group walked in rare lockstep and filed a challenge arguing that three specific FCC indecency decisions are unconstitutional and inconsistent. The appeals involve a guest on CBS' "The Early Show" referred to someone as a "bulls****er, ABC's drama "NYPD Blue" and Fox's "Billboard Music Awards" in which Nicole Richie said, "have you ever tried to get cow s*** out of a Prada purse? It's not so f***ing simple." The challenge, expected to be heard by a court of appeal in the next few months, could end up reining in the agency that critics claim is exceeding its authority. It could also set the stage for a Supreme Court showdown -- the first consideration of the government's role in policing broadcast content since 1978. Given the entertainment industry's dearth of friends on Capitol Hill, it's no surprise broadcasters turned to the courts for relief.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117941849?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2596

* the End of "live" TV
http://www.dtgeeks.com/index.php/blogs/community_comment/the_end_of_live...

ENTERTAINMENT GROUPS TARGET TV INDECENCY WITH EDUCATION EFFORT
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: Gary Gentile]
A coalition of entertainment groups will launch a $300 million educational campaign next month to urge parents to control what their children watch on television, the groups said Monday. The effort by TV networks, cable and satellite television companies, local broadcasters and Hollywood studios is an attempt to forestall government control of content by demonstrating that a voluntary program can work. Jack Valenti, former head of the Motion Picture Association of America, announced the effort Monday during his keynote speech to the National Association of Broadcasters. "We want to tell American parents that they, and they alone, have total power to control every hour of television programming," Valenti said. He said the groups would enlist the not-for-profit Ad Council to develop advertising that cable systems, networks and local stations have agreed to air in what Valenti termed an "avalanche of messages." The material will also be distributed to churches and advocacy groups. The group will also work with the Consumer Electronics Association to raise awareness about the presence of V-chips in TV sets that allow the blocking of some programming.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/04/24/financial/f10002...

GOING UP
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Mark Fratrik, BIA Financial Network]
[Commentary] During the past six months, several large television groups have become even larger. With LIN Television, Grey Television, and SJL Communications acquiring most of the Emmis television stations, Raycom TV Broadcasting acquiring the Liberty stations, and Media General recently acquiring some of the mid-market NBC stations, transaction activity has risen to a level not seen since the late 1990s and early 2000s. These acquisitions are prime examples of groups' responding to competitive challenges by logically merging assets to improve revenue and cash-flow performance. It's also a show of their commitment to the television business. However, without further relaxation of FCC ownership rules, there will be fewer opportunities for these groups to continue such rapid growth. Specifically, groups with properties in midsize and smaller markets recognize tremendous opportunities in acquiring other stations in their markets, but they cannot move forward because of continuing regulatory rules. Nearly three years after the FCC proposed ownership regulatory relief for TV stations in these markets, no final action has been taken, and the outlook for quick action remains bleak.
http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6327136.html?display=Special+Report

* Top 25 Station Groups at a Glance
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John M. Higgins and George Winslow]
B&C's annual list of the top owners of local TV stations in the US. The top 10 are CBS, Fox, Ion Media Networks (Paxson), NBC, Tribune, ABC, Universal, Gannett, Trinity Broadcasting and Hearst-Argyle. See the URL below for the entire list and a look at the deals that have shaped it.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6327137.html?display=Feature&...