The FCC’s Media Bureau has released its annual data regarding the number of broadcast stations.  In all, there are 33,551 broadcast facilities operating in the United States.  The breakdown is as follows: Compared to last year, there are 57 fewer AM stations and 24 fewer commercial FM stations, but 353 more non-commercial FM stations.  There were also 11 more commercial UHF TV stations, but 6 fewer commercial VHF TV stations. There was 1 more noncommercial UHF TV station and 4 more noncommercial VHF TV stations. You can see the FCC’s  Public Notice here .

Two key pieces of legislation have not yet been signed by the Governor.  Under New York Law, once the legislature sends a bill to the Governor, she has 10 days to sign it.  The failure to sign is equivalent to a veto. As a result, the Governor’s office and the legislature usually coordinate when a bill will be sent over for the Governor’s signature.  As we go to press, only the Advertising: Synthetic Performers Bill (S.8240/A.8887B) has been sent to the Governor for her signature. Keep Police Radio Public Act (S.416A/A.3516) : NYPD and other jurisdictions are in the process of encrypting all police communications.  As a result, broadcast journalists are unable to obtain information regarding police activity in their local community.  The legislation would require law enforcement to provide professional journalists to obtain access to basic dispatch information in real time.  At the same time, it would protect sensitive police communications.  Under the bill, the NY Secretary of State would create a list of journalists eligible to obtain access.  We have urged the Governor to sign this bill. You can see a complete analysis of the Keep Police Radio Public Act here . Advertising: Synthetic Performers Bill (S.8240A/A.8887B): After a considerable battle, we were able to amend legislation that would limit liability for broadcasting advertisements with computer-generated human images or voices.  The new law would require stations to include disclosures for any ad containing a computer-generated voice or image.  We were able to exclude radio and audio services from the bill.  For television, liability would apply only to the entities that created the advertisement.  Stations would not be liable for broadcasting advertisements containing computer-generated images from networks or syndicators.  The legislation would become effective 180 days after it is signed by the Governor.  While not perfect, we believe the risk of liability to stations has been significantly reduced with our amendments.  You can see a complete analysis of the Synthetic Performers legislation here . We have been urging the Governor’s office to sign both bills.  We will continue these efforts through December.

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) issued a Public Notice reminding broadcasters of their responsibility to ensure the security of their broadcast networks and systems.  The Public Notice was in response to the recent string of cyber intrusions against various radio broadcasters that resulted in the broadcast of obscene materials and the misuse of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) Attention Signal. According to the FCC: “It appears that these recent hacks were caused by a compromised studio-transmitter link (STL)— the broadcast equipment that carries program content from the studio to remote transmitters—with threat actors often accessing improperly secured Barix equipment and reconfiguring it to receive attacker controlled audio in lieu of station programming. Affected stations broadcast to the public an attacker inserted audio stream that includes an actual or simulated Attention Signal and EAS alert tones, as well as obscene language, and other inappropriate material.” This is a critical issue.  Make sure you have adequately protected your EAS systems.  You can see the FCC’s Public Notice issued by the Public Safety Bureau with specific suggestions to address the problem here .

Radio Ink is reporting on the results of a new study conducted by Critical Mass Insights. The study found that an overwhelming majority of Americans want AM and FM radios in their vehicles. The article in Radio Ink stated: “As automakers eye their options to cut AM and FM radio from their vehicles, a new report finds that 96% of Americans say built-in radio is important in a new car. The preference for in-car radio access cuts across all demographics, including those who don’t regularly listen. The Critical Mass Insights study found that nine in ten respondents view radio access as vital during emergencies such as severe weather or natural disasters. Those numbers align with the strong public response to the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require AM capability as a safety feature in all new cars sold in the US. The findings far exceed earlier studies, including research from Xperi’s DTS, where 62% of respondents said they would immediately rule out a vehicle lacking AM/FM reception.” The finding is significant as Tesla has removed both AM and FM radios from some of its models. The article in Radio Ink notes that ease of access to radio is important to consumers as it becoming more difficult to find stations. Also, a consumer develop streaming fatigue, they are looking for “free radio” in vehicles. The article in Radio Ink is worth reading and can be seen here .

This is a complex issue, and you should discuss it with your engineer.  The FCC has started a proceeding looking to auction a portion of the upper C-band for reconfiguration in the contiguous United States ranging from 180 megahertz (3.98–4.16 GHz) to the congressionally mandated minimum of 100 megahertz (3.98–4.08 GHz) for terrestrial wireless use.  The auction is to be completed by July 2027. The upper C-band is used by existing Fixed Satellite Services (FSS), including broadcasters’ satellite earth stations.  The FCC is proposing to use the transition plan to protect existing users that it employed previously when clearing the lower C-band several years ago.  A key component of that proposal is to make sure your satellite earth stations qualify as an “incumbent service” and are registered with the FCC. The FCC is proposing to use the same definition of “incumbent satellite earth station” that it used when reconfiguring the lower C-band.  “Incumbent Earth Stations. The Commission previously defined “incumbent earth stations” for the Lower C-band transition to include fixed and temporary fixed earth stations that were operational as of April 19, 2018, and that: (1) continue to be operational; (2) were licensed or registered in the ICFS database on November 7, 2018; and (3) timely certified the accuracy of the information on file with the Commission by May 28, 2019. As with space stations, a freeze on the filing of new or modified earth station applications throughout the entire C-band was issued on April 19, 2018—the qualifying date for incumbency—and the freeze remains in place. Throughout the Lower C-band transition, Commission staff continuously updated its list of incumbent earth stations found to qualify under these criteria, the most recent of which was issued on November 19, 2025.” If your earth station is not on the updated list (see link below), you may not be entitled to receive interference protection or reimbursement. As noted above, this is a complex proceeding.  It is still at the beginning stage and will take a while before new rules are adopted.  Nonetheless, you should begin work with your engineer to make sure your earth stations will be protected when the band is reconfigured. You can see the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking here . You can see the Space Bureau’s Public Notice including the updated list of qualified incumbent earth stations here .

Join us on December 9 at noon EST for a thrilling new webinar with LBS creative expert with Tim Burt titled AirTight Creative Campaigns ! Every broadcast and digital advertising second counts, and creative is your secret weapon to ensuring that they do. Many radio and TV campaigns fail when competing with social media because we have not asked the right questions of business owners and decision-makers. Whether you are a 40-year broadcast veteran raised on "Theatre of the Mind" or a 40-day digital-native rookie fluent in pixels and clicks, the reality for 2026 is the same: you cannot sell "Air" if your strategy is not "Tight." This presentation will equip you with the Universal Sellers Checklist for modern broadcast sales teams. Together, we will bridge the gap between dial-tuning analog and click-heavy digital with a 40-question framework designed to deliver measurable ROI and silence the "digital-only" objection. Stop guessing whether your ads are working! Learn how to lock in your clients, future-proof your commission, and deliver campaigns that are truly "AirTight." Over the past 26 years, Tim has written, recorded, and/or produced more than 30,000 commercials worldwide. Tim has worked at CBS Radio, iHeartMedia, and other companies. He is now the President of Tim Burt Media in St. Louis. This webinar is free for NYSBA members in good standing. Click here to register.

NYSBA wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.  It is a time to appreciate our families and all the blessings we have received.  Enjoy Thanksgiving weekend!

Photo Credit NAB Congratulations to WRHU, Hofstra’s Radio Station. Last week, it won the prestigious Marconi Award from the NAB as the College Radio Station of the Year. This should come as no surprise to radio listeners in New York.  Earlier this year the station won numerous NYSBA in Excellence in Broadcasting Awards in the College Division, including:   Outstanding Spot News ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Hofstra SVP Protest Outstanding Newscast ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Newsline: 2/28/24 Outstanding Feature ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Female Youth Hockey Players Display Awesome Skills Outstanding Sports Coverage ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Dylan Brett Play-by-Play Hofstra Pride Basketball Outstanding Use of Audio ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Guitars are Stars of Jazz Loft Guitar Festival Outstanding Personality ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Parker Discoll Air Check Alt Nation Outstanding Podcast ,  WRHU , Hofstra University - Queerly Informed   Representatives from WRHU were also recognized during our Broadcast Leadership and Hall of Fame Luncheon in New York City.   Congratulations WRHU!!! Great Job. Click here to listen to an interview we did with Hofstra's station leadership!

One of the many perks of being a NYSBA member is having access to enlightening sales training from Ten Minute Trainer. The ten-minute trainer network   offers a holistic approach to sales and management. The online video training library is proven to be more effective than interactive courseware and just as effective as live training. Available topics include leadership, management, sales, HR compliance, creative, cybersecurity, customer service, health and wellness, and more. The network also has webinars that are free for NYSBA members in good standing. You can now register for the upcoming events: The Power of Thanks: Leading with Gratitude into the New Year - December 3 | Noon EST This session encourages leaders to pause, reflect, and reset as they prepare for the year ahead. They’ll explore how intentional gratitude can transform setbacks into actionable insights and improve team culture and vision. You can register here .

Yesterday afternoon, the FCC released an update on its new filing deadlines for documents that should have been filed between October 1st through November 12 th .  With respect to the public and political files: Quarterly Issues Report : They now have a deadline of December 1, 2025 .   EEO Filings : All EEO filings that were to be filed by October 1, 2025, will now have a deadline of November 24, 2025.  This includes responses to the EEO audit letters.   Political Programming Filings : New York stations must upload documents between November 19 and November 26, 2025 .  To avoid overwhelming the system, the FCC has staggered political file uploads on a state-by-state basis.   Deadlines for applications and other filings have also been set.  We expect the FCC’s online system to become operational today (November 18 th .) Please review the Public Notices regarding uploads and other application deadlines. You can access the Media Bureau’s Public Notice regarding uploading to political files here . You can access the FCC’s Public Notice for applications and other filings here . You can access the FCC’s on-line public file page here . For a detailed discussion of the new FCC deadlines go to noted communications attorney David Oxenford’s broadcast blog here .

The New York Federal Reserve released its monthly survey report of business leaders regarding the service economy in New York. Unfortunately, the business activity for November continues to be down.  According to the report: "Business activity continued to decline significantly in the region’s service sector in November, according to firms responding to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Business Leaders Survey.  The survey’s headline business activity index was little changed at -21.7.  The business climate index held steady at -42.2, suggesting the business climate remained worse than normal.  Employment declined for a third consecutive month, and wage growth remained modest.  Supply availability continued to worsen somewhat.  Both input price increases and selling price increases slowed.  Looking forward, on the whole, firms expected little improvement in conditions in the months ahead." There is a lot to unpack in the survey.  It is worth reading.  You can access the full report here .

The BFOA is the only charity exclusively devoted to helping radio and television broadcasters who are in acute need. Personal donations can be made to our Guardian Fund, corporate contributions to our Angel Initiative, and bequests to our Legacy Society.   Life throws us many curve balls, such as cancer, critical illness diagnoses, accidents, unforeseen emergencies, natural disasters, and the difficulties of advanced age that may require around-the-clock care or relocation to assisted living facilities.   The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) has positively impacted the lives of countless individuals in the broadcasting community by providing a crucial lifeline when these challenges arise, treating each case with dignity and confidentiality.   It’s all about our community. The BFOA supports the wide-ranging sectors of radio and television broadcasting, including on-air talent, engineers, producers, sales, marketing, finance, and administrative staff. Broadcasting cannot function without the community effort and our shared goals. Please help BFOA spread the word about our mission to your colleagues—BFOA is here to help.   BFOA has worked tirelessly to keep this vital resource available to everyone in New York and across the country. To ensure that the BFOA continues to be here for years to come, it needs your support. We humbly ask you to consider a donation to help BFOA sustain its mission. Every contribution makes a difference!   In this season of giving please donate to the BFOA here .

In a letter sent to the NY City Council, NYSBA expressed its support for legislation (Int.1460-2025) that would allow journalists to maintain access to police communications. The legislation is now before the Committee on Public Safety. A hearing has been set for November 19 th .                    NYSBA and other organizations presented NYPD with a reasonable proposal to allow access to police communications by professional journalists in February 2023.  Unfortunately, for the past two years, NYPD has decided not to engage in this issue.  At the same time, it continued to deploy encrypted communications technology in New York City that denied journalists access to police communications.   Int. 1460-2025 requires NYPD to adopt a written policy that allows real-time access to encrypted radio channels for professional journalists and emergency service organizations.  It defines a professional journalist as a person who qualifies under the New York State Shield law as outlined in NY Civil Rights Law §79h and has received media press credentials issued by the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.  At the same time, the policy protects sensitive and confidential information.  We support this reasonable approach.   Journalists have had access to police communications for nearly 90 years.  To date, NYPD has failed to provide any examples where police officers were placed in danger by giving professional journalists access to police communications.   While supporting the NY City Councils efforts, we also requested assistance in getting Governor Hochul to approve legislation regarding access to police communications that passed the New York Assembly (A.3516) and New York Senate (S.416) earlier this year.  That legislation is currently awaiting Governor Hochul’s signature.    You can access the proposed New York City Council legislation (Int.1460-2025)  here .   You can access our testimony here .

With talk of a settlement, we can expect the FCC to be back in action when the government reopens.  While stations have been unable to upload documents into their FCC public files during the shutdown, this will change quickly once the government reopens. For stations, this means that a number of documents need to be uploaded into a station’s political and public file.  Political Files :  We just finished local elections in New York, and stations have numerous documents that need to be placed in their political files.  ALL POLITICAL FILE DOCUMENTS ARE DUE THE DAY AFTER THE DAY THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS.  So, stations should begin assembling their political records now. Public Files : Stations should also be ready to upload documents that were due during the shutdown.  For example, Quarterly Issue Responsive Programs lists were due October 10 th .  These lists and other public file documents must be uploaded once the Federal government reopens. We will keep a close watch on any notices released by the FCC on this issue.  Remember, keep information about your attempts to upload documents to your public and political files during the shutdown.  On your renewal application, you will be asked if you filed all documents in a timely fashion.  Of course, you could not because of the shutdown.  Thus, you should answer the question “no” but explain it was because of the government shutdown.  Keeping documents regarding your attempts to upload materials will help you if any questions arise.  You should consult your communications attorney on this issue.        For an detailed discussion about the shutdown by noted communications attorney David Oxenford, go to his Broadcast Blog here . For an analysis regarding the impact of the government shutdown on stations, go to our previous story here .

It’s Veterans’ day.  Take time today to think about your grandparents, parents, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors who have served this country.  For more than 250 years, they safeguarded our freedoms.  As broadcasters, we could not exist without the freedom provided to us by the First Amendment.  As Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins stated:  “America’s Veterans have made our country – and our military – the greatest in the world. On Veterans Day, we honor these patriots, celebrate them for protecting our freedoms and salute them for keeping us safe.” Veterans' Day is celebrated today because WWI ended in the eleventh month, on the eleventh day, at the eleventh hour.  It was supposed to be the “war to end all wars.”  It did not.  Since that time, generations of Americans have been called upon to serve our country and defend our freedoms.  So today, let’s thank and honor our veterans.  They certainly deserve it.

BIA is providing an interesting podcast focusing on local advertising.  It’s recent podcast focuses on the connection between advertising spending and actual growth. BIA stated: In today’s fast-paced advertising world, it’s more important than ever to connect your advertising spend to actual sales growth. In this episode, Rick Ducey, Managing Director of BIA, and Senan Mele, VP of Forecasting and Data Analysis, welcome Jay Loeffler, Chief Sales Officer at Valpak. Together, they explore how data-driven planning is revolutionizing local advertising, providing a single source of intelligence that makes ad buying smarter.  Listening to the podcast will be worth it. It features Jeff Loeffer, Chief Sales Officer at Valpak. You can access the podcast here .

While this may not affect most broadcasters, stations should be aware that companies using algorithmic pricing, i.e., pricing using an individual’s personal data, must disclose that this approach is being employed.  The law was originally to become effective in July, but its enforcement was delayed pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by the National Retail Federation.  That lawsuit was dismissed recently, making way for the law to become effective. On November 5 th , NY Attorney General Letitia James issued an alert warning consumers about this practice.  The press release stated: “New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers about algorithmic pricing and encouraging them to report cases of companies using algorithmic pricing without properly disclosing it. Algorithmic pricing allows companies to automatically adjust prices based on individuals’ personal data, charging some consumers more than others depending on factors like their location, income, and previous shopping habits.” The press release urges consumers to notify the attorney general if products do not display a disclosure:  “On November 10, New York’s Algorithmic Pricing Disclosure Act takes effect, requiring most companies that use algorithmic pricing to clearly display a disclosure notifying consumers that prices are set using their personal data. Attorney General James is urging New Yorkers who believe they have encountered algorithmic pricing that is not properly disclosed to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).” While the law is focused on product disclosures, stations should be aware of the new law.  Also, stations that are offering subscription based digital services using personal data for pricing should examine these rules. These pricing approaches are often used “on businesses’ apps or as part of loyalty programs, where consumers may receive an individualized discount offering a different, personalized price.” Other examples could include, for example, charging different prices for hotel rooms based on a zip code or persons income.  You can see the Attorney Generals press release on the subject here . You can access the new law, NY General Business Law §349(a) here .

The New York State Broadcasters Association is pleased to announce that Trevor Elmendorf has taken over as the new Director of Communications. Trevor will replace Nora Kipp's role of overseeing all things related to social media, content creation, newsletter distribution, and member engagement and billing for the association. Trevor is a recent graduate of Siena College and majored in Sports-Communications. He took countless journalism courses where he learned about the industry and how to produce news for television. He also wrote entertainment articles for The Promethean , Siena’s bi-weekly newspaper. Trevor has a variety of interests that include watching movies, playing soccer, reading books, and being outdoors. He grew up in the Capital Region and has a twelve-year-old Boston Terrier named Peanut. In his free time, he also enjoys visiting museums and historical sites around New York State. He is thrilled to be joining the New York State Broadcasters Association!

NYSBA is excited to share two upcoming November live stream sessions  available through the Ten-Minute Trainer Network  — both designed to spark growth, reflection, and actionable results for your members. November 6 at 12 Noon EST | Abandoning Beliefs That Hold You Back with Chris Lytle   A fast-paced, no-fluff session challenging outdated sales thinking and helping professionals unlock their next level of performance.  You can register for this live stream webinar here .  November 13 at 12 noon EST | Unlocking the Power of Your Underwriting Message with Speed Marriott and Derron Steenbergen In this energizing 60-minute session, Speed Marriott and Derron Steenbergen will challenge attendees to view underwriting through a fresh lens—connecting mission, message, and community impact. Through an open dialogue with special guest panelists, participants will explore how to listen with intention, build stronger solutions for partners, and move from transactional asks to meaningful, solution-based conversations. Register for the live stream here . November 18 at 3 PM EST | Reading Between the Lines: What Diversity Means Today with Ryan Dearbone   An authentic conversation exploring what diversity and inclusion mean in today’s workplace — and how to foster collaboration, trust, and performance.  You can register for this live stream webinar here . Each session offers a fresh, practical perspective.  The live stream webinars are offered to NYSBA members in good standing free of charge.

Despite the government shutdown, last week the FCC voted to adopt rules that would govern the deployment of ATSC 3.0 for television.  We reported extensively on the proposed rules in our October 14 th  edition of NewStream. A critical issue is the FCC proposal to move forward with a voluntary transition plan.  Thus, rather than proposing to mandate that all stations broadcast in ATSC 3.0, the FCC will allow stations to either broadcast in ATSC 3.0 or the current ATSC system used by stations. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated: “For television, ATSC 3.0 represents the future of broadcasting.  Today’s action takes steps to support and accelerate the nation’s ongoing, market-based transition to Next Gen TV, to remove unnecessary regulatory obstacles, and to give broadcasters flexibility to determine how to best serve their local communities while rolling out innovative 3.0 services.“ This raises an important concern.  The analog to digital transition was mandated by the government.  Absent the mandate, and the regulation requiring all TV sets to include an ATSC tuner, the original transition would have stalled.  The same issue may confront the current transition to Next Gen TV (ATSC 3.0).  One of the key issues facing the industry and the FCC is the fact that Next Gen TV is not “backward compatible” with existing TV sets.  This means that consumers using antennas may not be able to receive a station shifting to Next Gen TV on their existing set.   Of course, the current situation is vastly different from the original shift to digital back in 2009.  Most TV sets have multiple HDMI ports on the back of the set.  Consumers are used to plugging in different items such as gaming devices.  The same is true for new Next Gen TV tuners.  Some Next Gen tuners are already in TV sets.  Other Next Gen receiving devices are already on the market and can be plugged into existing sets.  Moreover, this assuming cable and satellite services get new receivers at their receive points, the shift should not impact their subscribers.    Nonetheless, there is a concern that some consumers could be left behind.  FCC Commissioner Gomez noted in her separate statement:  This item proposes to give the individual broadcasters the right to decide when they want to do a “flash-cut” to NextGen TV.  While we are dealing with a chicken or the egg problem, I am concerned about the consumers that will be either unaware of the transition before it happens or unable to afford the necessary equipment to continue to receive the services, including emergency notifications, on which they rely.  I am interested in seeing whether there are alternative ways to facilitate the transition to NextGen TV that would minimize the potential negative impact on consumers. The shift to Next Gen TV will be a major issue for stations, consumers and other industries going forward.  All parties recognize the clear benefits to both consumers and local stations.  The key question will be the ability of the government to develop a transition plan that implements Next Gen TV (ATSC 3.0) for American Consumers.     You can see the FCC’s proposed rules, including statements by all the commissioners here . You can see our previous story on ATSC 3.0 here .