The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 853, Volume 17, #20 for December 17, 2025

$86,400
An episode of “BBC Witness History” that aired on more than 500 U.S. noncom stations in 2023 contained Emergency Alert System tones in the absence of a real emergency, according to the FCC. A Consent Decree was issued, including a stiff “donation” to the Treasury.

END OF YEAR MATTERS
Among the things stations with lighted towers need to get done before the calendar turns to 2026 is the Quarterly Tower Light System Inspection, due before 12/31.

And, while it seems too soon after the government shutdown, it is time to get the quarterly Issues and Programs list ready so it can  filed early in January.

STL SECURITY, AND WIRELESS MIC SOLUTIONS
Chris Crump, the Sr. Director of Sales & Marketing for Comrex since 2004, is our guest this week. Chris will discuss solid IP security with Comrex’ products, and how the FieldLink solves congested frequency issues that can break wireless mic and IFB broadcasts.

Did you know? The first products produced by Comrex’ founder, John Chaney, were some of the television industry’s first wireless mic and IFB devices. They were used on Broadway, by the NFL and by television stations all over the United States. A lot has changed since then, but not the problems of frequency congestion. Chris, who has been at Comrex for 21 years, will discuss the issues that broadcasters, especially at sporting and live concert events, face when trying to do sideline or in-the-stands reporting in addition to covering some new solutions being offered by Comrex and other vendors.

We hope you will join us Thursday at 2 PM Eastern /  11 AM Pacific.  You will learn things. You will find the link request at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ along with a long list of programs and topics from the past four and a half years.

Join us on Thursday at 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific. The link request is on www.theBDR.net/TLG/

DID YOU KNOW?
There are now some 200 videos from our weekly zoom meetings, covering a lot of topics, at no charge. An index to those videos is also on www.theBDR.net/TLG/