Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 878, Volume 17, #45 for June 10, 2026

FCC CAN ISSUE FINES
A recent Supreme Court ruling upholds the FCC’s right to levy fines against stations and companies for violations of the Rules and Regulations. The case, involving the major wireless carriers and the sale of customers’ real-time location data without safeguards or consent, affected millions of cellular users. The carriers claimed they were unjustly denied a jury trial before the fines were set.

At base, the decision says, yes, the FCC can levy fines. And, recipients of NALFs (Notice of Apparent Liability) have choices. They can pay the imposed amount. They can hire an attorney to appeal and, if denied are incorporated into a Consent Decree, pay the money. The choice clarified by the Supreme Court was, the violator could refuse to pay. The FCC has no other authority at that point but to turn the case over to the Department of Justice for collection. If the refusal to pay continues, and the DoJ initiates court proceedings then the violator could seek a jury trial. All a bit complex, but affirms the FCC can levy fines.

THAT PART 11 REWRITE MAY WELL HAPPEN
Long promised, the cyber security issue has led the FCC to put Part 11, regarding the EAS, in the spotlight, with some major changes on the table. At this month’s Open Meeting, it is anticipated they will vote to issue a proposed Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).

MAINTENANCE TIPS AND MORE
Everyone has – or should have – a maintenance program tailored to their needs that they use to keep their station(s) running at full potential. On the other hand, an outside opinion can often point out a thing or two that will make your maintenance program better. Join us tomorrow (Thursday) for an informative presentation from Brian Szewczyk, Regional Sales Manager and Dan Carcopo of GatesAir. They have produced a great way to look at maintaining both air-cooled and water-cooled transmitters.

Join us Thursday at 2 PM Eastern /11 AM Pacific, and let us learn things. The link request is, as usual, at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ Yes, you can see us on YouTube live – but joining us on zoom makes it easier to ask questions and discuss issues.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

TRANSLATOR ISSUES BRING FCC FINE
SDK Franco, LLC, operators of a pair of Houston translators, K233CW and K287BQ have entered into a Consent Decree to resolve violations of the Rules, including a $50,000 payment.

COPPER THEFT PROBLEM GETS FCC ATTENTION
In a speech, FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty has pointed out the increased challenges facing broadcaster and telecommunications companies in securing transmission sites and other infrastructure. As most broadcasters know, a vandal trying to steal a couple of hundred dollars of stolen copper can cause $100,000 or more in damages – plus take a station off the air – especially when the transmission sites are in remote areas.

FCC TO AUCTION 5G LICENSES
The FCC is working on its spectrum auction in four years, to offer over some 200 5G-grade spectrum licenses that “laid fallow for more than a decade.” This auction involves licenses all over the country in the 1,695-1,710 MHz; 1,755-1,780 MHz; and 2,155-2,180 MHz bands.

BROADCAST ENGINEERING AWARDEES
At the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Convention, John S. Martin and Richard Thomas II were given the 2026 Carl E. Lee Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award.

TAB REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
The Texas Association of Broadcasters’ 2026 Convention – August 5 & 6 – will again be at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock Texas. Registration is now open for attendees and exhibitors.

FINANCIAL ACTION AT BEASLEY
Beasley financial problems are reaching a peak. In a charter amendment filed late last week, follows a restructuring in April, the company notes that it will become largely owned by debtors by the end of 2027, even if it pays back the company’s debts. Still, the company plans to avoid complete bankruptcy. 

CHU TO GO SILENT
Canada’s shortwave Time Station will close down its three transmissions on June 22nd. The National Research Council reported that the station was plagued by equipment failures and hence deemed to be at its end of life.

THE NAMES, THEY ARE A CHANGIN’
Hubbard Radio is no longer. The CEO points out that media today is “broadcast, streaming, podcasting, digital platforms, and on-demand content.” Henceforth, the company will operate as: Hubbard – Media That Connects.

A REALLY LONG FLIGHT
How about taking a 22 hour non-stop flight? The Airbus A350-1000ULR, now the longest-range commercial airliner in the world, went from Sydney to London, nearly 10,000 nautical miles. Fortunately, the restrooms are well stocked, as are the drinks.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• The Rise and Fall of C-Band – Chip Morgan
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – $41k fine for Isue & Programs violationss
• Predicting Maintenance Needs – Rolin Lintag
• Beware of Killer Thumb Drives – Barry Mishkind
• Danger: Consumer Electronic Parts – Ron Schacht
• Coping with Overgrown Wild Vegetation – Barry Mishkind
• Talking Like An Old Hand – Clay Freinwald
• Making Nautel Customer Support Better – John Wilton

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

As more and more studio gear runs in the digital domain, Henry Engineering has produced their AES DigiSwitch 3X1, which can accepts up to three AES sources, selecting one which is sent to the output. It can be controlled using front panel pushbuttons or remotely controlled for automatic switching under the control of a playout system or any GPI contact closure.

= = =

Do you need to switch audio and video? The Lawo Edge One system simplifies things by merging audio and video I/O into a compact, SMPTE-ST2110-native IP-connected stagebox with SDI, HDMI in/out, MADI with SRC, analog/digital audio, GPI, sync/ref/WCL, and DSP.

= = =

Broadcast Electronics has a new Chief Technology Officer. Veteran of technology positions at Harris, GatesAir, Comark and Thomson, David Sparano is positioned to guide the design and manufacturer of new broadcast products.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

• 19 years ago (6/10/07) The Sopranos final episode closes with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
• 22 years ago (6/9/04) Clear Channel signed a Consent Decree to pay the FCC $1.75 million. *
• 24 years ago (6/14/02) Mick Jagger was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
• 33 years ago (6/7/93) the singer Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol to fight his record label.
• 43 years ago (6/14/83) Docket 80-90 created a flood of new FM stations.
• 96 years ago (6/13/30) the Federal Radio Commission (FRC) stripped John Brinkley of his KFKB license.

… and 104 years ago (6/14/1922) Warren Gamaliel Harding became the first President to broadcast on radio. Who was Gamaliel?**
                                                      
How about some “general” items?

• 36 years ago (6/13/90) the Wall did come down and Germany was reunited after 41 years.
• 43 years ago (6/14/87) TWA Flight 847 from Athens to Rome is hijacked by Shiite Hezbollah terrorists. ***
• 39 years ago (6/12/87) President Reagan challenged Gorbachev to “Tear down this wall.” Which wall? ****
• 43 years ago (6/13/83) Pioneer 10 was the first human-made object to exit our solar system.
• 48 years ago (6/8/78) Intel introduced the 8086 processor.
• 60 years ago (6/13/66) “Miranda” rights are established
• 72 years ago (6/9/54) Joseph Welch devastates Joseph McCarthy “Have you no decency, sir?”
• 75 years ago (6/13/51) UNIVAC, the first commercially produced digital computer, was dedicated.
• 77 years ago (6/8/49) George Orwell’s “1984” is published.

and 274 years ago (6/10/1752) Benjamin Franklin flew a kite during a thunderstorm ****

OOPS! We goofed! Last week we copied from an historical site that the first Drive Through bank was in Switzerland. A little more digging and we found several such deals since the 1920s. ATMs, though, were first installed in the 1960s and really took off after a snow storm in NY in 1977 that closed banks.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

* The Consent Decree resolved an investigation into whether Clear Channel had broadcast obscene, indecent, or profane materials involving Howard Stern and others. (Viacom had paid $1.71 million for Stern broadcasts in the early 1990s)

By the way: starting in 2003, and 2004, the FCC ran a number of indecency investigations, beginning with the 2003 “F” exclamation by singer Bono and the Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction.” Also in 2004, Emmis agreed to pay $300k for several issues involving Mancow Muller, and Viacom agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle complaints, including those regarding the Opie and Anthony Show

** Gamaliel was an esteemed member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee, and a Law teacher, at whose feet the apostle Paul had been instructed according to the strictness of the ancestral Law of Israel.

***The first recorded aircraft hijack took place on February 21, 1931, in Arequipa, Peru. The first U.S. airplane hijacking occurred in 1961.

**** The Berlin Wall, of course.

****** Franklin flew a kite during a thunderstorm and collects ambient electrical charge in a Leyden jar, enabling him to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity.

MIDWEEK BONUS

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
Do you enjoy optical illusions? Here are three that really take a moment to figure.

A longer read:
The Largest Retailer In The World
At 86,000 stores (as of 2024) it is 7-Eleven. But where did this company, formed in 1927 get its name? And, why the small “n” on its sign? Did you know since 1991, the owner is a Japanese company? Some interesting information.

VIRTUAL TRIPPING
Interested in getting lost for a few hours?
Here is an air ride over the pyramids of Egypt. Other locations are on this site. You may disappear for a while!

= = =

PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
        1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
        2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy – and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience?

– – –

We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

– – –

Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

MORE DETAIL HERE – YOU HAVE PROBABLY READ THIS BEFORE…
Those you who read the Newsletter might notice that more detail is provided on some timely issues than on the BDR site, itself. That is one reason we encourage you to invite your friends to subscribe. We are Opt-In only… and we give you two promises (OK, four!):
(1) no inbox flooding – it is one-time-a-week, and
(2) we do not give out anyone’s address.. ever.
(3) no cookies are placed on your computer.
(4) no Google ads are grafted onto your computer screen.

(Need to change your address? No problem. Or, what can we do to make the BDR more useful to you? Just reply and send us a note about what you like, or what you think is missing.)

unsubscribe from this Newsletter