As Congress winds down for the year, lawmakers have introduced bills on perennial media issues — including data collection, marketing to kids and communications laws — testing the waters for support and laying down markers for what could move next year.
The Senate voted first, a bipartisan 81-18 at midevening Wednesday. That cleared the way for a final 285-144 vote in the Republican-controlled House about two hours later on the legislation, which hewed strictly to the terms Obama laid down when the twin crises erupted more than three weeks ago. The legislation would permit the Treasury to borrow normally through Feb. 7 or perhaps a month longer, and fund the government through Jan. 15.
A Lesson For Congress In Retrans Talks?
The irony. The sheer irony. Just a few weeks ago, Congress was holding hearings in which the challenges of concluding retransmission negotiations without the occasional service disruption featured prominently. Fast forward a few weeks and we now face another impasse where the parties have been unable to negotiate an accord, with the resulting disruption greatly affecting the public. The difference this week is that we are not talking about a retrans dispute, but the shutdown of the federal government. While the ramifications of this disruption are far greater than any retrans dispute, the similarity of circumstances is striking.
The House commerce committee Wednesday sent to the floor a no-brainer of a law that will allow the FCC to consolidate eight reports into one biennial communications marketplace report. It also gets rid of the anual telegraph report (yes, it’s still on the books!), a report that dates back to 1934.
The fight over the FCC’s future returned to Congress on Thursday — along with the animosity that marked past battles, especially over its ability to extract the net neutrality-like concessions it won in approving the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger.
Exclusives
Oregon Republican Greg Walden tells an NAB Show audience that “We want the auctions to proceed but we do not want to wipe out small-power broadcasters,” adding, “voluntary means voluntary.”
Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe’s announcement Tuesday came as shock to both parties, leaving an empty seat, throwing the Senate race into disarray in Maine and dealing an immediate blow to Republicans hoping to take control of the Senate in November.
The grudge match between TV broadcasters and the wireless sector is entering its most intense round yet, forcing supercommittee members to choose sides now that the deficit-reduction panel is eyeing auctions of the nation’s airwaves as a surefire way to raise billions.
Congress May Fast-Track Spectrum Auctions
It’s looking increasingly likely that Congress may authorize the FCC to hold incentive auctions as soon as this summer as part of debt-ceiling legislation now in the works. NAB says it is “working hard to ensure that spectrum-related provisions would include replication and interference protections for the vast majority of TV stations that will choose to remain in business.”
FCC Chief Uncertain Hill Will OK Auctions
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski voiced some doubts that Congress will approve spectrum auctions to open up more broadband airspace. Genachowski said at a Brookings Institution panel Wednesday that he won’t make bets on Congress passing legislation on incentive spectrum auctions, a top priority of the FCC and a proposal that has bipartisan support on the Hill.
The National Association of Broadcasters is pinching the nerves of some lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where tensions are already flaring with the end of the session fast approaching. Some Democratic and GOP staffers say their bosses are tired of negotiating with the NAB on lingering policy issues because the trade association seems unwilling to hammer out a compromise, especially on radio issues.
