"If necessity is the mother of invention, discontent is the father of progress."
David Rockefeller
American banker and philanthropist
David Rockefeller
American banker and philanthropist
 Opinion: Communications policy must be guided by safety considerations
When considering changes to communications policy such as the elimination of the basic service tier requirement for local TV stations, federal lawmakers and regulators must keep public safety as a "core 'first principle,'" writes Robert C. Kenny, director of public affairs for TVfreedom.org. "If Congress decides to eliminate this consumer safeguard as part of STELA, it will be a disservice to the American public and begin to erode [a] fundamental premise that Washington's lawmakers and policymakers have long stood by," Kenny writes. The Hill/Congress Blog (4/29) Share:
This year's NAB Show was a good example of how technology changes are affecting the TV industry, as traditional hardware purveyors such as Sony, Panasonic and JVC now compete with newer vendors specializing in digital and cloud technology, writes Edward Grebow, managing director of Morgan Joseph TriArtisan. "There was still plenty of hardware for sale in Las Vegas, but most of the buzz was about the cloud, collaboration, workflow, streaming, social media, software tools and solutions," Grebow writes. TVNewsCheck (free registration) (4/29) Share:
Fox plans to show a live, three-hour version of "Grease" in 2015. "From Broadway to film, and across generations, 'Grease' is one of the most beloved musical stories ever told -- and we can't wait to bring it to our air in a spectacular live event," said Shana C. Waterman, Fox's senior vice president of event series. TheWrap.com (4/28) Share:
The House Energy and Commerce Committee's communications subpanel has set a May 20 hearing to get an update on key issues from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler. Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., said the hearing "will be our first opportunity to directly discuss issues important to our technology economy, including recent proposals regarding the incentive auctions, the latest iteration of the administration's ill-advised Net neutrality policies and the broadcast joint-sharing agreements and media ownership proceedings at the commission." The Hill (4/28) Share: People & Personalities CBS will now have to find new host of "Late Late Show" CBS "Late Late Show" host Craig Ferguson, who didn't receive the "Late Show" slot vacated by David Letterman, is leaving the network at the end of 2014. Among the possibilities to succeed him are Neil Patrick Harris and Aisha Tyler, but Chelsea Handler is not a candidate, Tim Goodman writes. The Hollywood Reporter (free content)/Bastard Machine blog (4/28) Share:
Receive an MBA-style education for a fraction of the time and expense through NABEF's Executive Development Seminar. From July 20 to 24 in Washington, D.C., professors from top-ranked universities will help participants hone their broadcast management skills and advance their careers. The curriculum meets the specific needs of broadcast managers and executives from stations, groups and networks. For more information and to register, contact Amanda Smith or visit NABEF.org. Share: Now available: New NAB Political Agreement Form (PB-18) NAB has updated The Political Agreement Form (PB-18), which includes the NAB agreement forms for political candidate advertisements and for non-candidate/issue advertisements. NAB members can receive this form free of charge by e-mailing the Membership department at [email protected]. To purchase a PB-18 CD, visit NABStore.com.  In the Spotlight today is the 39th Annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), celebrating nearly four decades of enhancing visibility and possibility for spectacular films from around the globe. A cinematic extravaganza with a storied history and astonishing reach, this year's TIFF is bigger and better than ever before. For the first time ever, international shorts will be part of this unforgettable, eleven-day affair.
Offering an unparalleled platform for career-enhancing networking, intellectual conversation, and unpredictable fun, TIFF is fueled by an interest in cultural discovery and diversity -- now made even more possible by the integration of international shorts. In addition to an always stellar lineup of domestic short films, non-Canadian films with runtimes of 50 minutes or less will this year be an integral part of the TIFF experience, adding fresh and invaluable perspectives to what has already been recognized as one of the most robust cinematic slates on the festival circuit. Thanks to enthusiastic engagement with media outlets from every corner of the planet, TIFF connects up-and-coming filmmakers with powerful players from across the international media market. Year after year, film buyers converge at TIFF with an eye for great material and an appreciation for the Festival's curated, specialized screenings that empower fruitful relationships and exciting opportunities. Now, with the combined energies of TIFF's popular Short Cuts Canada program and its new Short Cuts International program, buyers and filmmakers alike will have seemingly endless riches at their disposal.  The 9th Annual Harlem International Film Festival (Hi)
Submit your film or screenplay to the 9th Annual Harlem International Film Festival and join filmmakers from all over the world in having your New York City premiere in the historic cultural capital and home of the legendary Harlem Renaissance. Hi showcases the finest films from Hong Kong to Harlem in all subjects and genres from narrative, documentary, animation, youth films and music videos. Awards include the prestigious Mira Nair Award for Rising Female Filmmaker and the Harlem Spotlight. Past honorees have included Susan Sarandon and Mario Van Peebles. This year a special call goes out to unique webisodes and inspired music videos. The Regular Deadline is May 11, 2014. Submit today! "Tact is the art of recognizing when to be big and when not to belittle."
Bill Copeland American poet  Editorial: Net neutrality plan is anything but "reasonable"
The Federal Communications Commission's third try at imposing Net neutrality regulations should meet the same fate as the previous versions and be struck down by a federal appeals court, according to this Wall Street Journal editorial. The public doesn't really need such protections, given existing antitrust and consumer-protection regulations. "Only in an era of super-sized government would a plan to give a politically appointed Beltway panel discretion to make ad hoc decisions on what constitutes 'reasonable' commerce be seen as ushering in an unregulated market," the editorial states. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (4/25) Share:
Magna Global has revised its 2014 U.S. ad forecast to $168 billion in media sales, a projected 6% year-over-year increase, up from a prior prediction of $167.1 billion. General economic improvement and a series of single-run events such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Sochi Olympics and the midterm political elections are expected to lead the growth. Digital is expected to grow 14.4% and social by up to 45%. Adweek (4/25) Share: NAB News Check out the 2013 NAB Television Financial Report This comprehensive report on television station revenues and expenses in the U.S includes 81 tables that show a comparative analysis by market size, station affiliation and revenue categories. This report assists with the budgeting process and provides answers to the most challenging financial questions across the television industry. Purchase your copy today at NABStore.com. Share: Legislative & Regulatory Analysis: Congress could take action against patent trolls soon A push to curtail patent trolls is one of five areas in which Congress could find bipartisan agreement during its spring legislative session, according to David Hawkings. Other potential areas for compromise are an "a la carte" spending bill, housing finance regulations, energy policy and tax issues, Hawkings writes. Roll Call (free content)/Hawkings Here blog (4/27)  In the Spotlight today is the 5th Annual PollyGrind Underground Film Festival of Las Vegas, igniting Sin City with fantastic films that stretch the boundaries of storytelling and the barriers of good taste. With exciting competitive categories including Blood-o-Rama (horror and gore), Area-X (exploitation and sexy features), Outcasts (banned and censored features), and Young Gunz (films written, directed, or produced by teenagers), PollyGrind dives headlong into the dark underbelly of filmmaking and returns with pure gold.
PollyGrind proudly considers any and all independently produced works - especially those that are off-kilter, innovative, edgy, sexy, or cool. It has seen more than 80 of its official selections in its first four years land distribution deals with Lionsgate, Troma Entertainment, Sundance, Showtime, and IFC Midnight. More than a festival, PollyGrind is a year-round community that prompts animated dialogue between great talents while championing the films it discovers. In 2012, MovieMaker Magazine, named PollyGrind to its list of "25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee," recognizing this one-of-a-kind event for its dedication to diversity, dynamism, and fun. Arrowinthehead concurs, praising PollyGrind's "B-movie jamboree of awesomeness" as the festival champions cult favorites including Slime City Massacre, The Bunny Game, and Dead Hooker in a Trunk. PollyGrind is also a member of Film Exchange, a multi-market screening network comprised of regional U.S. and International film festivals. Select winners at PollyGrind advance to screen at the RxSM Self-Medicated Film Expo (RxSM), which takes place in Austin, Texas each year. "If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."
Tallulah Bankhead American actress 
TV stations can get ready for their signal repacking following the incentive spectrum auction by completing four steps, according to Dan Fallon, senior RF engineer at Dielectric. They should complete transmission line sweeps, obtain a structural analysis of their TV towers, initiate necessary tower repairs and supplement existing antennas with auxiliary equipment. TVNewsCheck (free registration) (4/24) Share: Broadcast Programming Emmys will be hosted by Seth Meyers of NBC's "Late Night" This year's Emmy Awards on NBC will be hosted by Seth Meyers, who took the reins of the network's "Late Night" franchise in February. NBC will air the Emmys on Aug. 25, a Monday, because of its commitment to air "Sunday Night Football." The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (4/25) Share:
Local TV stations, with help from political ads in states with highly competitive races, are on track to boost their revenues by 8% to $20.7 billion this year, BIA/Kelsey is projecting. "Additionally, we're seeing the ability of local stations to maintain their loyal advertiser base, which means they consistently receive recurring ad revenue that boosts their profitability," said Mark Fratrik, BIA/Kelsey's senior vice president and chief economist. Broadcasting & Cable (4/24) Share: Analysis: Networks stand to gain from expansion of C7 ratings Broadcast networks are leaving money on the table if they don't expand their deals with advertisers from the current C3 metric to the emerging C7 standard, Anthony Crupi writes. Even a boost of 4% in the ratings could yield a significant boost -- a network that garners $3 billion in ad revenue each year would increase its coffers by $120 million, Crupi writes. Adweek (4/24) Share:
Jeff Littlejohn, executive vice president of engineering and systems integration for Clear Channel and this year's recipient of the NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award, is focused on building out supports for the radio giant's moves into HD Radio, mobile and other emerging platforms. "All of it is driven by technology. Our job is figuring it all out. I'm, fortunately, working for a company that wants to be on the leading edge of it," Littlejohn said. Radio World (4/23) Share: NAB News Early bird registration ends May 15 for NABEF Executive Development Seminar Receive an MBA-style education for a fraction of the time and expense through NABEF's Executive Development Seminar. Held July 20-24 in Washington, D.C., professors from top-ranked universities will help participants hone their broadcast management skills and advance their careers. The curriculum meets the specific needs of broadcast managers and executives from stations, groups and networks. For more information and to register, contact Amanda Smith or visit NABEF.org.  In the Spotlight today is the 12th United Film Festival (UFF), a year-round festival that prides itself in uniting filmmakers in six different cities with screenings of cutting edge independent films in addition to acclaimed classics. Designed to showcase creative energy and talent, opportunities to participate in this vanguard event include screenings in London, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, and Tulsa, where it originated in 2002.
With a focus on bringing together talented filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, UFF offers up an open mind to works on any topic, from horror to family-friendly animation and everything in between with a lineup of feature films, documentaries, student films, shorts, and music videos. All films submitted will be considered for screening at UFF festivals in all six cities. Each city boasts its own fresh lineup with different programs, which offers multiple options and locales to screen-official selections. UFF also hosts insightful Q&As, provides opportunities for networking and interaction between filmmakers and their audiences, and offers sales representation and distribution through its appropriately named distribution arm, United Films. |
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