THE ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS

500A DALTON DRIVE COLCHESTER, VT 05446 (802) 655-5764 [email protected] The VAB Voice HOUSE MAJORITY OPPOSES PERFORMANCE TAX

Four additional House members have voiced oppo- The VAB VOICE July, 2008 sition to the recording in- dustry-backed effort to levy a "new performance fee, tax, royalty or other Plenty of DTV Questions at Senior Center Meetings charge" on local radio sta- tions for music airplay. The now. For instance, WCAX jority of sets sold in the past Congressional opposition to two years have come the label-led campaign now offers a separate digital chan- stands at 219, representing nel that offers weather equipped with digital tun- a majority of the 435- around the clock, as well as a ers. There should be an indication on the set itself member U.S. House. South Strafford, VT --- If the 10 P.M. newscast. VAB Ex- that is it is digital ready. questions raised at two re- ecutive Director Jim Condon NAB Executive VP Dennis explained the new digital That question led to a dis- Wharton says, "We will cent DTV information meet- channels will show up on the cussion of HDTV. The sen- continue to educate policy- ings at Vermont senior citi- iors were reminded they do makers on the devastating zen centers are any indica- satellite and cable systems before the switch takes place not need an HDTV set to impact this RIAA tax would tion, many Vermont resi- receive digital televi- have on America 's home- dents still have a lot of ques- next February. sion. Many of the seniors town radio stations." tions about the coming jotted down the number to At a June 24 senior luncheon switch to DTV. call for the coupons: 1-888- ROYALTY DEAL NEAR in South Royalton, one gen- tleman wanted to know if his DTV-2009. Consumers may Radio Online reports the On Feb. 18, 2009, all full- satellite dish was the same as also go the DTV website to National Music Publishers power TV stations in the US get their coupons: Association has reached a will only broadcast in digi- a rooftop antenna, and again the answer was, "No." Since www.dtvanswers.com. deal on fees for interactive tal. If your TV set uses a streaming and limited he receives satellite TV, he'll rooftop antenna or a rabbit- There are an estimated downloads of music. Talks be all set. If you have an old- ears antenna, you will likely 246,250 TV households in continue on other issues, need a Digital Converter style rooftop antenna, you including permanent music may need a converter box. the State of Vermont. Of box. Coupons are available those, an estimated 31,340 downloads and ringtones. fore free to save $40 off the households have at least one The terms of the deal will cost of the converter boxes, o v e r - t h e - a i r ( O T A ) not be unveiled until the which range in price from set. And, it's believed that issues go before the three $40-60. slightly more than half of judges on the U.S. Copy- those households, about right Royalty Board this Many of the seniors at a June 16,000, only receive OTA month. The judges are ex- 11 luncheon at the South television. pected to set digital royalty Strafford senior center were rates for a five-year period unclear if they needed a con- As of June, 2008, more than this October. verter box if they subscribe 21,000 DTV coupons had to cable or satellite TV. The AFFIDAVIT REMINDER been requested by Vermont answer, to their relief, is households. Vermont has Please send your station’s "No." If you receive cable or Another gentleman said he Army National Guard and U.S. had recently purchased a one of the highest cable and Coast Guard affidavits to: satellite, you'll be all set for satellite penetration rates in the transition. new TV set and wanted to Jim Condon the country, nearly 90 per- One satellite subscriber know if he'll need a con- 500A Dalton Drive verter box. Chances are he cent. Nationally, the average asked why he doesn't receive cable/satellite penetration Colchester, VT 05446 the new digital channels will not, since the vast ma- Please run current spots TFN. rate is about 82 percent. THANK YOU for airing the VAB NCSA spots! The VAB VOICE Feedback Sought for First-ever Vermont Amber Alert

It’s something we’re prepared training purposes, the HALL OF FAME for, but something we had required monthly test SPOTLIGHT: hoped would never be neces- script must still be trans- sary. Unfortunately, at 5 P.M. mitted. on Thursday, June 26th, Ver-  After 60 days, an informal mont State Police and the Ver- tions who are not currently in request shall be submitted mont Department of Emer- compliance. Here are the de- to the District Director of gency Management issued an tails from attorney David Ox- the FCC field office serv- Amber Alert when 12-year-old enford: ing the area in which the Brooke Bennett of Braintree EAS Participant is located was reported missing. The On June 13, the FCC issued for additional time. girl’s body was discovered a forfeiture orders to two broad-  Required monthly tests Rex Marshall few days later, and her uncle cast stations (not in Vermont) was charged in the case. for violating the current EAS originate from Local or Born in in 1919, Rex Rules. In each case the viola- State Primary sources. Marshall began a long and star- When an Amber Alert is is- tions were based on the fact The time and script con- studded broadcasting career in sued, it means a missing child that neither station had their tent will be developed by 1937 in . may be in imminent danger and EAS encoder/decoder properly State Emergency Commu- nications Committees in An unflappable announcer, Rex time is of the essence. Was installed and operational. achieved national fame as the your station able to relay the cooperation with affected announcer for the “Mister Peep- alert without any problems? The Emergency Alert System EAS Participants. Monthly ers” show starring Wally Cox. He How was the audio quality? now falls under the Public tests must be retransmit- was also the announcer for “Tom Was it easy to understand the Safety and Homeland Security ted within 60 minutes of Corbett’s Space Cadets” and was, wording of the message? Bureau of the FCC. It is impor- receipt. most famously, the longtime spokesman for Reynolds Alumi- Those are the questions being tant to remember that, even num. asked by Vermont’s Emergency though the FCC is considering Management office. a new Next Generation Emer- In 1948, Rex helped put WPIX-TV gency Alert System, broadcast- Channel 11 on the air in New Your radio station should have ers must comply with all the York, and was the station’s re- received a brief survey from porter at the 1948 Republican existing regulations until such National Convention. He later the state asking the questions time as the FCC adopts new returned to WPIX as their news above. If you did not receive it, Rules.  Analog and digital AM, FM, anchor from 1967-68. you can find it under the Some Key EAS rules: and TV broadcast stations “Amber Alert” button on the must conduct tests of the In 1966, he bought WVTR-AM (now WNHV) in White River VAB website at www.vab.org. EAS header and EOM  EAS Participants are re- Junction, where he hosted codes at least once a week “Breakfast at the Hanover Inn.” Recently, some stations re- sponsible for ensuring that at random days and times. EAS Encoders, EAS De- He put WNHV-FM (now WXLF) ported audio reception prob- Effective December 31, on the air in 1969. He remained coders and Attention lems from the Emergency Man- 2006, DAB stations must active with his stations until his Signal generating and re- agement office in Waterbury as conduct these tests on all death in 1983. Rex was a charter member of the VAB Hall of Fame. well as the National Weather ceiving equipment used as audio streams. Effective part of the EAS are in- Service transmitter on Mount December 31, 2006, DTV stalled so that the moni- Mansfield. Those problems stations must conduct toring and transmitting arose during the recent heavy these tests on all program functions are available thunderstorms that rolled streams. through Vermont. during the times the sta- tions are in operation.  EAS Participants must Emergency Management is determine the cause of  If the encoder or decoder any failure to receive the working with the VAB to ar- becomes defective, the required tests or activa- range at least one all-day EAS station may operate with- tions and appropriate seminar to address those and out the defective equip- other EAS/Amber Alert issues. entries must be made in ment pending its repair or the station log. Keep your eyes on your mail- replacement for 60 days box and on our website, without further FCC au-  Automatic interrupt of www.vab.org, for the seminar thority. Entries shall be programming and trans- mission of EAS messages REX MARSHALL information once the schedule made in the broadcast is announced. station log showing the are required when facili- date and time the equip- ties are unattended. For more information, visit the Meanwhile, our legal counsel ment was removed and VAB Hall of Fame at www.vab.org. has advised us that the FCC is restored to service. For For more EAS resources, actively looking for those sta- please visit www.vab.org.