Montana Broadcasters Association (MBA)

3rd Circuit Reaffirms Rejection of FCC’s “Fleeting Images” Policy, Reverses Super Bowl Fine

greggy1 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:58:19 +0000

On Nov. 2, 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit reaffirmed and largely readopted its 2008 decision rejecting the $550,000 forfeiture and finding of indecency violation levied against CBS for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The appeal involved the live broadcast of the show, which culminated in an unscripted nine-sixteenth-second exposure of Janet Jackson’s breast.

The 3rd Circuit previously had held the FCC arbitrarily and capriciously departed from a prior policy of excepting fleeting broadcast material from the scope of actionable indecency, and that the agency could not impose strict liability on CBS, or hold it liable for conduct of Jackson and Timberlake, who were independent contractors not CBS employees. The 3rd Circuit reexamined that decision after the FCC appealed to the Supreme Court, which vacated the 3rd Circuit’s original decision and ordered it to decide whether the Supreme Court’s 2009 decision in FCC v. Fox Television Stations required it to reconsider its decision. In Fox, the Court held the FCC had not acted arbitrarily and capriciously in changing its indecency policy to enforce the law against broadcasts of “fleeting expletives.”

In the remand proceeding, the 3rd Circuit reaffirmed its earlier decision to invalidate the fine imposed on CBS. It held that, while the FCC had recognized it was changing its policy that made fleeting expletives non-actionable, the Commission failed in the Super Bowl case to acknowledge the prior policy even existed, or to explain its departure from that position. The court granted the CBS petition for review in full, and vacated the FCC’s decision.

National EAS

greggy1 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:12:23 +0000

FEMA and the FCC will conduct a test of the NAtional PEP (Primary Entry Point) statoins on November 9 at noon MST. All stations should be prepared to participate and report data to the FCC both before and after the test. Be sure to review the FCC Handbook for this test well in advance of…Read More »

2011 EB Awards

greggy1 — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:40:37 +0000

The Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the 2011 “EB Awards.” Congratulations to:

RADIO COMMERCIAL OF THE YEAR

Shawn Whitney, KBAZ-FM, Missoula

TELEVISION COMMERCIAL OF THE YEAR

Carley E. Rainey, KWYB-TV, Bozeman

RADIO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT OR CAMPAIGN

Livin’ Large Larry, KKBR, Billings

TELEVISION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OR CAMPAIGN

Kalee Scolatti, KTMF-TV, Missoula

TELEVISION STATION PROMOTION

Andrew Demarest, KULR-TV, Billings

RADIO STATION PROMOTION

Carin Maria Sullivan, KMBR-FM, Butte

WEATHER REPORTING OR PERSONALITY

Jeff S. Womack, KTVQ-TV, Billings

RADIO SPORTS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Ron Bruschi, KPQX-KOJM-KRYK, Havre

TELEVISION SPORTS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Zac Glover, KFBB-TV, Great Falls

RADIO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR

Paul Panisko, KBOW-AM, Butte

TELEVISION SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR

Chris Byers, KULR-TV, Billings

TELEVISION COPYWRITER OF THE YEAR

Andrew Michael Seeman, KULR-TV, Billings

RADIO COPYWRITER OF THE YEAR

Shannon Sullivan Panisko, KOPR, Butte

TELEVISION NEWS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Robin O’Day, KPAX-TV, Missoula, (“E-Book Revolution Hits Montana”)

RADIO “NEWS”

Orlinda Worthington, KMTX-AM-FM, Helena (“Helz Belles”)

TELEVISION “SPOT NEWS”

KTVQ-TV, Father’s Day Tornado, Nikki Laurenzo

RADIO PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

“Doobie Brothers Live at Fantasy Park”, Jeff Balding, KBZM-FM, Bozeman – Big Sky

NONCOMMERCIAL RADIO PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Radio-Television Department, University of Montana, Missoula, “Profiles in

Diversity”

TELEVISION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Tornado Special, Jerry Makoff, KTVQ-TV, Billings

NONCOMMERCIAL TELEVISION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Scott Sterling, KUSM-TV, Bozeman, “Without Words”

RADIO NEWSCAST OF THE YEAR

KGVO News Team, Missoula

TELEVISION NEWSCAST OF THE YEAR

KRTV-TV, Great Falls

RADIO ON-AIR BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Brian Lee & Chris Wolfe, KZOQ, Missoula

TELEVISION ON-AIR BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Jill Valley, KPAX-TV, Missoula

2011 MBA Convention Photos Posted

mbaadmin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:17:04 +0000

Photos of the 2011 MBA Convention are now just a click away. Visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtbroadcasters2010 to see highlights from the Hall of Fame inductions, ‘EB’ Awards, sessions, speakers, events and entertainment. Thanks to board member Ray Ekness for the photos and website.

2011 E.B. Craney Awards Finalists

mbaadmin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 21:14:44 +0000

The MBA and the Greater Montana Foundation are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2011 ‘EB’ Awards. The awards are named in honor of pioneer Montana broadcaster Edmund B. “EB” Craney and given annually at the MBA Convention which will be held June 25-26 at Big Sky.

2011 MBA “EB Awards” Finalists (listed in alphabetical order)

RADIO COMMERCIAL OF THE YEAR

Robert Nicklay, KZOQ-KGGL-KBQQ, Missoula
Shawn Whitney, KBAZ-FM, Missoula

TELEVISION COMMERCIAL OF THE YEAR

Ryan Flynn, KTMF-TV, Missoula
Carley E. Rainey, KWYB-TV, Bozeman

RADIO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT OR CAMPAIGN

Livin’ Large Larry, KKBR, Billings
Colter Langan, KBZM-FM, Big Sky

TELEVISION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OR CAMPAIGN

Nicole Riebe, KTVH-TV, Helena
Kalee Scolatti, KTMF-TV, Missoula

TELEVISION STATION PROMOTION

Andrew Demarest, KULR-TV, Billings
Brian Wheatley, KRTV-TV, Great Falls

RADIO STATION PROMOTION

Paul J. Stark, KMTX AM-FM, Helena
Carin Maria Sullivan, KMBR-FM, Butte

WEATHER REPORTING OR PERSONALITY

Kristen A. Kirchhaine, KULR-TV, Billings
Jeff S. Womack, KTVQ-TV

RADIO SPORTS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Ron Bruschi, KPQX-KOJM-KRYK, Havre
Jay Scott, KBLL AM-FM, Helena

TELEVISION SPORTS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Zac Glover, KFBB-TV, Great Falls
Ben Ross, KULR-TV, Billings

RADIO SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR

Paul Panisko, KBOW-AM, Butte
Jay Scott, KBLL AM-FM, Helena

TELEVISION SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR

Chris Byers, KULR-TV, Billings
A.J. Donatoni, KWYB-TV, Bozeman

TELEVISION COPYWRITER OF THE YEAR

Kathy Matosich, KTVM-TV, Bozeman
Andrew Michael Seeman, KULR-TV, Billings

RADIO COPYWRITER OF THE YEAR

Jeff Balding, KBZM-FM, Big Sky
Shannon Sullivan Panisko, KOPR, Butte

TELEVISION NEWS ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

Robin O’Day, KPAX-TV, Missoula, (“E-Book Revolution Hits Montana”)
Ryan J. Whalen, KTVH-TV, Helena, (“License to Sell”)

RADIO “NEWS”

Rich Ledoux, KMMS AM-FM, Bozeman, (“Explosion Aftermath”)
Orlinda Worthington, KMTX-AM-FM, Helena (“Helz Belles”)

TELEVISION “SPOT NEWS”

KBZK News Team, “Officer Shooting”, KBZK-TV, Bozeman
Nikki Laurenzo, KTVQ-TV, “Father’s Day Tornado”

RADIO PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Jeff Balding, “Doobie Brothers Live at Fantasy Park”, KBZM-FM, Big Sky
Jason “Big J” Harris, “The Blame Game”, KRSQ-FM, Billings

NONCOMMERCIAL RADIO PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Radio-Television Department, University of Montana, Missoula, “Profiles in
Diversity”
Jackie Yamanka, KEMC-FM, “Transportation”

TELEVISION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Face the State, “Barney Old Coyote”, Dan Boyce, KBZK-TV, Bozeman
Tornado Special, Jerry Makoff, KTVQ-TV, Billings

NONCOMMERCIAL TELEVISION PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

Radio-Television Department, University of Montana, “Patrolling the Big Sky”
Scott Sterling, KUSM-TV, Bozeman, “Without Words”

RADIO NEWSCAST OF THE YEAR

Peter Christian, KGVO News, Missoula
Troy M. Mellenger, KINX-FM, Great Falls

TELEVISION NEWSCAST OF THE YEAR

KPAX News Team, Missoula
KRTV-TV, Great Falls

RADIO ON-AIR BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Brian Lee & Chris Wolfe, KZOQ
Anne James, KSEN-KZIN, Shelby

TELEVISION ON-AIR BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

Katie Ussin, KULR-TV, Billings
Jill Valley, KPAX-TV, Missoula

Greater Montana Foundation (GMF) is seeking funding proposals

mbaadmin — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:17:47 +0000

The Greater Montana Foundation (GMF) is launching a pilot short-turnaround consideration process for funding assistance to encourage increased commercial television and radio station news and/or public affairs program treatment of current issues of importance to Montanans. As a result, the GMF is seeking funding proposals and requests from commercial stations for multi-part report series for airing within regularly-scheduled news or public affairs programs, or for longer one-time programs, focused on providing balanced coverage of current issues. Funding decisions for these proposals will be made on an immediate and as needed basis.