Ajit Pai Will Leave FCC

[TheBigA]

The Senate today confirmed new FCC Commissioner Nathen Simington, who replaces O'Rielly.

This ensure a deadlocked FCC (2 Dems, 2 Reps) on the Commission when Biden becomes president.

Simington is an author of the president's social media exec order, so we may see them try to shove that through.

 

[boombox4]

Pai did a lot of good things too. Like elimination of uncessary paperwork, AM revitaliztion, the main studio rule, and public files online. The question is who will be the next Commissioner?

And overseeing the decision to allow AM stations to go all-digital, if they so choose.

 

[boombox4]

Agreed, Pai just caused a congested FM band with this AM revitalization. FM reception in most major markets is getting worse because of all the translators.

How is reception worse? Translators can't interfere with commercial FM stations in the same market. There are specific rules that protect local market stations. Translators only interfere with other translators, out-of-market signals, or LPFMs. In my metro translators haven't caused any reception issues to local FM. The only people who feel they have are either FM DXers or those who want to listen to stations in the next markets, 80-150 miles away.

 

[Don CT]

The Senate today confirmed new FCC Commissioner Nathen Simington, who replaces O'Rielly.

This ensure a deadlocked FCC (2 Dems, 2 Reps) on the Commission when Biden becomes president.

Simington is an author of the president's social media exec order, so we may see them try to shove that through.

I thought the president makes the nomination. Wouldn't Biden make the pick?

 

[TheBigA]

I thought the president makes the nomination. Wouldn't Biden make the pick?

Sure, but they're expecting the Senate won't confirm his picks. Welcome to partisan government. Biden could do what Trump did, which is pick a nominee who has already been confirmed, or make an acting appointment.

 

[Don CT]

Sure, but they're expecting the Senate won't confirm his picks. Welcome to partisan government. Biden could do what Trump did, which is pick a nominee who has already been confirmed, or make an acting appointment.

I thought the commission was 3 people?

 

[TheBigA]

I thought the commission was 3 people?

Five commissioners. Two from each party, and the president picks the chairman for five. With Pai leaving, that leaves four, and Biden now nominates his own chairman. If he picks Clyburn, she's already been confirmed by the Senate.

 

[Kevin]

How is reception worse? Translators can't interfere with commercial FM stations in the same market. There are specific rules that protect local market stations. Translators only interfere with other translators, out-of-market signals, or LPFMs. In my metro translators haven't caused any reception issues to local FM. The only people who feel they have are either FM DXers or those who want to listen to stations in the next markets, 80-150 miles away.

In the Detroit Market, I used to listen to stations 50 miles away and now can’t due to the mess that translators have caused and most of them are religious mainly EMF. That’s how reception is worse, plus here in the Detroit area listening to FM is a nightmare due to all the recent Canadian stations from Windsor, Chatham and Sarnia area. The FM band is simply over crowded in Southeastern Michigan.

 

[TheBigA]

Ajit Pai talks here about media ownership rules. He questions why there even are such things:

Ajit Pai Begins Slow Exit With Evisceration Of FCC’s Broadcast Ownership Rules.

FCC Chair Ajit Pai thinks the time has come for the federal government to “fundamentally rethink” the concept of broadcast media ownership regulation. In a speech on Tuesday, he said

www.insideradio.com

Obviously folks who criticize concentration of media would disagree. But it also flies in the face of Republicans who feel tech companies and social media companies have become too powerful.

 

[Kemosabe]

Pai … flies in the face of Republicans?