Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 885, Volume 17, #52 for July 30, 2026

WRAPPING UP 17 YEARS
With this issue we conclude the 17th year of the Broadcasters’ Desktop Resource. We are heartened by the emails and phone calls telling us how valuable you have found the site – and newsletter. Thank you for being with us. We are also humbled by the fine companies that help pay the bills.

May we ask two things?  One: tell a friend and get them to subscribe the one-time-a-week newsletter. And, two, if you have an opportunity to mention it to one of the companies you buy from, please let them know you find the BDR valuable.

C-BAND HAS SOME DATES
The FCC issued a Public Notice about the upcoming C-Band auction, which will displace broadcast transmissions from the 3.98 to 4.14 GHz band. The notice says the plan is for the auction to occur before July 2027, with relocation of existing operations by June 30, 2031 (larger market deadline December 30, 2030) availability of the frequencies by the end of 2030. The FCC expects to put some $30-50 billion in the US Treasury.

A statement from FCC Chairman Carr’s office says “Stakeholders applaud C-Band Auction.” There is a long list of companies and people expressing satisfaction – but none of them are broadcasters.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS COMING
With the FCC’s recent Order now published, a lot of questions are starting to be answered about what is coming and how this will affect each and every broadcaster. To offer some answers, Danny Ray Boyer has laid out the basics of the C-Band’s history related to FCC policy. Of course, that still leaves a lot of questions. And this week, we are pleased to have Mark Johnson from LinkUp Communications return to tell us where things stand, when things will happen, and what alternatives broadcasters have, depending on when they take action.

Our 330th Virtual Lunch Gathering will be on Thursday at 2PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific. Join us and learn things! The link request is at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ … 

… and do not forget, on the same page we have hundreds of videos you can use on subjects you will want to learn about.

… and … there is a Tuesday Reminder list, if you would like a reminder of the topic for the week.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

FREE EAS SECURITY AIDE
Are you at all wondering what you should do with the recent FCC’s 26-38 directive on EAS Cybersecurity? We have two articles on the BDR to explain the basics – not all FCC policy regarding how they will enforce the Order has yet been formalized. But it will be clear that stations getting hacked because of lacking good security will face some nasty fines. This article explains things, and to make things a bit simpler for you, this article contains a FREE app to generate passwords for you at any time.

REAL LOCALISM
One of the strengths of local broadcasters is, well, being local; being able to be seen on the street (remember remotes?) and communicate with the local audience. A Detroit station has taken this to a new level. WDIV-TV has just gone so far as to open a coffee shop and satellite newsroom. Fourgrounds (do we have to point out WDIV is Channel 4?) is to be permanent community presence where residents can meet the journalists, share news tips, and, oh yes, get a cup of coffee.

ATSC 3 GROWS
With the addition of ATSC 3 service by 5 stations in Cleveland, OH, NextGen TV is now operating in the top 25 TV markets, according to the NAB, which is promoting ATSC 3 as a better system to serve public safety, local journalism, and ensure free over-the-air service is available to as many communities as possible.

TO KEEP A LICENSE, YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THE FCC
A lot of stations are operating with fewer staff than in previous years. However, that is no reason not to respond immediately to communication from the FCC. Still, from time to time, a station seems to disappear. When the FCC asked KMOB-LP, Clearlake, CA to provide, among other things, a dated photograph of the transmission facilities, no response was received in the 45-day window required. The FCC waited almost 120 days, but the licence was revoked earlier this month.

AI IMPERSONATION ATTACKS
If you thought the FCC should not have taken any action regarding cybersecurity, you probably have not read enough reports of how AI attacks are getting more dangerous. Using the AI to impersonate executives or employee have hit over 53% of companies this year. It is no longer merely TV and movies where computers fake the voices of key people. Last year there was an increase of 389% in victims of ransomware according to one report.

But it gets worse. Autonomous AI agents seem to be getting more powerful. Early this month OpenAI reported a cybersecurity test it lost control of two AI models, which then used their hacking skills to break out of a “sandbox” without Internet connection, and hacked into another companies system to steal data. OpenAI admitted the event, calling it “unprecedented” and its “state-of-the-art cyber capabilities”failed to detect and stop the hacking intrusion.

SOFTWARE UPDATES GROW
The previous item should make it clear why you are getting more frequent and bigger software updates recently. One Apple update had over 75 patches, more than a dozen involving kernel vulnerabilities. Microsoft issued an update with 622 patches! And the AI hacking tools are scouring the web for even more.

Please review your firewalls and computer practices by your station staff!

CUMULUS BANKRUPTCY FILING EXTENDED
Cumulus is currently undergoing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy to eliminate some $600 million in debt. Over the past months some creditor objections had held up the process. Currently an extension until Oct 30th was granted by a judge for Cumulus to file its plan and December 29th to get a vote of approval.

FOR SALE
Someone is looking for a low power FM transmitter for a 501(c)3 facility. That, and a lot of useful gear is on the ForSale Page.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• C-Band Passes Away From Broadcast – Danny Ray Boyer
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – license cancelled after failure to respond
• Silicon Carbide Comes to AM Broadcasting – Tim Hardy
• A Free Tool for the New FCC EAS Password Rule – and More! – Ken Fine
• FCC Cybersecurity Order & NPRM – Barry Mishkind
• That FCC Fine is How Much? – Barry Mishkind
• IT Security for Broadcast Gear – Kirk Harnack
• Building A Maintenance Checklist – Barry Mishkind

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

Digital Alert Systems has announced they will highlight and demo the new DAS-Link AIR, an over-the-air common alert protocol (CAP) dissemination system for securely transferring validated alert information over ATSC transmissions. The system ingests broadcast data via integrated ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 receivers, authenticates both source and data, and delivers validated emergency information with multimedia elements for use in mission-critical communications workflows.

Also noteworthy, DASDEC units are ready for the FCC’s 26-38 Order on Cybersecurity, incorporating not only the newly required passwords, but also multiple layers of security designed to strengthen access control.

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Some of you may recall the original Revox B77 reel-to-reel deck released from 1979 to 1998. After 30 years, the company has unveiled the B77 MKIII with newly designed recording and playback electronics. Revox claims the manufacturing and quality control steps are so stringent that they can only produce 20 decks per month. Cost? Only $18,995.

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Inovonics is making August the Modulation Monitor Month with a $500 rebate deal for each purchase in the month of model 551, 552, 541, or 526 modulation monitors. Just buy and register by September 30th with “REBATE” in the “Tell us what you think box.”

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Mid-Summer conventions Worth your attention
Great opportunities to check out equipment and services you are considering buying:

• The Texas Association of Broadcasters (TAB) is next week. They always put on a great show. This year, it will again be at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock (Bringing your family? The Water Park beckons!) on August 5th and 6th. The TAB is especially inviting folks from neighboring states this year.  Check it out here: TAB –  August 5 and 6.
• The Nebraska Broadcasters Association – August 13.
• The IBC will meet in Amsterdam, slated for September 11-14 at the RAI.
• The Wisconsin and Minnesota Broadcasters associations combine for the Broadcasters’ Clinic, September 14-16.
• The Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE) has now opened registration for the Vancouver BC gathering October 5-7. The WABE program will include, among other topics, Proactive Broadcast Tower Maintenance and RF Sweeping of Transmission Lines & Antennas
• The NAB Show New York is scheduled for October 21-22.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

• 12 years ago (8/1/14) The movie “Guardians of the Galaxy” opened, reviving “Hooked On A Feeling” and other 70’s hits.
• 13 years ago (7/27/13) Taylor Swift and Carly Simon sang a duet of “You’re So Vain.”
• 15 years ago (7/29/11) Chuck Berry’s statue was unveiled in St. Louis; later he throws out the first pitch at the baseball game.
• 25 years ago (7/31/01) SEDAT/DAT ended its life at ABC Radio. 
• 30 years ago (7/27/96) The Spice Girls became the first all-female group to hit #1 in the UK with “Wannabe.“
• 40 years ago (7/26/86) Peter Gabriel hit #1 with “Sledgehammer.”
• 42 years ago (7/27/84) Prince starred in the film Purple Rain.
• 45 years ago (8/1/81) MTV started up … with “Video Killed The Radio Star.”
• 51 years ago (7/26/75) Van McCoy’s “The Hustle” was the #1 song in America.
• 55 years ago (7/31/71) James Taylor hit #1 with “You’ve Got A Friend.“
• 58 years ago (7/28/68) Hugh Masekela trumpet performance hit #1 with “Grazing In The Grass.“ In a rare event, Masekla bounced another trumpet song from #1. *
• 59 years ago (7/29/67) The Doors scored their first #1 hit with “Light My Fire.”
• 60 years ago (7/30/66) The Troggs hit #1 with “Wild Thing.”  (Many of you are still wild, right?)

… and 86 years ago (7/27/40) Blllboard Magazine published its first recorded music sales chart. The first #1? **

How about a few “general history” items as well?

• 23 years ago (7/30/03) the last classic VW Beetle rolled off the assembly line.
• 45 years ago (7/29/81) 750 million people worldwide watched the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
• 48 years ago (7/28/78) “Animal House”  was released.
• 51 years ago (7/30/75) Jimmy Hoffa vanished – one of the more famous cold cases. (And no, they didn’t find him in Detroit, either.)
• 52 years ago (7/27/74) impeachment articles against Richard Nixon were approved.
• 55 years ago (7/30/71) President Nixon admitted there were troops in Laos.
• 57 years ago (7/30/69) secret negotiations started in Paris to end the Viet Nam war.
• 61 years ago (7/30/65) President Johnson signed the Medicare Bill into law.
• 68 years ago (7/29/58) NASA was established.
• 70 years ago (7/26/56) Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal.
• 77 years ago (7/27/49) the worlds first jet-propelled airliner, the British De Havilland Comet, made its maiden test-flight in England.
• 81 years ago (7/28/45) a B-25 Bomber crashed into the Empire State Building in fog, killing 14.
• 105 years ago (7/27/1921) Insulin was isolated in Toronto, Canada.

… and 251 years ago (7/26/1775) the U.S. postal system was established by the Second Continental Congress – Benjamin Franklin was its first postmaster general.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

* Herb Alpert’s “This Guy’s In Love With You” was the victim.

** “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, featuring Frank Sinatra.

MIDWEEK BONUS

Less Colorful M&M’s

Get your full-color M&M’s now! Starting next month, Mars is eliminating blue and brown M&M’s as it is dropping artificial dyes, leaving red, yellow, green, and orange. The company hopes to restore blue and brown in 2028.

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PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
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PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

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Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

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