A Legendary Night at an Early Bird Price!

Why wait when the best price is available right now? Early Bird tickets are officially on sale for the 2026 CBA Hall of Fame celebration!

On Friday, October 23, The Dome at AMG in Greenwood Village will bring together broadcasters from across Colorado for a night honoring the remarkable careers of our newly announced 2026 Hall of Fame Class.

Come hungry, come ready to mingle, and come ready to celebrate! The evening will feature heavy appetizers, exciting prize drawings, plenty of opportunities to connect with friends and colleagues, and, of course, recognition of the broadcasters who have made a lasting impact on our industry.

Your night out also supports a great cause. Proceeds benefit the CBA Broadcast Education & Development Scholarship Fund, helping provide educational opportunities for the next generation of Colorado broadcasters.

Early Bird pricing means there’s no reason to wait. Secure your tickets now, save some money, and start making plans for October 23!

👉 Get your Early Bird tickets and meet the 2026 Hall of Fame Class below!

2026 FCC Annual Regulatory Fees

by Frank Montero, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth P.L.C.

The end of summer means annual FCC regulatory fees.  As with most years, annual FCC regulatory fees for 2026 will likely be due the last week of September.  We expect to know the exact due date by early September.  As in past years, late payments will be subject to a 25% penalty.  

Regulatory fee filings must be initiated through the FCC’s online fee filer system and paid by credit card, ACH (electronic check) or by wire transfer.  If paying by ACH or wire transfer, payment should be initiated several days prior to the deadline to allow for processing.   

Stations with designated non-commercial educational licenses and/or stations licensed to non-profit entities are exempt from having to pay regulatory fees.  

Also, some commercial licensees that owe a de minimis amount may also be subject to exemption.

If you need help preparing your filing, or if you would like our assistance in any other way please email us or call 703-812-0480.

Fourth circuit reverses FCC's expanded lowest unit charge policy

by Adam Sandler, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth P.L.C.

In late June, four Democratic federal candidates filed an appeal in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the FCC's March 30 Public Notice that extended the broadcast lowest unit charge (LUC) to political parties and joint fundraising committees with non-candidate members. The candidates argued the Public Notice unlawfully diluted their own LUC rights by letting party committees buy opposing ads at the same discounted rates available to candidates. The FCC and Republican intervenors opposed the candidates on procedural and substantive grounds. The court rejected the government's arguments and vacated the Public Notice.

In a 2-1 decision, the court held that the LUC statute's text is unambiguous: "use... by" a candidate does not include spending by political parties (which cannot be a candidate's "authorized committee" because they support more than one candidate) or by joint fundraising committees whose disbursements are, by Federal Election Commission regulation, largely attributable to non-candidate members. The court pointed to the FCC's own language from 1991 that “only candidates are entitled to [the] lowest unit charge benefits,” and that “independent entities” supporting or opposing candidates are not “entitled to the lowest unit charge.” The court remarked that "[t]he statutory text is unambiguous, and it provides no support for the Media Bureau’s significant and unilateral expansion of the LUC requirement."

With the lowest unit charge window set to open on September 4, the FCC could seek an emergency stay of the court's decision, a Fourth Circuit rehearing en banc, or file a cert petition for Supreme Court consideration.

Quarterly Tower Lighting System Inspection

by John Baich, SECC Chair & CBA ABIP Inspector
Sangre de Cristo Broadcast Consulting, LLC

2026 Q3 ends this month (September), which means stations owning their towers must complete and document their “Quarterly Tower Lighting System Inspection.”

Let’s review the basic responsibility of tower owners whose towers must meet FAA painting/lighting requirements.   Not all towers with an Antenna Structure Registration number (ASR) are required to meet specific FAA lighting/marking.

CONTINUE...

Pillar Media Names Mike Couchman Chief Programming Officer

Radio Fees Rise as FCC Rejects Broadcasters’ Relief Bids

Blast From The Past: Dolly Parton; KERE, 1977

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