Late last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a proposal that would, among other things, eliminate its current rules requiring broadcasters to publish notices in local newspapers when they file various license applications. PNRC filed comments opposing the change.

More than nine months later, the agency still hasn’t issued a final ruling on its proposal.

But the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) isn’t content to wait. In August, the Washington, D.C.-based trade association filed an ex parte notice suggesting an alternative: If the FCC decides not to kill all public notice when its members file license applications — which is NAB’s preference — then the agency should replace newspaper notice with a rule permitting “broadcasters to make brief on-air announcements that refer audiences to websites with additional information.”

License applicants that can’t make on-air announcements should “be permitted to purchase an online equivalent of a newspaper notice, such as an advertisement on a website associated with a local newspaper, TV or radio station,” suggested NAB.

Interesting concept. If broadcasters were allowed to publish notices on the websites of local newspapers, or on the sites of their own TV or radio stations, which do you suppose they would choose?