Third-party fundraising on noncoms now off agenda for this week's FCC meeting

The FCC has dropped an agenda item on noncom on-air fundraising from its April 27 public meeting, "which more than likely means it will be voted and approved before the meeting," reports Broadcasting & Cable. The item had been a notice of proposed rulemaking inviting public comment on allowing non-CPB grantees "to conduct on-air fundraising activities that interrupt regular programming for the benefit of third-party nonprofit organizations." The National Religious Broadcasters have sought more latitude in on-air fundraising for other nonprofits, B&C notes. The item proposed allowing noncom stations to use 1 percent of annual airtime for those activities.