Dates To Remember

Posted on August 31st, 2015 by

TBA September: annual regulatory fees due.

September 1, 2015: deadline for Class A television stations who are not operating in digital to transition and terminate analog service. Analog service must cease as of 11:59pm local time on 9/1/15.

September 2, 2015 – 6pm EDT – September 8, 2015 8am EDT: FCC will shut down access to probably all electronic databases, dockets and staff email. Only Network Outage Reporting System (NORS), Consumer Help Center (CHC) and Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) will remain available. It is unclear if the online public files for TV and Class A stations will be affected. Deadlines for all regulatory and enforcement filings that would otherwise be due on September 2, 3, 4, or 8, 2015 will now be due on September 9, 2015. Affected systems include fee filer, CDBS, LMS, ASR (as of 12am 9/2/15), EDOCS and CORES.

September 9, 2015: Media Bureau workshop on how to access and use the ownership data collected by the FCC.

September 22, 2015: FCC hosting information session on Biennial Ownership Reports (FCC Form 323) for commercial radio and TV stations. 12pm – 1:30pm EDT. A streaming version will be available later.

September 30, 2015: comments due on proposal to keep at least one TV channel post-auction vacant for white space devices and wireless microphones.

October 1, 2015: AM & FM Stations in Florida, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands: if full-time employee threshold is met, complete EEO public file report and place same in public file as well as post on station website. If station has 11 or more full-time employees, prepare and electronically file mid-term EEO Form 397 and place copy of filed report in your public inspection file. NCE Stations Only: also file biennial ownership report via Form 323-E.

AM & FM Stations in Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Oregon & Washington: if full-time employee threshold is met, complete EEO public file report and post same in online public file as well as post on station website. NCE Stations Only: also file biennial ownership report via Form 323-E.

TV & Class A Stations in Alaska, American Samoa, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands & Washington: if full-time employee threshold is met, complete EEO public file report and post same in online public file as well as post on station website.

TV & Class A Stations in Iowa & Missouri: if full-time employee threshold is met, complete EEO public file report and post same in online public file as well as post on station website. NCE Stations Only: also file biennial ownership report via Form 323-E.

AM & FM Stations in Iowa & Missouri: if full-time employee threshold is met, complete EEO public file report and post same in online public file as well as post on station website.

October 10, 2015:

TV, Class A, AM & FM Stations (commercial and non-commercial): complete 3rd quarter 2015 issues/program lists. TV & Class A stations post same to your online public file. Radio stations place in your public file.

TV & Class A Stations (commercial only): complete and electronically file FCC Form 398 Children’s TV Programming Report for 3rd Quarter 2015. Link to your report should be made automatically by FCC to your online public file. Also compile and post to online public file records relating to station’s compliance with children’s programming commercial limits.

Class A Stations Only: complete and post to your online public file certification of ongoing Class A eligibility.

October 30, 2015: reply comments due on proposal to keep at least one TV channel post-auction vacant for white space devices and wireless microphones.