Biennial Ownership Report Filings Due Beginning October 1

October 1 marks the start of a two-month window in which all commercial and noncommercial broadcast stations must prepare and file a biennial ownership report with the FCC.  Only low power FM stations, TV translator stations, and FM translator stations are exempt from the requirement.

Reports must be filed electronically in the FCC’s Licensing and Management System.  The licensee’s FRN (or an authorized CORES username) must be used to log in to the system.  All information reported in the form must be current as of October 1, 2021.  In cases where a licensee is owned by one or more parent entities, those organizations must also file reports in addition to the licensee.  Organizational charts are required to explain ownership structures, where applicable.

One section of the ownership report requires the listing of certain contracts that a licensee may be party to.  The FCC’s rule mandating ownership reports specifically refers to Section 73.3613 of the FCC’s rules for details on which contracts must be reported. Redacted copies or a list of those contracts must be in a station’s online public file.

The FCC is closely scrutinizing ownership reporting during the license renewal process, and took the unusual step in June 2021 of issuing a reminder and warning about incomplete or inaccurate ownership reporting by stations.  The FCC compiles data on broadcast station ownership from the biennial filings, and recently issued its Fifth Report highlighting current ownership and trends. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel issued separate statements after the Fifth Report was published, noting low minority and female ownership and urging accuracy in reporting as well as renewed efforts to encourage diversity of ownership.

The Media Bureau also recently issued a new reminder that the biennial ownership reporting filing window opens October 1 and that all reports must be filed no later than December 1.  The reminder also announced that the Bureau will host a public information session on October 5, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Bureau staff will present an overview of biennial Forms 323 and 323-E and respond to questions raised by online attendees. This session is designed to assist both novice and experienced filers. The October 5, 2021 information session will be convened in an online format and will be available to the public via live feed from the FCC’s web page at www.fcc.gov/live. The public may also follow the meeting on the Commission’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/fccdotgovvideo. The video will remain available after the session.

Detailed information on the ownership report forms and requirements can be reviewed at this link.