Dates to Remember
May 7, 2025
Deadline to file comments in the ATSC 3.0 Transiti... Read More
In a 3-2 vote, with both Republican-appointed Commissioners objecting, the FCC has approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement an application prioritization rule based upon applicants certifying that they air certain amounts of local programming. The FCC’s announced goal with the proposed rule is to incentivize stations to support “local journalism” and provide programming […]
Read More →If your full power or Class A television station did not complete and file a children’s television report and upload children’s television commercial limits documentation to its online public file by the January 30, 2024 deadline, you need to do so immediately. Failure to timely file the annual children’s television report, or reporting less than […]
Read More →Although the Report & Order and Further Rulemaking in the FCC’s EEO proceeding considering whether to reinstate the FCC’s Form 395-B, is on circulation among the Commissioners, it has not yet been made public, even in draft form. The item is also not included on the FCC’s February Open Meeting Agenda. It remains possible that […]
Read More →The full Commission recently issued an Order assessing a $26,000 monetary forfeiture for a broadcast licensee’s failure to upload an annual EEO public file report to the public files and websites of the stations in a specific station employment unit. The public file upload finally occurred 9 months after the deadline. While there were aggravating […]
Read More →In late January, the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would make certain disaster reporting mandatory for broadcast stations. Many broadcasters are familiar with the current Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) where reports during a disaster on a station’s status are optional. The NPRM would make such reporting obligatory. In addition, the NPRM […]
Read More →The FCC’s Media Bureau announced a consent decree with a broadcast licensee that includes a $500,000 fine for violations of the FCC’s sponsorship identification and political file rules. The action stems from the licensee’s repeated failure to air sponsorship identification announcements for multiple episodes of, and numerous advertisements promoting a paid-for political program on multiple […]
Read More →January 10, 2024 TV, Class A, AM & FM Stations (commercial & noncommercial): deadline to complete and upload to online public file the 4th Quarter 2023 issues/program lists and any foreign sponsorship identification reports. Class A TV Stations Only: deadline to complete and post to your online public file the 4th Quarter 2023 certification of […]
Read More →Our very best wishes to our clients and newsletter readers in 2024. It is our continued and distinct privilege to assist commercial and noncommercial broadcasters throughout the United States as they serve the public. We look forward to helping you with legal matters in 2024.
Read More →On the December 27th court-ordered deadline for doing so, the FCC adopted a Report & Order in the long overdue 2018 Quadrennial Review proceeding. The three Democrat-appointed Commissioners voted in favor, and the two Republican-appointed Commissioners voted against, issuing scathing dissents. The broadcast industry had strongly urged a relaxation of the media ownership rules given […]
Read More →By January 31, 2024, commercial full power and Class-A TV stations must prepare and file children’s television reports covering all of 2023, and upload children’s television commercial limits certifications to their public file for all of 2023. We recommend that stations start early. Failure to timely file the annual children’s television report, or reporting less […]
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