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Regulatory and Business Counsel for Broadcasters

Before completing any transactions regarding the purchase or sale of a radio station, television station, or navigating any FCC process, it is essential that you have counsel on your side that fully understands broadcasting law.

The attorneys at Hardy, Carey, Chautin & Balkin have the knowledge and experience necessary to assist clients who need to file required reports and applications with the FCC, acquire new broadcasting licenses, draft new licensing agreements, or transfer ownership of broadcasting entities. When it comes to any legal challenges within the broadcasting industry, our team can provide the counsel and representation necessary to accomplish your objective while protecting you and your business.

Experienced Broadcasting Legal Support for FCC Matters

By working with our team, you will have the support of attorneys who have decades of experience representing commercial and non-commercial radio and television broadcasters, in all types of matters before the FCC, including:

  • Auction participation and noncommercial points proceedings
  • Coverage area expansion and community of license changes
  • Digital radio and television service, including interference agreements
  • Equal employment rules and audits
  • Forfeiture defense and consent decree negotiation
  • Ownership changes, reporting and transfers of control
  • Broadcasting license assignments
  • Digital television sub-channel use, programming and licensing
  • FM translator use by AM and FM stations, including Mattoon waivers
  • Low Power FM station acquisition and regulatory compliance
  • License renewal and modification
  • Conversion to noncommercial status
  • Filing and defense of petitions to deny, informal objections, petitions for reconsideration and applications for review
  • Indecency complaints
  • Must-carry issues and complaints with satellite and cable companies
  • Children’s television programming, commercial limitations and website disclosures
  • Closed captioning compliance, exemptions, and waivers
  • Petitions for rulemaking and filings of comments in rule change proceedings

Receive Reliable Legal Assistance During Broadcasting Transactions

To ensure that you follow all applicable broadcasting and media laws before following through with any agreements, contracts, or transactions of any kind, first contact our attorneys, who have handled all of the following forms of broadcasting transactions and operations:

  • Station sales, purchase agreements, local marketing agreements, joint sales agreements, management agreements, non-compete agreements, options, rights of first refusal
  • Studio and tower lease drafting and negotiation
  • Due diligence investigations
  • Tower acquisition and compliance with FCC, FAA and environmental rules
  • Third-party financing and securitization with national and regional/local banks
  • Music and web-streaming licensing
  • Intellectual property, including copyright and trademark

Broadcasting Law Attorneys With State and Federal Court Experience

Our attorneys have also served as lead or associated counsel in state and federal court ligation involving broadcasters during numerous cases involving issues including, but not limited to:

  • Employment discrimination
  • Ownership disputes
  • Injunctions
  • Debt collection

Members of our team have also served as the lead, associated, and amicus counsel before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding broadcasting law and First Amendment issues involving commercial advertising restrictions and obscenity/indecency.

Contact Us Today to Learn More About Our Broadcasting Legal Counsel Services

At Hardy, Carey, Chautin & Balkin, we pride ourselves in providing broadcasting clients with unparalleled legal support.  Our clients receive up to date information regarding FCC regulations, including the availability of new licensing opportunities within their geographic areas of interest. Along with providing counsel for unique broadcasting law circumstances and transactions, we also provide our clients with a monthly newsletter, advising them of the latest:

  • FCC regulations
  • Congressional regulatory actions
  • Broadcasting industry trends
  • Potential industry concerns and risks

From time to time, we also provide our broadcasting clients with reports that outline relevant new or updated regulations that may effect their operations. With our help, your media organization will never be under or misinformed regarding important broadcasting laws or regulations again.