FCC Eliminates Paper Filing of Broadcast Station Contracts

After 80 years, the FCC on October 23, 2018 voted to eliminate the ancient requirement that broadcasters routinely file paper copies of station contracts and certain other documents with the Commission. We especially enjoyed Chairman Ajit Pai’s separately issued statement frankly pointing out that there is this thing called the internet today that makes paper filing obsolete.

Instead of filing these contracts (which, by the way, include your licensee entity’s governing documents), stations will make them available to the public in their online public inspection files, either in their entirety or via a list that the public can use to request a copy. We’ll be sending along a note to clients about the nitty gritty details during the first part of November.