November 2-9 NCE Radio Filing Window Fast Approaching

Parties interested in filing for a new noncommercial educational radio station during the upcoming November 2-9 filing window should have already begun working on applications in LMS.  The applications require detailed information and pre-filing actions/verifications, and are time-consuming.  In addition, certain aspects of the process are complicated and require qualified engineering and legal input.  Errors make it easy for the FCC to dismiss applications, as alluded to more than once in the announced procedures.

Applicants are limited to filing 10 applications in the filing window.  That limit applies to attributable parties as well – i.e., an applicant and all parties attributable to that applicant (directors, officers) together have a limit of 10 applications.  If board members or officers serve on boards of other possible filers in the window, be sure to confirm whether those other entities are participating in the filing window in order to avoid going over the 10-application limit.

A separate exhibit must be provided in the application detailing the new reasonable assurance information for transmitter sites/towers. The full name of the person contacted, the person’s telephone number, and whether the contact person is the tower owner, agent, or authorized representative must be uploaded as an exhibit to the application.

Applications cannot be filed until the first day of the filing window.  LMS has been programmed to prevent early filings, which avoids wasted effort and dismissed applications.