NPRM Circulating For Radio Online Public Files

After teasing the issue a few months ago with a somewhat cryptically worded public notice that mentioned online public files for radio stations as an afterthought, the FCC has apparently now decided to expand that inquiry into a full blown notice of proposed rulemaking. The NPRM has not yet been released, but it is an item being circulated among the FCC Commissioners. Usually, that means a release is near, though we note that this item is not on the current version of the FCC’s December meeting agenda. There is a small chance that the NPRM could be released without a formal vote if the Chairman and all four Commissioners agree.

We’ve written before about the earlier public notice, which was primarily directed at deciding whether cable and DBS providers should have to post their political files online. In response to the “side” question of whether the FCC should initiate a rulemaking to decide if online public files for radio stations were needed, the FCC got an earful from stations questioning the purpose and need for radio stations to have online public files. It will be interesting to see if those statements are included in the anticipated NPRM. We note from the NPRM title that online public files for cable and satellite providers is also part of the rulemaking.