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ETRS Form One Due Oct. 4 for All EAS Participants

The FCC announced today that all EAS Participants must submit their annual Form One filings no later than October 4, 2024.  EAS Participants are parties subject to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules.  Virtually all broadcast stations, wired and wireless cable television systems, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, digital audio broadcasting systems, and wireline video … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Exercise of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS)

The FCC released a Public Notice today announcing a June 10-12 exercise of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).  Communications providers, including broadcast, wireless, satellite, broadband, and wireline providers, interested in participating must register by June 3.    DIRS is the FCC online system through which providers report information on the operational status of communications assets … Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Report and Order Allowing Certain LPTVs to Convert to Class A Television Stations

On December 12, 2023, the FCC adopted a Report and Order (“R&O”) providing certain qualifying Low Power TV (“LPTV”) stations with a limited opportunity to convert to Class A status.  The R&O came after the FCC circulated a draft last month and implements the requirements of the Low Power Protection Act (“LPPA”), which is intended … Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Final Deadlines for Submission of C-Band Reimbursement Claims

On December 5, 2023, the FCC released a Public Notice adopting two final reimbursement claims submission deadlines for eligible incumbents and stakeholders as part of the ongoing transition of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band (“C-band”).  Claimants seeking reimbursement for all claims for C-band transition costs incurred and paid by claimants as of December 31, 2023, including … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Another Round of EEO Audits

On October 30, 2023, the FCC released yet another list of broadcast stations that will be audited regarding their compliance with the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) rules. Licensees of the audited stations will have to upload their audit responses to their online public inspection files by December 14, 2023.    Approximately twice per year, the … Continue Reading

EAS Nationwide Test Scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2023

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) have announced that a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) will take place on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 pm EDT.   As we previously reported, EAS participants, with limited exceptions, should have already filed their ETRS Form 1 providing the FCC … Continue Reading

FCC Announces Opening of Biennial Ownership Report Filing Window

This week, the Commission issued a Public Notice announcing that the filing window for submitting biennial ownership reports will open on October 2, 2023.  All licensees of commercial and non-commercial full power television, Class A television, low power television, AM radio, and FM radio stations, as well as any entity having an attributable interest such … Continue Reading

FCC Announces End to System Outages and Updated Deadlines

  On June 21st, the FCC announced that the Universal Licensing System (ULS), Tower Construction Notification System (TCNS), E-106 System, and Antenna Structure Registration System (ASR) are now operational following an outage that began on June 9th.   As discussed in our prior blog post, the FCC had previously extended filing deadlines to address the system … Continue Reading

FCC Extends Deadlines During Certain FCC System Outages

The FCC announced that it would extend deadlines to accommodate outages in the Universal Licensing System (ULS), Tower Construction Notification System (TCNS), E-106 System, and Antenna Structure Registration Systems (ASR).   These extended deadlines include:  Regulatory Filings in ULS and ASR. All regulatory filings that needed to be or will need to be made in these … Continue Reading

FCC Extends Deadline for Television Stations to Implement Aural Description of Emergency Information

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has largely granted the NAB’s request and will again extend for 18 months to November 26, 2024, the effective date of the FCC’s rule governing accessibility of emergency communications. This rule requires broadcasters to provide, during non-newscast programming, an aural representation of any visual, non-textual emergency information, such as radar … Continue Reading

Upcoming FCC Broadcast Filing Deadlines for June and July

June 1  Annual EEO Public Inspection File Report – Broadcasters with Station Employment Units comprised of radio and/or television stations with five or more full-time employees licensed to communities in Arizona, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wyoming must upload to the stations’ respective Online … Continue Reading

FCC Announces EEO Mid-term Reviews Begin June 1 and New Online Public Inspection File EEO Mid-term Requirement for Radio Stations

The FCC announced today via Public Notice that mid-term EEO reviews for radio stations in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia will begin on June 1.  We discussed EEO mid-term reviews earlier this year in anticipation of this announcement.  The Public Notice stated that “each television station that is part of an employment unit of … Continue Reading

FCC Announces EEO Audits

On April 24, 2023 the FCC released its most recent list of broadcast stations that will be audited regarding their compliance with the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) rules. Licensees of the audited stations will have to upload their audit responses to their online public inspection files by June 8, 2023.  Approximately twice per year, … Continue Reading

FCC Opens Rulemaking Proceeding to Implement the Low Power Protection Act’s Window for Eligible LPTVs to Apply for Conversion to Class A Designation

On March 30, 2023, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) seeking comment on the following proposed rules for a one-year filing window for eligible LPTV stations to apply for conversion to Class A designation:  Eligibility Requirements  The Commission proposes three eligibility requirements that LPTV stations must meet to apply for conversion to … Continue Reading

FCC Implements New STIR/SHAKEN and Robocall Mitigation Rules

At the FCC Commissioners’ meeting on March 16, the FCC imposed new STIR/SHAKEN and robocall mitigation requirements on all providers, including intermediate providers and regardless of their STIR/SHAKEN implementation status.  All providers are now required to take “reasonable steps” to mitigate illegal robocall traffic and must submit a certification and mitigation plan to the Commission’s … Continue Reading

Upcoming FCC Telecom Deadlines

March 31  Supply Chain Annual Report – Providers of advanced communications services that purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise obtained covered communications equipment and services on the Covered List in 2022 must submit an annual report on or before March 31, 2023 covering information as of December 31, 2022.  The current version of the Covered List … Continue Reading

EEO Mid-Term Review Anticipated Starting May 2023

We remind radio licensees that Spring marks the mid-point of the current license term for some.  This mid-point is significant because it marks the beginning of the period during which the FCC will conduct mid-term reviews to determine compliance with EEO requirements for radio station employment units that employ 11 or more full-time employees. Even … Continue Reading

FCC Broadcast Filing Deadlines for April

April 1, 2023 Delaware or Pennsylvania Television License Renewal Applications Due – Applications for renewal of FCC licenses for television stations licensed to Delaware or Pennsylvania must be filed in LMS, the FCC’s online filing system.  Schedule 396 the Broadcast EEO Program Report must accompany these applications. EEO Public File Reports – All licensed full-service radio and television broadcast stations, … Continue Reading

Reminder – EAS Test Reporting System Filing Deadline February 28

This is a reminder that the FCC previously advised that parties that are Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) Participants, which would include not only virtually all broadcast stations, but also, wired and wireless cable television systems, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, and wireline video systems, must submit Form One filings for calendar year 2022 in the … Continue Reading

FCC Extends Deadline for January Online Public File Uploads and Other Filings

On Friday, January 27, the FCC further extended the deadline for entities to complete certain required Online Public Inspection File (“OPIF”) uploads and certain Licensing and Management System (“LMS”) filings. The new due date for these uploads will be February 28, 2023. On January 6, 2023, following wide reports of technical challenges impacting licensee’s ability … Continue Reading

FCC Broadcast Filing Deadlines for January and February

January 30, 2023 Children’s Television Programming Reports – Each commercial TV and Class A television station must electronically file its annual Children’s Television Programming Report, on FCC Form 2100 Schedule H, to report on programming aired by the station and other efforts in 2022 that were specifically designed to serve the educational and informational needs … Continue Reading

FCC Online Public File Woes

As many of you are aware – especially those subject to the looming January 10th issues/programs list upload deadline – the FCC’s online public file system has been painfully slow or nonfunctional since the beginning of this year.  As a result, the FCC issued a public notice on Friday extending the time for uploading all … Continue Reading

Upcoming Deadlines

With the new year around the corner, it is that time of year when we start to fill out upcoming deadlines in our new calendars! Below find a list of the approaching broadcast deadlines to keep an eye on. January 10, 2023 Issues/Programs Lists – For all commercial and noncommercial radio, television, and Class A television … Continue Reading
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