The FCC has issued a proposal that would allow more FM stations to increase digital power and allow asymmetric power on digital sidebands. Interested parties have until September 21 to file comments. Reply comments are due October 6. Power Increase for Digital FM Stations In the Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) released … Continue Reading
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
This week, the FCC announced that between September 1, 2023 and November 8, 2023, it will not accept LPFM and FM translator minor modification applications. This application freeze arises in conjunction with the filing window for LPFM construction permits, which will be open from November 1, 2023 through November 8, 2023. More details regarding this … Continue Reading
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
In a recently released Third Report and Order, the FCC has revised its Next Generation Broadcast Television (ATSC 3.0 or Next Gen TV) rules to enhance the transition from the current TV technology (ATSC 1.0). Among other things, the Order allows a Next Gen TV station to modify its license to include certain non-primary video … Continue Reading
On June 22, the FCC announced that a filing window for applications for new low power FM (LPFM) station construction permits will open on November 1, 2023 and close on November 8, 2023. LPFM proposals in the entire FM band, from channels 201 to 300, will be eligible for filing during this window. This LPFM … Continue Reading
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
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
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
The House Subcommittee on Communications & Technology on Wednesday, May 24th unanimously advanced a bill to renew the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) authority to auction commercial airwaves and use the proceeds to pay for both next generation 911 and the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. The bipartisan 50-0 vote comes after the FCC’s … Continue Reading
President Joe Biden has announced that he plans to nominate Anna Gomez to serve as an FCC Commissioner. Currently, Gomez is a Senior Advisor to the State Department’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy. She previously served as the Deputy Administrator for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and held a variety of roles … Continue Reading
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
On the heels of the expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the FCC has announced that they too will be rescinding some pandemic-related relief measures. As of Monday, May 15th, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that, effective immediately, broadcasters will no longer be permitted to exclude free time that they provide … Continue Reading
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
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
During her address today at the 2023 NAB Show, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared two developments in the Next Generation Television (“Next Gen TV” or “ATSC 3.0”) rulemaking. The Future of Television Initiative The Chairwoman introduced the Future of Television initiative (the “Initiative”), a private-public leadership group hosted by the NAB, dedicated to “develop[ing] a … Continue Reading
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
On March 9, 2023, the FCC’s spectrum auction authority expired for the first time since it was initially granted in 1993. The authority enabled the FCC to auction spectrum when it received conflicting applications for a frequency in the wireless or broadcast services. Under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the FCC’s spectrum auction authority … Continue Reading
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
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
On March 7, 2023, Gigi Sohn, President Biden’s nominee to the Federal Communications Commission, withdrew following a bitter 16-month lobbying battle which blocked her Senate confirmation. Ms. Sohn was first nominated on October 26, 2021, but failed to receive a confirmation vote in the Senate. The White House renominated Sohn on January 3, 2023. From 2013 … Continue Reading
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
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
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
