Frank Montero

Photo of Frank Montero Francisco "Frank" Montero specializes in telecommunications, broadcasting, media and technology. Mr. Montero’s practice includes FCC regulatory counseling, corporate finance, asset and securities acquisitions, intellectual property, and real estate and commercial transactions. Mr. Montero was an appointed member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age. He served as Director of the FCC's Office of Communications Business Opportunities during the Clinton Administration. While at the FCC, Frank worked extensively with industry, trade associations, financial institutions and governmental agencies to create business opportunities for entrepreneurs, and technology and telecommunications start-ups and was recognized by the Chairman of the FCC for “dedication to bridging the digital divide”.

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Gigi Sohn Withdraws as FCC Commissioner Nominee Leaving Commission Deadlocked

By Brianna Perrone and Frank Montero on Posted in FCC
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

President Biden Renominates Sohn to FCC

By Brianna Perrone and Frank Montero on Posted in FCC
After a drawn-out Senate battle last year which resulted in no confirmation, President Joe Biden has once again nominated Gigi Sohn for the fifth FCC Commissioner seat. Sohn, a former top FCC adviser, is also the co-founder of Public Knowledge, a non-profit advocating for copyright, telecommunications, and internet policies. If confirmed, Sohn would fill out … Continue Reading

Political Broadcasting Webinar Now Available On Line

By Frank Montero and Sara Hinkle on Posted in FCC, Media
On February 24, 2022, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth attorneys Frank Montero and Sara Hinkle teamed up with Bobby Baker, Gary Schonmen, and Sima Nilsson of the FCC’s Political Programming Staff to present a webinar on the FCC’s political broadcasting rules. The webinar, presented in collaboration with over twenty state broadcast associations, addressed a number of … Continue Reading

Sohn FCC Confirmation Hearing Rescheduled

By Frank Montero and Brianna Perrone on Posted in FCC, Media
On February 2, 2022, FCC nominee Gigi Sohn was to attend a nomination hearing, but after Democratic Senator Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico suffered a stroke, the Senate Commerce Committee rescheduled Sohn’s hearing. The rescheduled nomination hearing will be on February 9, 2022, and will likely address concerns over Sohn’s former position on the … Continue Reading

The Supreme Court Overturns Third Circuit on Media Ownership Rules

By Frank Montero on Posted in FCC
On Thursday, April 1, 2021 the Supreme Court unanimously voted to overturn the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia (“Third Circuit”) in the case of Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) v. Prometheus Radio Project, No. 19-1231. The possibility of this result was something we had considered in a previous post, which … Continue Reading

A Word of Caution to Broadcasters Pertaining to E-Cigarette and Vaping Advertisements

By Frank Montero on Posted in Enforcement, FCC, Media
Last month I participated in a webinar with my colleague Dan Kirkpatrick where we addressed the issue of advertising controversial products. While the topic of marijuana advertising (which we discussed in our webinar) gets much attention these days–especially with the recent decision by CBS to turn down a cannabis ad for the Super Bowl–we also … Continue Reading

Restoring Vitality to the AM Revitalization Effort

By Frank Montero on Posted in Media
The radio industry has been waiting for the FCC to finally release its long-awaited AM revitalization order. However, much of the optimism that was felt when the AM revitalization proceeding was initiated years ago appears to be screeching to a halt. Within the world of AM revitalization, nothing appears to outshine the ever-increasing reliance upon … Continue Reading

Now’s the Time to Reason with Hurricane Season

By Frank Montero on Posted in Media
An FCC reminder about important emergency contact information With the Fourth of July fading into the past and Labor Day looming ominously just beyond the horizon, hurricane season is upon us. Lisa Fowlkes, Deputy Chief of the Commission’s Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau, has asked us to pass along to our clients and readers some … Continue Reading

Security Interests in FCC Licenses: A Key to Unlocking Capital Sources?

By Frank Montero on Posted in Media
For decades the Federal Communications Commission has refused, as a matter of policy, to allow lenders and equity investors to take security interests in the FCC licenses that permit spectrum users -- broadcasters, wireless operators and all the rest -- to use the spectrum. But with the availability of capital drying up for small- and medium-size broadcasters and telecommunications companies, it is important to examine any kinks in the financial pipeline that might unnecessarily slow, or block, the flow of capital.… Continue Reading

Muy Caliente: Payola Probe Turns Up Heat On Spanish Radio

By Frank Montero on Posted in Media
If you thought that the departure of Elliott Spitzer from the public scene might have put out the FCC’s fire for enforcement of the payola rules, think again. That fire is still blazing. In recent days the Enforcement Bureau has sent out letters of inquiry to a number of Spanish-language radio stations demanding responses concerning allegations of … Continue Reading
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