Whether or not you plan to participate in the "reverse" auction, if you're a TV licensee, you should be aware of what the FCC has in mind for the spectrum around you.… Continue Reading
An overview of the FCC's proposed approach to spectrum-clearing/spectrum-repopulating incentive auctions and some of the myriad factors at play in that process.… Continue Reading
The revised versions of Section 73.3573 and Form 301 adopted in connection with the FCC's Tribal Priority process relative to the allotment of commercial FM channels have received OMB's seal of Paperwork Reduction Act approval.… Continue Reading
It's official! President Obama has signed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 into law, clearing the way for an elaborate incentive auction process intended to free up spectrum (including TV spectrum) for mobile broadband.… Continue Reading
With passage of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, incentive auctions for spectrum repurposing have taken a great leap forward.… Continue Reading
The FCC has adopted a process to assure that Native American tribes get first dibs on commercial FM channels allotted pursuant to Tribal Priorities.… Continue Reading
The AM and FM channel allotment priorities adopted in the Rural Radio proceeding are now fully effective -- meaning that OMB has signed off on the "information collection", or certification, aspects of those new priorities.… Continue Reading
If you've got anything you'd like to say to the Feds about the FCC's new rural radio certification requirements, your last chance to do so is fast approaching. The Commission has just announced the deadline for what is likely to be the last round of public comments before those requirements formally take effect.… Continue Reading
The effective date for some, but not all, of the rules adopted in the Rural Radio Second Report and Order has been set. But the real attention-grabber in the Second R&O was the Commission's overhaul of Section 307(b) policies. When do those new policies become effective?… Continue Reading
The Commission has signaled that the recently adopted certification requirements for AM/FM applications proposing changes in community-of-license need to be approved by OMB. The process of seeking that approval has now started.… Continue Reading
If you're looking to move an AM or FM radio station from a small community to a different, bigger, community, your job probably just got a boatload harder.… Continue Reading
Revised versions of Forms 301, 314, 315, 316 and 340 have been approved by OMB. The changes reflect the Commission's actions adopted in the rural radio proceeding last Winter.… Continue Reading
In 2006, the FCC hustled through revisions of a number of rules affecting eligibility for bidding credits in spectrum auctions. Bad news for the FCC: the Third Circuit has now sent two of the three rule changes back to the agency for a re-do because of shortcomings in the rulemaking process.… Continue Reading
Comment deadlines have been set in the Tank Radar proceeding (ET Dkt. No.10-23) and the "Rural Radio" (MB Dkt. No. 09-52) proceeding relating to the new 307(b) "tribal priority". And the rule changes adopted in that latter docket will be effective April 5.… Continue Reading
Remember the "rural radio" rulemaking, launched in April, 2009, which looked to overhaul the FCC's Section 307(b) standards? The initial Report and Order in that proceeding has been released - but those standards were largely untouched. On the other hand, the rules have been changed to assist Native American Tribes get an upper hand in some AM and FM allotment proceedings.… Continue Reading
In a proceeding that has moved at glacial speed, even by FCC standards, the Commission has opened a window to allow noncommercial applicants that are mutually exclusive with certain commercial applicants to amend their applications to specify commercial operations by October 30, 2009.… Continue Reading
Last month we reported on the Commission's proposed re-vamp of the AM/FM allocation process. The NPRM has now been published in the Federal Register, which means that the dates for comments and reply comments have been set.… Continue Reading
In a sweeping notice of proposed rulemaking, the FCC has proposed a major re-vamp of the AM and FM allocations process. A vast array of allotment-related elements, including 307(b) analyses, auction niceties, translator band-hopping and codification of terrain roughness policies, are on the table.… Continue Reading
The Commission has announced that the next auction of FM broadcast permits has been scheduled to start on September 1, 2009. Mark your calendars and get your checkbooks ready.… Continue Reading
In a case viewed with considerable interest by many wireless industry participants, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has denied a request by a jilted auction participant for money damages against the FCC.… Continue Reading
A lucky few, very patient, noncommercial educational (NCE) applicants got an early Christmas present this year: the Commission has reconsidered its Grinch-like 2003 decision to summarily dismiss their applications. But they're not out of the woods yet.… Continue Reading
For almost three years now, the FCC has been struggling mightily to devise rules to govern both the auctioning and regulatory framework for the 700 MHz D Block. This spectrum block has the unique distinction of being a Public Private Partnership — a concept never before tried by the FCC and one which has proved … Continue Reading
