Wondering how the federal government shutdown affects your broadcast station’s regulatory compliance obligations? Because some of the FCC’s online systems are up and running while others are not, it can be confusing as to what is still required of broadcasters. We have sorted through the confusion to help you understand what should still be prepared … Continue Reading
We wrote on July 5 that the FCC released a Draft NPRM intended to significantly relax the Kid Vid rules. The Commission officially adopted the NPRM at its July meeting on July 12. The Commission’s Media Bureau has now announced that comments will be due for the Children’s Television Programming NPRM on Sept. 24 and … Continue Reading
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau announced today that all EAS participants (which includes most broadcasters and cable and DBS operators) must complete their 2018 ETRS Form One on or before Aug. 27. The substance of Form One in ETRS is essentially the same as last year and requests identifying information on a … Continue Reading
CommLawBlog Update: On Saturday, July 7 a CommLawBlog post was republished due to a website error. The republished blog post entitled, “July 18 Filing Deadline Approaching for FSS Receive Only Earth Stations in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C Band” said that a filing deadline was approaching for all FSS Receive Only Earth Stations in the 3.7-4.2 … Continue Reading
Do you know what FCC telecom and broadcast deadlines are approaching? We do. Time to mark up your calendars so you’re not late on these important deadlines. Call FHH at (703)812-0400 if you have trouble meeting these deadlines or need assistance. Telecom Deadlines: July – No scheduled reporting/ certification deadlines for this month. August 1, 2018 – … Continue Reading
If you were waiting to let the FCC know your thoughts on eliminating the requirement that broadcasters post their licenses, wait no more! The FCC has announced the comment deadline is Aug. 1 with reply comments due Aug. 16. As Matt McCormick wrote last month, the FCC’s push to eliminate the pesky license posting rules … Continue Reading
A summary of the FCC’s proposed rule changes regarding procedures to resolve complaints of interference caused by FM Translators to primary stations was published in the Federal Register today. That event established July 6 as the deadline for initial comments and August 6 as the deadline for replies. The FCC proposals are designed to streamline … Continue Reading
As we pack up our swimming trunks and beach umbrellas for the unofficial start of summer, the FCC this week issued its 2018 Regulatory Fee Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). This NPRM puts in motion the process for payment of regulatory fees which will likely be due sometime in September. For the most part, the … Continue Reading
On April 18, Commission’s Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau announced that it was extending the special filing window for displaced Low Power Television and TV Translator Stations for a few extra weeks. The window for filing such applications will now close on June 1 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The original due date was … Continue Reading
Well, it’s official: the Open Internet rule, better known as Net Neutrality, will go bye-bye starting April 23. Today, the hotly debated final notice of the Open Internet Rule (better known as Net Neutrality) was published in the Federal Register. Net neutrality goes away as of April 23 except for certain provisions that require review … Continue Reading
Acting with commendable promptness, the Media Bureau has relieved virtually all television stations from the requirement to file ancillary/supplementary service reports, at least for this year and likely for future years as well. These reports are traditionally due on Dec. 1 of every year. As we reported back in October, the reports are the ones … Continue Reading
The FCC scored a legal victory in court this past week when the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld its requirement that EAS participants report to their State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC) their progress on developing multilingual EAS alerts (an SECC is a committee assigned to implement EAS in a specific state). EAS participants must … Continue Reading
This is a reminder that tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 12th at 12:00 p.m. EDT, Fletcher, Heald, & Hildreth’s Frank Montero and Steve Lovelady in partnership with Colorado Broadcasters Association, will present a FREE webinar entitled “Online Public Inspection Files: A Refresher Webinar.” You can register for the webinar, for FREE, via this link. While 2017 isn’t … Continue Reading
ETRS Form 2 Due Same Day (Except for Hurricane-Impacted EAS Participants) Assuming that it is not delayed due to a real national emergency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the FCC are still scheduled to conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Sept. 27, 2017, at 2:20 PM EDT. As we … Continue Reading
Believe it or not, the date by which all radio stations must have their complete public files online is now less than six months away. Television stations have been dealing with this reality for several years now, as have large stations in large markets for the past couple of years. Now, every radio station, both … Continue Reading
This is a reminder that on Tuesday, August 22 from 2:00-3:15 p.m. (EDT), FHH carriage gurus Dan Kirkpatrick and Paul Feldman will present a FREE webinar entitled “Must-Carry and Retransmission Consent 2017.” Free registration for the webinar is available here. The industry faces an October 1, 2017 deadline requiring all full-power television stations to make … Continue Reading
Effective immediately, the FCC has terminated acceptance of any applications for new low power TV or TV translator stations or major changes in existing stations in all areas, rural and non-rural alike.… Continue Reading
With just a month to go before the door to the digital promised land for LPTV/TV Translators was supposed to swing open, the Commission has announced that the filing opportunity has been postponed again - this time until further notice.… Continue Reading
If you've been counting the days until the January 25, 2010 opportunity to file for new digital-only LPTV/TV translator stations in non-rural areas, it's time to re-set the calendar. The original January, 2010, date has been postponed to July 26, 2010. One reason for the delay? What else - The Broadband Juggernaut.… Continue Reading
With 13-days-to-go-and-counting, Auction 79 is looming large. The Commission has issued a notice updating us on applicants' status and reminding us of some the next step(s) in the process.… Continue Reading
A new front has been opened in the on-going struggle over the Performance Rights Act (PRA). MusicFIRST Coalition has tried to lure the FCC into the fray. And the FCC has taken the bait.… Continue Reading
If you're one of the applicants (and there are fewer than 100 of you out there, so you know who you are) who have signed up to participate in FM Auction 79 in September, it's crunch time. Or more accurately, ka-ching time. The deadline for up-front payments is Friday, July 31 at 6:00 p.m. (EDT).… Continue Reading
The FCC has announced a two-phase plan for the filing of applications for new digital-only LPTV and TV translator stations and for major changes of existing LPTVs. Phase 1 begins August 25, 2009… Continue Reading
