July 2009 As we recently reported, the FCC has altered the schedule for the filing of Biennial Ownership Reports by commercial broadcast stations. Those Reports must now be filed by November 1, 2009 and by the same date every two years thereafter. However, the staggered schedule for the filing of…

July 2009 The FCC has altered the schedule for the filing of Biennial Ownership Reports by commercial broadcast stations. August 1, 2009 is no longer the deadline for commercial radio stations in California, North Carolina, and South Carolina, or for commercial television stations in Illinois and Wisconsin to file their…

7/16/2009 As the sources of content available to the public proliferate, attracting and retaining an audience grows more challenging. A common strategy is to use provocative or “attention-getting” on-air elements to increase station awareness among media-saturated listeners and viewers. However, stations must be mindful of the numerous legal restrictions on…

July 2009 This Broadcast Station EEO Advisory is directed to radio and television stations licensed to communities in: California, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule. Introduction August 1, 2009 is the deadline for certain broadcast stations licensed…

7/1/2009 This week, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that it is finally lifting the freeze on the filing of new low power television (“LPTV”) and television translator stations. First, on August 25, 2009, the FCC will begin accepting applications for stations in “rural areas” for: (1) new digital-only…

6/30/2009 In respond to the National Association of Broadcasters’ July 14, 2006 Petition for Rule Making, and after a Notice of Proposed Rule Making Proceeding released on August 15, 2007, the FCC today released a Report and Order adopting the NAB’s proposal that AM stations be allowed to use FM…

6/25/2009 Through the vehicle of a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (“NPRM”), Acting Chairman Michael J. Copps, and Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Robert McDowell are looking to change the way the FCC decides what communities and areas deserve new or modified commercial and noncommercial, full-power AM and FM radio stations.…

On March 13, 2009, and in response to the Congressional extension of the digital transition deadline from February 17 to June 12, 2009, the FCC released an R&O which, among other things, revised the rules associated with its requirements for DTV Consumer Education Initiatives. Those significant revisions, which became effective…

6/19/2009 The next Children’s Television Programming Report must be filed with the FCC and placed in stations’ local Public Inspection Files by July 10, 2009, reflecting programming aired during the months of April, May and June 2009. A PDF version of this entire article can be found at 2009 Second…

6/17/2009 The FCC issued a Public Notice recommending that viewers having difficulty receiving any of the over-the-air digital television signals of stations in their area should “double rescan” their digital converter boxes or digital television sets. The Public Notice can be found on the Commission’s website at the following link:…