3/24/2009 This Advisory is intended specifically to help guide individuals and companies, that wish to distribute recorded music over the Internet for pleasure or profit, through the maze of licenses and royalties required for such “webcasting” activities. It discusses the recent settlement agreements entered into between SoundExchange and the Corporation…

March 2009 The next Children’s Television Programming Report must be electronically filed with the FCC and placed in stations’ local Public Inspection Files by April 10, 2009, reflecting programming aired during the months of January, February and March 2009. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements As a result of the Children’s Television…

March 2009 The next FCC Form 388 DTV Quarterly Activity Station Report must be electronically filed via CDBS and placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2009, reflecting information for the months of January, February, and March 2009. As we have previously advised, on March 3, 2008,…

March 2009 The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2009, reflecting information for the months of January, February, and March 2009. The FCC’s action adopting the new program report Form 355, which is intended to replace the Quarterly…

March 2009 This Broadcast Station EEO Advisory is directed to radio and television stations licensed to communities in: Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule. April 1, 2009 is the deadline for stations licensed to communities in the…

March 2009 Commercial and noncommercial Radio stations licensed to communities in Texas must electronically file their Biennial Ownership Reports with the FCC by April 1, 2009. Commercial and noncommercial Television stations licensed to communities in the States of Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee must also electronically file their Biennial…

March 2009 FCC Fines a Michigan Radio Station for Broadcasting a Telephone Conversation Without Prior Notice. FCC Fines Pennsylvania Noncommercial Educational Television Station $2,500 for Airing Advertisements. FCC Fines AM Radio Station $6,000 for Conducting a Contest Without Describing All Material Terms. A PDF version of this entire article can…

TVNewsDay 3/4/2009 To say that current economic conditions are challenging for broadcasters is akin to noting that the Ice Age was chilly. Like many industries, consolidation and growth was fueled by the easy availability of capital, and now broadcasters struggling under the weight of reduced advertising sales and large debt…

DTV Transition Date Officially Moved to June 12, 2009 February 2009 President Obama signed into law the DTV Delay Act that serves to move the digital television transition from February 17th to June 12th. Irrespective of this delay, many stations will proceed with the termination of analog operation on February…

February 2009 On February 13, 2009, the FCC released a Report and Order implementing the DTV Delay Act. Pursuant to the Report and Order, the following authorizations are modified as noted: Analog Television Licenses: expiration date extended from February 17, 2009, to June 12, 2009, (11:59:59 PM local time); Post-Transition…