Last Fall, the FCC adopted final rules allowing Part 15 unlicensed Television Band Devices (TVBDs) to operate in “white spaces”, the slivers of unused spectrum in the television band. To find available slivers of spectrum, the TVBDs will consult a database that is intended to contain information about every use…

I wrote last week about the FCC’s announcement that broadcasters must certify in their license renewal applications that their advertising contracts have, since March 14, 2011, had a nondiscrimination clause in them. Specifically, broadcasters must certify that their “advertising sales agreements do not discriminate on the basis of race or…

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: Florida FM Translator Fined $13,000 for Unauthorized Operations Latest Public Inspection File Violation Nets Upwardly Adjusted Fine Failure to Monitor…

3/18/2011 The staggered deadlines for filing Biennial Ownership Reports by noncommercial radio and television stations remain in effect and are tied to their respective license renewal filing deadlines. Noncommercial educational radio stations licensed to communities in Texas, and noncommercial television stations licensed to communities in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and…

3/18/2011 Full power commercial and noncommercial radio stations and LPFM stations licensed to communities in the states listed above must begin airing pre-filing license renewal announcements on April 1, 2011. License renewal applications for these stations, and for in-state FM Translator stations, are due by June 1, 2011. Pre-filing License…

The next Children’s Television Programming Report must be filed with the FCC and placed in stations’ local Public Inspection Files by April 10, 2011, reflecting programming aired during the months of January, February and March, 2011. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements As a result of the Children’s Television Act of 1990…

The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2011, reflecting information for the months of January, February and March, 2011. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of programming responsive…

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. Introduction April 1, 2011 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in the…

Pity the post office. Even its federal brethren have abandoned it. Today the FCC announced that, with the beginning of the broadcast license renewal cycle fast approaching, it will not be sending its traditional postcard reminders to broadcast licensees. It did say, however, that it would email reminders to broadcasters…

3/10/2011 Beginning later this year, ICANN is expected to accept applications for new generic domain suffixes for industries, interests and communities, such as “.bank,” “.movie” or “.music.” In addition to the generic terms, this round also includes the potential for various geographic tags that are not country codes (e.g., “.nyc”…