March 2010 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, 2010 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities…
March 17, 2010 Pillsbury invites you to join a conference call on Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m. to discuss the broadcast spectrum changes proposed in the National Broadband Plan. The National Broadband Plan (“NBP”) proposes immediate and sweeping steps that, if adopted, could displace many television broadcasters from their…
March 2010 The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2010, reflecting information for the months of January, February and March, 2010. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of…
March 2010 The FCC has suspended indefinitely the deadline for commercial radio and television stations to file their Biennial Ownership Reports. However, the deadlines for filing Biennial Ownership Reports by noncommercial educational radio and television stations remain in effect, tied to their respective anniversary renewal filing deadlines. Noncommercial educational radio…
The 2010 NAB Show in Las Vegas is fast approaching! Your Pillsbury attorneys, including Dick Zaragoza, Cliff Harrington, Scott Flick, Miles Mason, Laurie Lynch Flick, Paul Cicelski and Christine Reilly will be at this annual event, which takes place in just one month, from April 10th to the 15th. We…
The Federal Communications Commission recently proposed revisions to its rules as part of its stated goal to “reform and transform the agency into a model of excellence in government.” As part of its goal, the FCC has released a Second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) proposing to modify its ex…
Video Programming Distributors Must Notify FCC by March 22, 2010 of Certain Contact Information and Begin Compliance with Telephone Directory Listing Requirements. Earlier this week, we advised you of a recent Commission action which could affect video programming distributors’ obligations under closed captioning complaint rules that the Commission adopted in…
In response to a petition for clarification filed by DISH Network, L.L.C. (“DISH”), the FCC has issued a “limited waiver” of its requirement that video programming distributors, including television stations, publish two types of information in local telephone directories–contact information for the receipt and handling of immediate closed captioning concerns,…
Comments are due by March 1, 2010 and Reply Comments are due March 30, 2010 to the FCC’s proceeding to implement national emergency alert testing at least once a year and to collect station data from such tests. In a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) concerning updating of…
The FCC has released an Order amending its digital audio broadcasting (“DAB”) rules for FM stations operating digital facilities. According to the Order, the underlying purpose for the change is to “improve FM digital coverage and to eliminate regulatory impediments to FM radio’s ability to meet its full potential and…