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Articles Posted in Programming Regulations

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2011 First Quarter Issues/Programs List Advisory for Broadcast Stations

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…

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Client Alert: FCC Proposes Rules to Reinstate and Expand Video Description Obligations for Television Stations

On March 3, 2011, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) setting forth proposed rules to implement the video description requirements contained in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (“CVAA”), which became law in October 2010. The CVAA mandates that the FCC take a…

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Renew Now to Avoid Children’s Television Fines

No, the FCC has not instituted an early-filing program so licensees can get that pesky license renewal out of the way. Instead, in 2010 it cleaned up television license renewal applications that had been hanging around since the last renewal cycle, issuing nearly $350,000.00 in children’s television fines to some…

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Client Alert: 2010 Fourth Quarter Issues/Programs List Due By January 10, 2011

The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by January 10, 2011, reflecting information for the months of October, November and December, 2010. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of programming responsive…

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Don’t Forget the Upcoming January 10 Deadline for Broadcasters’ Fourth Quarter Reports

Given the many distractions during the holiday season, I thought it would be a good idea to remind readers that January 10 represents a busy quarterly deadline for all radio and television stations. Below is a brief summary of the deadlines, as well as links to our Client Alerts describing…

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2011 Broadcasters’ Calendar

Below is the text of our 2011 Broadcasters’ Calendar, which lists deadlines that broadcasters should be aware of for 2011. If you would prefer to read the PDF version of the calendar, it can be found here. Items of Note in 2011 1. Applications for Renewal of License: June 1,…

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The Un-Free State of Retransmission Consent

In the heat of the battle raging over carriage of various Fox networks on Cablevision’s systems, Randy May, the founder and chief intellect of the Free State Foundation, has weighed in on the retransmission consent debate (available here). I read his comments with interest, because Randy often provides insightful observations…

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Client Alert: President Signs the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, Creating Wide-Ranging Video Programming Accessibility Requirements Intended to Assist Those with Disabilities

Last week, Congress passed the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (the “Act”) which, among other things, reinstates the FCC’s former Video Description rules for television broadcasters, extends closed captioning of video programming to the Internet, and requires the FCC to examine methods of increasing the accessibility…

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2010 Third Quarter Issues/Programs List Advisory for Broadcast Stations

September 2010 The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by October 10, 2010, reflecting information for the months of July, August and September, 2010. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of…

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Indecency Ruling Changes the Game

In light of today’s decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit invalidating the FCC’s indecency policy, it would be hard to justify writing about anything else. From my first days as a young lawyer screening programs before they were aired (I still remember assessing the legalities…