10/16/2009 The FCC issued two Public Notices today which, together: (1) impose a freeze on the filing of all FM commercial and noncommercial educational (“NCE”) minor change applications from 11:59 pm, November 25, 2009, through December 18, 2009; (2) impose a freeze, beginning today, October 16, 2009, through December 18,…
10/2/2009 As we wrote in an earlier Advisory, the FCC adopted an order in April 2009 revising FCC Form 323, its Ownership Report form for commercial stations. It also expanded the types of entities and licensees required to file Form 323, announcing that owners of all commercial AM, FM, TV,…
September 2009 The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by October 10, 2009, reflecting information for the months of July, August and September 2009. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of…
September 2009 This Broadcast Station EEO Advisory is directed to radio and television stations licensed to communities in: Iowa, Missouri, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam, American Samoa, Marianas Islands, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule. Introduction October…
September 2009 As previously reported, the FCC released an Order on May 29, 2009, suspending the biennial ownership reporting requirement for commercial radio and television broadcast stations that would otherwise have been required to file their reports by June 1, August 1 or October 1, 2009. Accordingly, commercial radio stations…
August 2009 The volatile combination of broadcast employees concerned about their income and job security, and cash-strapped businesses looking for cheap and effective ways to promote themselves in difficult economic times, creates an unusually fertile ground for payola and plugola violations. Complicating matters are state efforts to prohibit “payola” activities…
Recent Settlements and Court Rulings Bring Clarity to Royalty Landscape 8/18/2009 The long-running battle over royalties owed by webcasters–companies that broadcast music over the Internet–took several significant leaps towards conclusion last month with important developments both inside and outside of the courtroom. Spurred by the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2009,…
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…