As Lauren Lynch Flick wrote here several weeks ago, the FCC announced in October that it would be lifting its 2013 freeze on certain TV station modification applications that would increase a station’s coverage area. Lifting the freeze would let full-power and Class A TV stations that weren’t able to…
This evening the FCC released the Agenda for its November 16 Public Meeting, and as anticipated, the two Media items on it are the Reconsideration of the FCC’s Broadcast Ownership Rules and the FCC’s proposed approval of ATSC 3.0. More importantly, the FCC released the proposed draft orders for each…
In a move that would have once been stunning, but which now was so expected as to be anticlimactic, the FCC today voted to eliminate the Main Studio Rule. In doing so, it also eliminated various associated requirements such as the mandate that a station’s main studio be staffed during…
The FCC announced late today that the freeze that has been in place since April 2013 which prevents full-power and Class A TV stations from filing applications to expand their coverage areas will be lifted temporarily, likely before the end of this year. The lifting of the freeze allows stations…
As we noted back in April (has it really been that long ago?) when the FCC first announced the TV spectrum repack deadlines, TV stations being repacked now have yet another quarterly filing obligation. Television stations transitioning to a new channel in the repack must file a quarterly Transition Progress…
Earlier this week, the FCC and FEMA released a final reminder that this year’s nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System will occur today, September 27, 2017 at 2:20 PM Eastern Time. The test will be transmitted in both English and Spanish and broadcasters will choose which one to air…
The FCC announced yesterday that repacked and band-changing television and Class A television stations will have the opportunity to file applications to specify a new channel or expand their proposed facilities between October 3 and November 2. By way of background, in April of 2013, in preparation for the Broadcast Incentive Auction, the…
The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ public inspection files by October 10, 2017, reflecting information for the months of July, August, and September 2017. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of programming responsive to…
The next Children’s Television Programming Report must be filed with the FCC and placed in stations’ public inspection files by October 10, 2017, reflecting programming aired during the months of July, August, and September 2017. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements As a result of the Children’s Television Act of 1990 (“Act”)…
This Broadcast Station Advisory is directed to radio and television stations in the areas noted above, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule. October 1, 2017 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Missouri, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa,…