After receiving a mandated deadline from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the FCC presented its long-awaited Christmas gift to the broadcast industry with the December 26 release of the 2018 Quadrennial Review Report and Order (“R&O”). By a 3-2 vote, with both Republican commissioners dissenting, the R&O found that the FCC’s...… Continue Reading
After receiving a mandated deadline from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the FCC presented its long-awaited Christmas gift to the broadcast industry with the December 26 release of the 2018 Quadrennial Review Report and Order (“R&O”). By a 3-2 vote, with both Republican commissioners dissenting, the R&O found that the FCC’s...… Continue Reading
The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has adopted a Final Rule requiring that when a direct-to-consumer TV or radio ad for a prescription drug makes statements relating to side effects of the drug, those statements must be presented in a “clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner.” This Final Rule implements one requirement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic...… Continue Reading
On December 12, 2023, the FCC adopted a Report and Order (“R&O”) providing certain qualifying Low Power TV (“LPTV”) stations with a limited opportunity to convert to Class A status. The R&O came after the FCC circulated a draft last month and implements the requirements of the Low Power Protection Act (“LPPA”), which is intended...… Continue Reading
On November 22, 2023, the FCC circulated a draft Report and Order (“R&O”) that would, if adopted, provide some Low Power TV stations with the opportunity to convert their stations to Class A status. The draft Report and Order is slated to be voted on at the FCC’s next Open Meeting on December 13, 2023....… Continue Reading
We remind parties with 12.7 – 13.25 GHz (“13 GHz”) Broadcast Auxiliary/Cable Relay licenses that you have until November 29, 2023 to make a filing at the FCC to protect those licenses, as the FCC moves towards repurposing some or all of that band for other uses. In a May 19, 2023 Notice of Proposed...… Continue Reading
On October 30, 2023, the FCC released yet another list of broadcast stations that will be audited regarding their compliance with the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) rules. Licensees of the audited stations will have to upload their audit responses to their online public inspection files by December 14, 2023. Approximately twice per year, the...… Continue Reading
The FCC has issued a proposal that would allow more FM stations to increase digital power and allow asymmetric power on digital sidebands. Interested parties have until September 21 to file comments. Reply comments are due October 6. Power Increase for Digital FM Stations In the Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) released...… Continue Reading
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) and the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) have announced that a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) will take place on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 pm EDT. As we previously reported, EAS participants, with limited exceptions, should have already filed their ETRS Form 1 providing the FCC...… Continue Reading