This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: October 30 to November 3, 2023

By |2023-11-05T08:16:40-06:00November 5th, 2023|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. Last Monday was the 85th anniversary of the radio broadcast of the Orson Welles production of The War of the... Continue Reading…

FCC Announces Second EEO Audit of 2023 – 150 Radio and TV Stations Must Report on Their EEO Compliance

By |2023-10-31T08:34:15-05:00October 31st, 2023|Legal News|

The FCC this week released its second EEO audit notice for 2023.  The FCC’s Public Notice, audit letter, and the list of stations selected for audit is available here.  Those stations, and the station employment units (commonly owned or controlled stations serving the same area sharing at least one employee) with which they are associated, must provide... Continue Reading…

$25,000 Proposed Fine for Alleged EEO Violations at Kansas Radio Clusters – A Higher Standard for FCC EEO Enforcement?

By |2023-10-19T11:40:29-05:00October 19th, 2023|Legal News|

Earlier this week, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a Notice of Apparent Liability proposing a $25,000 fine on two related companies operating clusters of stations in two small Kansas markets.  Those clusters have, because of financial setbacks (leading to bankruptcy), reduced staff so that they no longer have 5 full-time employees at either cluster and... Continue Reading…

October Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Nationwide EAS Test, Annual EEO Public File Reports, Retransmission Consent Elections, Biennial Ownership Reports, and More (If the Government is Open)

By |2023-09-28T10:13:07-05:00September 28th, 2023|Legal News|

On paper, this October appears to be a busy month for regulatory deadlines.  But the lack of congressional action to fund the federal government for the coming year (or “continuing resolutions” adopted to allow government agencies to function at their current levels) is making a federal government shutdown appear inevitable.  If a government shutdown does... Continue Reading…

And Then There Were Five – Senate Approves Anna Gomez as Fifth FCC Commissioner – What Broadcast Issues Could a Full FCC Consider? 

By |2023-09-08T10:41:35-05:00September 8th, 2023|Legal News|

The Senate this week approved Anna Gomez for the open Democratic FCC seat that has been vacant since the start of the Biden Administration.  As we wrote in May when the President first nominated her, Gomez is experienced in government circles, having worked at NTIA (a Department of Commerce agency dealing with federal spectrum use... Continue Reading…

September Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Regulatory Fees, HD Radio Power Increase Comments, EAS Filings, and Preparation for Many October Deadlines  

By |2023-08-28T10:50:56-05:00August 28th, 2023|Legal News|

On the surface, September appears to have few scheduled regulatory filing dates and deadlines.  But it is period in which many broadcasters will be busy with deadlines that occur in early October and into the rest of the Fall.  TV stations should be finishing their decision-making on must-carry/retransmission consent elections, which need to be in... Continue Reading…

August Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters:  Reg Fee Order, EEO filings, HD Power Increase Proposal, and More

By |2023-07-31T10:56:40-05:00July 31st, 2023|Legal News|

August may be a light month for regulatory dates, as everyone enjoys the end of the summer with many, including Congress, taking the last of their summer vacations.  But there are still dates to which broadcasters should be paying attention.  One that most commercial broadcasters should be anticipating is the order that will set the... Continue Reading…

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