David Oxenford, Author at Tennessee Association of Broadcasters

$125,000 FCC Penalty to Broadcaster for Tower Structure and Contest Rule Violations – Including Violation of Rule Against Broadcasting Seemingly Live Recorded Programming Without Informing Listeners

By David Oxenford|2020-12-07T11:27:45-06:00December 7th, 2020|Legal News|

Last week, the FCC announced a Consent Decree with a Florida broadcaster, with the broadcaster admitting violations of several FCC rules and agreeing to pay a $125,000 fine and enter into a consent decree to ensure future compliance. The violations addressed in the decree include (i) the failure to monitor tower lights and report that... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 28, 2020 to December 4, 2020

By David Oxenford|2020-12-06T09:05:54-06:00December 6th, 2020|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. Also, we include a look at actions to watch in the week ahead. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced his intention... Continue Reading…

FCC Starts Rulemaking on Possible Adoption of GeoBroadcast Solutions Zonecasting Proposal to Allow FM Boosters to Originate Limited Amounts of Programming

By David Oxenford|2020-12-04T11:20:30-06:00December 4th, 2020|Legal News|

Zonecasting – the proposal by GeoBroadcast Solutions to allow FM boosters to originate limited amounts of programming different than their primary station – has advanced at the FCC though the release this week of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking formally asking if the FCC should adopt rules permitting this service and, if so, what those... Continue Reading…

Broadcasters and Giving Tuesday

By David Oxenford|2020-12-01T09:47:55-06:00December 1st, 2020|Legal News|

This has obviously been a most unusual year. So, on this Giving Tuesday (and it is also near my birthday, perhaps contributing to the desire to do something different), I thought that I would depart from our usual coverage of legal and policy issues and talk about something else – broadcasters giving back. Broadcasters have... Continue Reading…

December Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: License Renewals, EEO Filings, DTV Ancillary/Supplementary Fees, Comment Deadlines and More

By David Oxenford|2020-11-30T10:23:35-06:00November 30th, 2020|Legal News|

December is a busy month for broadcasters with routine filings to complete and action on FCC proceedings that will carry over to the next administration. Keep on top of these dates and deadlines even as your calendar fills up with holiday celebrations. We start at the beginning of the month, with December 1 being the... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 21, 2020 to November 27, 2020

By David Oxenford|2020-11-29T08:21:02-06:00November 29th, 2020|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC is seeking comment on proposed sponsorship identification requirements for broadcast programming that is paid for, or provided by,... Continue Reading…

In the Conversion to NextGen TV, Who is Responsible for the Content of the Simulcast Streams?

By David Oxenford|2020-11-25T10:06:16-06:00November 25th, 2020|Legal News|

In one of those weird little quandaries in the broadcast legal world, the FCC just asked for comments on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by the NAB seeking a clarification as to who is responsible for the content of simulcast streams provided to comply with the ATSC 3.0 conversion rules. Under those rules, for... Continue Reading…

FCC Proposes $20,000 Fine for TV Station Program-Length Commercial in Children’s Programming

By David Oxenford|2020-11-24T11:25:35-06:00November 24th, 2020|Legal News|

The FCC’s Video Division yesterday issued a Notice of Apparent Liability to a Baltimore TV station for airing a commercial for a Hot Wheels product in eight showings of the program “Team Hot Wheels.” The Commission has, for almost 30 years, had a policy against what they term “program-length commercials” – programs that feature characters... Continue Reading…

Two Trump Defamation Claims Dismissed Including Claim Against TV Station for Political Attack Ad – What is the Relevance for Broadcasters?

By David Oxenford|2020-11-18T09:56:39-06:00November 18th, 2020|Legal News|

In the last few days, two defamation cases filed against media companies by the Trump campaign have been dismissed – one on the merits and one by agreement of the parties. This includes the suit filed by the campaign against Northland Television, the licensee of a rural Wisconsin television station. That station was perhaps the... Continue Reading…

About David Oxenford