David Oxenford, Author at Tennessee Association of Broadcasters

FCC April Meeting to Consider LPFM and Video Captioning – Looking at the LPFM Proposed Order (Including Interference Protections for TV Channel 6)

By David Oxenford|2020-04-07T10:06:15-05:00April 7th, 2020|Legal News|

The FCC last week released its tentative agenda for its April 23 open meeting. For broadcasters, that meeting will include consideration of the adoption of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (draft NPRM here) looking to broaden obligations for the audio description of television programming (referred to as the Video Description proceeding) – which we will... Continue Reading…

A Webinar on FCC Issues for Broadcasters During the Current Crisis – And One More FCC Action on Sponsorship Identification on Paid PSAs

By David Oxenford|2020-04-06T09:24:10-05:00April 6th, 2020|Legal News|

In the last three weeks, we have written about actions that the FCC has taken to help broadcasters through the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 virus. The FCC appears to realize that the business of broadcasting in the current crisis is vastly different than it was just a month ago. The FCC has provided... Continue Reading…

Court Approves Settlement Between BMI and Radio Music Licensing Committee, Though Terms Are Not Yet Public – Many Other Music Licensing Issues Still Facing the Radio Industry

By David Oxenford|2020-04-01T10:49:22-05:00April 1st, 2020|Legal News|

The judge presiding over the royalty litigation between BMI and the Radio Music Licensing Committee (RMLC) approved the settlement between these parties by an order released on March 23. At the same time, the judge approved an order keeping the specifics of the approved settlement confidential for 30 days while the settlement is being implemented... Continue Reading…

Applying the FCC Guidance on No-Charge Spots and Lowest Unit Charge During the Pandemic

By David Oxenford|2020-03-30T10:44:11-05:00March 30th, 2020|Legal News|

Many stations seem unsure of how to apply the recent FCC guidance that no charge spots given to advertisers to help them through the pandemic do not need to be counted in computing a station’s Lowest Unit Charge, as long as the no-charge spots are not part of paid advertising contracts and are not otherwise... Continue Reading…

FCC Announces Extensions of Deadlines to Upload Quarterly Issues Programs List and to File Annual Children’s Television Report

By David Oxenford|2020-03-29T11:24:48-05:00March 29th, 2020|Legal News|

The FCC on Friday released a Public Notice announcing that they are giving stations more time in which to upload their Quarterly Issues Programs lists to their online public file and to file their first Annual Children’s Television Report. In our list of April regulatory dates for broadcasters last week, we had highlighted both of... Continue Reading…

FCC Issues Guidance on No-Charge Advertising and Lowest Unit Charges, and News Sharing Agreements and LMA Rules During COVID-19 Crisis

By David Oxenford|2020-03-26T09:09:51-05:00March 26th, 2020|Legal News|

Yesterday, the FCC released two public notices reflecting its attempts to assist broadcasters coping with the COVID-19 crisis. The first public notice deals with the attempts of several broadcasters to support their advertisers while at the same time filling advertising inventory holes that have been created by the cancellation of other advertising schedules. Broadcasters who... Continue Reading…

FCC Indefinitely Postpones FM Auction – Will Refund Upfront Payments and Dismiss Pending Applications

By David Oxenford|2020-03-26T09:00:31-05:00March 26th, 2020|Legal News|

An auction of new FM channels was scheduled to begin in late April (see our posts here and here). Yesterday, the FCC issued a Public Notice indefinitely delaying that auction. Apparently, the FCC needs to have staff physically present in its Washington, DC building in order to conduct an auction, and with the current teleworking situation, the... Continue Reading…

FCC Activity in the Time of COVID-19 – Commission Meeting to be Held Virtually, Commissioner O’Rielly Nominated for New Term

By David Oxenford|2020-03-25T10:51:36-05:00March 25th, 2020|Legal News|

FCC business marches on in this time of social distancing and mandatory lockdowns, though with modifications caused by the circumstances in which we find ourselves. The FCC released a Public Notice yesterday announcing that its monthly open meeting scheduled for March 31 will be held by teleconference rather than live in the FCC meeting room. ... Continue Reading…

FCC Activity in the Time of COVID-19 – Commission Meeting to be Held Virtually, Commissioner O’Rielly Nominated for New Term

By David Oxenford|2020-03-25T10:51:36-05:00March 25th, 2020|Legal News|

FCC business marches on in this time of social distancing and mandatory lockdowns, though with modifications caused by the circumstances in which we find ourselves. The FCC released a Public Notice yesterday announcing that its monthly open meeting scheduled for March 31 will be held by teleconference rather than live in the FCC meeting room. ... Continue Reading…

About David Oxenford