David Oxenford, Author at Tennessee Association of Broadcasters

FCC Proposes Changes to Rule Requiring Public Notice of Application Filing – Looking to Online Notice Rather Than Newspaper Publication

By David Oxenford|2019-09-27T10:19:57-05:00September 27th, 2019|Legal News|

At its open meeting this week, the FCC adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking looking to change the requirement for local public notice of certain broadcast applications. Such notices are required currently for applications, including license renewals and station sales. The current rules contain different requirements for different types of applications that require public... Continue Reading…

Court of Appeals Rejects FCC Ownership Decision – Putting All Ownership Reform on Hold

By David Oxenford|2019-09-24T10:12:45-05:00September 24th, 2019|Legal News|

Yesterday, a panel of judges from the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit decided by a 2 to 1 vote to overturn the FCC’s 2017 decision that made significant changes to its ownership rules (see the decision here). The Court sent the case back to the FCC for further consideration. The 2017 decision... Continue Reading…

FCC Extends Deadline for Regulatory Fees to September 27

By David Oxenford|2019-09-24T09:55:12-05:00September 24th, 2019|Legal News|

Annual Regulatory fees were to be paid by today (see our articles here and here). But yesterday, the FCC issued a Public Notice giving all those procrastinators in the communications industry a few extra days to pay their fees. Those fees are now due on Friday, September 27. It’s your last chance – don’t be... Continue Reading…

$15,000 Fine and Short-Term License Renewal Proposed for Radio Station Missing Issues Programs Lists in Its Online Public Inspection File

By David Oxenford|2019-09-23T08:32:16-05:00September 23rd, 2019|Legal News|

On Friday, the FCC’s Audio Division released its first decision in the current renewal cycle addressing the issue of incomplete public inspection files and missing Quarterly Issues Programs List, proposing to fine an AM station in Virginia $15,000 for apparently not having any Issues Programs Lists in its online public inspection file for the entire... Continue Reading…

Reminder – FCC Political Rules Apply to Off-Year Elections for State and Local Offices

By David Oxenford|2019-09-20T11:15:01-05:00September 20th, 2019|Legal News|

While next year’s federal elections are already receiving most of the publicity, I’ve been getting a surprising number of calls about elections this November. While most broadcast stations don’t think about the FCC’s political broadcasting rules in odd numbered years, they should – particularly in connection with state and local political offices. There are elections... Continue Reading…

Comment Dates Set on FCC Rulemaking to Review LPFM Rules and FM/TV Channel 6 Issues

By David Oxenford|2019-09-19T09:53:28-05:00September 19th, 2019|Legal News|

The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on LPFM and Channel 6 TV issues, which we wrote about here, was published in the Federal Register today. This sets the deadline for comments in this proceeding as October 21, 2019, with reply comments due by November 4. This proceeding looks at issues including whether to remove all... Continue Reading…

FCC Delays Due Date for Biennial Ownership Reports – But Don’t Forget Other Important Dates for Reg Fees, EAS Test Forms, and New FM Application Forms Next Week

By David Oxenford|2019-09-18T09:37:33-05:00September 18th, 2019|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday announced that the due dates for Biennial Ownership Reports, which had been December 1 of this year, will now be January 31, 2020. The Order announcing that action is available here. The FCC notice says that this additional time is needed to make updates to the ownership forms in the LMS database... Continue Reading…

FM Radio Construction Permit and License FCC Applications Moving to New Database Next Week

By David Oxenford|2019-09-17T11:09:04-05:00September 17th, 2019|Legal News|

If you have a commercial or noncommercial FM radio station, an LPFM or an FM translator, and are looking to file an FCC application to seek a construction permit to authorize technical changes to your station, or to file a license to cover changes that were previously authorized (or which need no prior authorization), starting... Continue Reading…

DOJ Makes Comments Public on Potential Modifications of ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees – Almost 900 Comments Filed!

By David Oxenford|2019-09-13T11:05:27-05:00September 13th, 2019|Legal News|

The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division is, as we reported here and here, conducting a review of the consent decrees which govern ASCAP and BMI. Comments were filed in August, and those comments have now been posted to the Division’s website and are available for review here (they are organized alphabetically in groups of 100... Continue Reading…

About David Oxenford