News – Page 268 – Tennessee Association of Broadcasters

Reverse Auction Update: FCC Underscores Initial Commitment Deadline, Offers Workshop, Tutorial and User Guide to Introduce “Initial Commitment Module”

By FHH Law|2016-02-28T11:45:10-06:00February 28th, 2016|Legal News|

The actual Module itself is not slated to become available until two business days before the commitment “window” opens. It’s “damn the stay requests (and appeals), full speed ahead” on the reverse auction front. Notwithstanding the frenzy of activity down at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the Commission has issued further … Continue Reading

Update – Latina to FCC: “Stay!”

By Harry Cole|2016-02-28T11:44:31-06:00February 28th, 2016|Legal News|

As the FCC plows ahead with plans to start its reverse auction process by requiring initial commitments by 6:00 p.m. (ET) on March 29, 2016, efforts by stations seeking a ticket into the reverse auction through Class A protection continue down at the D.C. Circuit. As we have reported, the Videohouse Three managed to get … Continue Reading

March Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Including Incentive Auction Commitments, New Webcasting Royalties, and Comments on AM Revitalization and Copyright Safe Harbor for User-Generated Content

By David Oxenford|2016-02-28T11:38:39-06:00February 28th, 2016|Legal News|

March appears to be another busy month on the FCC’s regulatory calendar. While March is one of those months where there is not the usual assortment of EEO public file reports, quarterly issues programs lists or children’s television reports and noncommercial ownership report obligations (see our Broadcasters’ Regulatory Calendar here for some of these dates),… Continue Reading

FCC Enforcement Monitor ~ February 2016

By Scott R. Flick, Jessica Nyman and Joseph A. Cohen|2016-02-26T16:31:38-06:00February 26th, 2016|Legal News|

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: FCC Fines Radio Licensee $10,500 Despite Claims of Public File Sabotage Unlocked Gate Costs AM Licensee $7,000 Class A Licensee Faces Hobson’s Choice: Pay $12,000 […]

FCC Announces Previews for TV Broadcasters of Incentive Auction Initial Commitment Software; Denies Auction Stay Request from LPTV Applicant

By David Oxenford|2016-02-26T10:06:52-06:00February 26th, 2016|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice dealing with the upcoming March 29 commitment deadline for TV broadcasters who filed their applications back in January indicating a possible intent to participate in the incentive auction to surrender their TV channel so that the FCC can use it to repack the TV band to free spectrum… Continue Reading

FCC Announces First Round of 2016 EEO Audits for Radio and TV Stations

By David Oxenford|2016-02-25T16:32:26-06:00February 25th, 2016|Legal News|

The FCC today issued a Public Notice announcing its first EEO audit for 2016. Letters to about 280 radio and television stations went out on February 24 asking for evidence of their compliance with the FCC’s EEO rules. In today’s notice, the FCC released the form audit letter and list of stations that will be audited.… Continue Reading

Update: Last of STELAR Market Mod Revisions Now in Effect

By FHH Law|2016-02-25T05:58:40-06:00February 25th, 2016|Legal News|

Last October we reported on a number of changes in the Commission’s market modification processes, changes made at the direction of Congress (in the STELA Reauthorization Act (STELAR) back in 2014). But as we pointed out when most of those changes took effect, a couple of the revisions could not kick in until OMB had … Continue Reading

“Crop Penetrating Radar”: Bringing Higher Tech to the Farm?

By Mitchell Lazarus|2016-02-25T05:58:07-06:00February 25th, 2016|Legal News|

Requested waiver would let ground penetrating radar operate higher above the ground than current ultra-wideband rules allow. Down here in the CommLawBlog bunker, we urban types think of agriculture as dealing primarily with dirt. But in fact modern farming relies on a lot of technology, including precision satellite observations, high-end drones, and self-driving, GPS-guided tractors. … Continue Reading

The Videohouse Saga Speeds Up

By FHH Law|2016-02-23T13:05:26-06:00February 23rd, 2016|Legal News|

Be careful what you wish for, because you may get it. That may be what counsel for Videohouse is thinking just now, as the D.C. Circuit has granted their motion for an expedited briefing schedule. That’s good news for them, right? (Unclear on the background here? Take a look at this post and then come … Continue Reading