Concluding a proceeding begun a mere 18 months ago, the Commission has extended its online public file requirement well beyond the broadcast TV industry. To no one’s real surprise, the FCC has decided to expand its online public inspection file requirement – first imposed on television broadcasters in 2012 – to include radio broadcasters, cable … Continue Reading
January 2016 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: TV Licensee Agrees to Pay $18,000 for Public Inspection File Violations FM Translator Licensee Faces $9,000 Fine for False Certification and Unauthorized Operation […]
Enforcement Bureau extracts half-million dollar “civil penalty” AND an extensive compliance plan commitment from Cumulus for spots which it didn’t even sell. The Enforcement Bureau has scored another trophy for its burgeoning trophy room of extravagant penalties. This time, it’s $540,000 extracted from Cumulus for a supposedly inadequate sponsorship identification on a number of spots … Continue Reading
In the closing days of 2015 we reported on the FCC’s long-awaited decision on how it plans to deal with LPTV and TV translator stations as it works its way through the post-auction repack process. The Commission’s decision has now been published in the Federal Register in two separate chunks: the first includes the Report … Continue Reading
The FCC today adopted rules to require that the public inspection files of radio stations (and of cable television systems and operators of satellite radio and television companies) to put their public inspection files online. While, thus far, the FCC has only released a public notice summarizing its decision and not the full text explaining… Continue Reading
Despite a three-hour delayed opening of the federal government courtesy of the aftermath of Winter Storm Jonas, the FCC, in today’s Open Meeting, adopted rules requiring that radio broadcast stations, as well as satellite radio (i.e., Sirius/XM), direct broadcast satellite providers (i.e., DirecTV and DISH), and most cable television systems, migrate their public inspection files to […]
In the last week, copyright audits have been in the news. Several broadcasting publications noted the recent announcements by the Copyright Royalty Board that SoundExchange has decided to audit several companies that pay it royalties, including webcasters (including Pandora and a number of broadcasters in connection with their webcast operations), business establishments services (those who… Continue Reading
Same as it ever was: as they start in on the next five-year period with new rates and terms announced in Webcasting IV, webcasters must again attend to annual SoundExchange homework. It’s been a month since I wrote about Webcasting IV, the decision of the Copyright Royalty Board that set webcasting rates and terms for … Continue Reading
According to SNL Kagan, recognized as one of the preeminent sources of financial analysis in the media business, in 2015 Fletcher, Heald and Hildreth served as legal adviser in more media/entertainment/new media transactions than any other law firm – by a long shot … again. Hey, isn’t this the same post we put up last year … Continue Reading