TV stations have in the past few years been hit with many requirements for making their programming – especially emergency information – accessible to all people within their service areas. Two deadlines loom in the very short term that stations need to remember – the requirements for converting text based emergency information aired on their… Continue Reading
Last week, I conducted a webinar on the FCC’s EEO rules for 19 state broadcast associations, explaining the issues that broadcasters need to keep in mind to comply with those rules. The slides from my presentation are available here. On the same day, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing another of their random EEO… Continue Reading
At the end of last week, the FCC took the expected steps of releasing its public notice setting out the specific procedures for broadcasters interested in participating in the incentive auction by selling their spectrum back to the FCC to be repurposed for wireless broadband, and a notice setting out the specific opening prices that… Continue Reading
Two weeks ago we let everybody know about a Federal Register notice officially announcing the deadline for responses to petitions for reconsideration in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service proceeding. Usually such notices provide a second deadline – for replies to any responses that might get filed. In this case, however, the published reply deadline happened … Continue Reading
The FCC today announced the application procedures to be used for broadcast stations wishing to participate in the spectrum auction, as well as application procedures for those wishing to purchase that spectrum in the forward auction. Of particular interest to broadcast stations wishing to participate in the reverse auction is the announcement that the window […]
Three parties seek service rules or waivers for the 102-109.5 GHz band. The FCC’s licensing and service rules presently provide for use of spectrum up to 95 GHz, an extremely high frequency. Now the FCC is considering requests to go even higher: to open the 102-109.5 GHz band for fixed microwave applications. Radio waves in … Continue Reading
In a decision released last Friday, the FCC made clear how far it is willing to go in extending to noncommercial stations leniency for fines for violations of its rules. As we have written before, the FCC changed its policy in a case in which we were involved so as to mitigate harsh penalties for… Continue Reading
The FCC this week issued a document called “Guidance Regarding Prohibition of Certain Communications During the Incentive Auction, Auction 1000.” That mouthful of a title identifies a document which clarifies the restrictions which apply during the incentive auction on communications by and between broadcasters (and wireless companies) that could influence the bidding in the auction.… Continue Reading
Recent decisions resolve some questions, influence the eventual resolution of others. If you’re a webcaster, we’ve got some news for you. While the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has yet to conclude its Webcasting IV proceeding, it has issued two orders recently that wrap up some aspects of that proceeding. And the Register of Copyrights has … Continue Reading