On November 18th, the FCC published a draft of the long-awaited updated National Broadband Map. This version of the map shows the availability of fixed and mobile broadband as reported by internet service providers (“ISPs”) as of June 30, 2022. This map endeavors to improve upon the FCC’s broadband data collection via Form 477, which...… Continue Reading
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. On November 17, the FCC’s Second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“Second NPRM”) on foreign government sponsored programming was published in... Continue Reading…
A recent FCC staff decision dismissing an application for a new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM station on technical grounds highlighted a rarely used section of the FCC rules, Section 73.561(b). That section provides that, when an NCE FM station does not regularly operate for at least 12 hours per day, another noncommercial entity can file... Continue Reading…
A recent FCC staff decision dismissing an application for a new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM station on technical grounds highlighted a rarely used section of the FCC rules, Section 73.561(b). That section provides that, when an NCE FM station does not regularly operate for at least 12 hours per day, another noncommercial entity can file... Continue Reading…
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The effective date of a recently adopted FCC Report and Order aimed at making emergency alerts delivered over television and radio... Continue Reading…
This week, the FCC issued a Forfeiture Order imposing a penalty of over $500,000 against Gray Television, Inc. for violating the FCC’s rule prohibiting ownership of two top-four television stations in the same Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA). Gray acquired the CBS network affiliation for KTVA(TV), Anchorage, Alaska, and the FCC found that this action...… Continue Reading
At each of the last two of the FCC’s recent regular monthly open meetings, the Commission addressed EAS issues that affect broadcasters. In one case, it adopted new rules that will, among other things, require that broadcasters use on-air the “IPAWS” internet-delivered emergency message in the CAP format, if the broadcaster receives the alert in... Continue Reading…
With election results still being tabulated in many states in close political races, we thought that it is worth reminding broadcasters of the advice given by the FCC in 2020, when it issued a public notice stating that Lowest Unit Charges (or lowest unit rates as they are often called) do not apply to post-election political ads (e.g., ads... Continue Reading…
With election results still being tabulated in many states in close political races, we thought that it is worth reminding broadcasters of the advice given by the FCC in 2020, when it issued a public notice stating that Lowest Unit Charges (or lowest unit rates as they are often called) do not apply to post-election political ads (e.g., ads... Continue Reading…