Legal News

FCC Issues Reminder On Sponsorship Identification Requirements – Including Obligation to Ensure Syndicated and Brokered Program Providers Comply With the Rules

By David Oxenford|2021-03-17T10:23:07-05:00March 17th, 2021|Legal News|

Last week, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued an Advisory reminding broadcasters about their obligation to provide sponsorship identification information to their audiences whenever they receive something of value in exchange for airing any programming. The Enforcement Bureau’s advisory was quite concise, basically just reminding broadcasters of their sponsorship identification obligations. But the FCC also highlighted... Continue Reading…

Dr. Seuss and Fair Use – Just Because You Make a Funny Version of a Copyrighted Work Does Not Mean that You Will Escape an Infringement Claim

By David Oxenford|2021-03-16T11:26:42-05:00March 16th, 2021|Legal News|

With Dr. Seuss recently in the news for the decision of his estate to pull from publication certain books that were racially insensitive, we thought that we would go back and look at another decision involving the good doctor that we did not get around to reviewing when it came out at the end of... Continue Reading…

FCC Hearing Designation Order Reminds Broadcasters that Long Periods Where They are Not Operating May Lead to License Renewal Problems

By David Oxenford|2021-03-15T11:04:56-05:00March 15th, 2021|Legal News|

Last week, the FCC issued a hearing designation order, sending to an Administrative Law Judge the question of whether an AM station’s license renewal application should be granted. The hearing seeks to gather evidence as to whether the renewal should be granted despite the station’s record, under its current licensee, where it was operating for... Continue Reading…

FCC Hearing Designation Order Reminds Broadcasters that Long Periods Where They are Not Operating May Lead to License Renewal Problems

By David Oxenford|2021-03-15T11:04:56-05:00March 15th, 2021|Legal News|

Last week, the FCC issued a hearing designation order, sending to an Administrative Law Judge the question of whether an AM station’s license renewal application should be granted. The hearing seeks to gather evidence as to whether the renewal should be granted despite the station’s record, under its current licensee, where it was operating for... Continue Reading…

FCC Releases List of Communications Equipment and Services Raising National Security Risks

By Glenn S. Richards, Lee G. Petro and Simone A. Wood|2021-03-14T14:02:36-05:00March 14th, 2021|Legal News|

Bringing to a close the process initiated with the adoption of the Secure and Trusted Communications Act of 2019, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released its list of communications equipment and services that it has deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security. US-based service providers are prohibited from receiving […]

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: March 6, 2021 to March 12, 2021

By David Oxenford and Adam Sandler|2021-03-13T17:23:06-06:00March 13th, 2021|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau reminded stations of their obligation to comply with all sponsorship identification rules and to disclose information... Continue Reading…

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: March 6, 2021 to March 12, 2021

By David Oxenford and Adam Sandler|2021-03-13T17:23:06-06:00March 13th, 2021|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau reminded stations of their obligation to comply with all sponsorship identification rules and to disclose information... Continue Reading…

March Madness Trademarks: Tips To Avoid A Foul Call from the NCAA (2021 Update – Part 2)

By Mitchell Stabbe|2021-03-10T09:08:02-06:00March 10th, 2021|Legal News|

Yesterday, I wrote about the history of the NCAA’s assembling of the rights to an array of trademarks associated with this month’s basketball tournament. Today, I will provide some examples of the activities that can bring unwanted NCAA attention to your operations. Activities that May Result in a Demand Letter from the NCAA The NCAA... Continue Reading…

March Madness Trademarks: Tips To Avoid A Foul Call from the NCAA (2021 Update – Part 1)

By Mitchell Stabbe|2021-03-08T22:13:48-06:00March 8th, 2021|Legal News|

Part 1 of my 2020 annual update on the use of trademarks associated with the NCAA Basketball Tournament was published on the same day that the NCAA announced it was cancelling the tournament due to the pandemic. Fortunately for all concerned (the players, fans, the NCAA and the broadcasters), it appears that the tournament will... Continue Reading…