Legal News

TV Must-Carry/Retransmission Consent Elections Must Be Made This Year: Election Notification System Will Now Be All Electronic

By Peter Tannenwald|2020-03-10T10:30:25-05:00March 10th, 2020|Legal News|

In Report and Orders released in July of 2019 and February of 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has converted the system for television broadcast stations to notify multichannel video program distributors (“MVPDs”), of their election of must-carry or retransmission status from paper sent by certified mail to electronic notices posted on the FCC’s website,...… Continue Reading

Must-Carry and Retransmission Consent Notices Going Electronic – TV and MVPDs Required to Update Public File Contact Information by July 31

By David Oxenford|2020-03-06T11:12:59-06:00March 6th, 2020|Legal News|

Notifications about cable carriage have now gone electronic – and contact people at stations and MVPDs for notices about carriage issues are now to be provided in the FCC-hosted online public inspection file and in the Cable Operations and Licensing System (COALS). According to an FCC Public Notice released last week, in those databases there... Continue Reading…

Another Interim License Extension Offered by GMR to Radio Broadcasters – This Time for a Full Year – An Indication of the Status of the Litigation With RMLC?

By David Oxenford|2020-03-05T10:45:27-06:00March 5th, 2020|Legal News|

The Radio Music License Committee yesterday told members that Global Music Rights (“GMR”), the performing rights organization that began a few years ago to collect royalties for the public performance of songs written by a select number of popular songwriters (including Bruce Springsteen, members of the Eagles, Pharrell Williams and others who have withdrawn from ASCAP... Continue Reading…

Prepare Your Station to Notify the FCC of a Rebroadcast or Prepare to Be Fined

By FHH Law|2020-03-03T13:55:41-06:00March 3rd, 2020|Legal News|

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or the “Commission”) ordered an FM translator owner to pay a fine of $2,000 for rebroadcasting a primary station without notifying the FCC. According to the forfeiture order released March 2, 2020, Carolina Radio Group Inc. – licensee of FM Translator station W225DF in Raleigh, North Carolina – rebroadcast station...… Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Looking to Allow Higher Power and Greater Height for Unlicensed White Space Devices Operating in the TV Bands

By David Oxenford|2020-03-03T10:47:34-06:00March 3rd, 2020|Legal News|

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing greater coverage areas for unlicensed “white space” devices operating in the TV bands was adopted at the FCC’s open meeting last week and released earlier this week. We have written about these white space devices before (see, for instance, our articles here and here). These devices operate at relatively... Continue Reading…

FCC Seeks Comments on the State of the Communications Marketplace – Including for Audio and Video

By David Oxenford|2020-02-28T10:51:58-06:00February 28th, 2020|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice calling for public comment on the state of the communications marketplace so that it can prepare a report to Congress – a report that is required every even-numbered year. The Notice calls for comments on the state of competition in various sectors of the communications industry – including... Continue Reading…

Upcoming FCC Broadcast and Telecom Deadlines for March – May

By FHH Law|2020-02-28T10:12:25-06:00February 28th, 2020|Legal News|

Broadcast Deadlines: March 9, 2020 All-Digital AM Broadcasting – Comments are due in response to the Federal Communication Commission’s (“FCC” or the “Commission”) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking input on a proposal to allow AM broadcasters to broadcast an all-digital signal using the HD Radio in-band on-channel (IBOC) mode known as MA3. March 30, 2020...… Continue Reading

FCC Enforcement Monitor ~ February 2020

By Scott R. Flick, Warren Kessler and Simone A. Wood|2020-02-25T10:02:45-06:00February 25th, 2020|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: Violations of the Live Broadcasting Rule Lead to $50,000 Consent Decree Decision Affirming Dismissal of Mississippi Station’s License Renewal Application Highlights Intricacies of License Renewal […]

March Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters—Children’s Television Reports, Lowest Unit Rate Windows, EEO Audit Responses, AM Revitalization Comments, License Renewal Preparation and More

By David Oxenford|2020-02-24T11:06:39-06:00February 24th, 2020|Legal News|

As the calendar flips to March, many of us have put our trust in Punxsutawney Phil’s weather forecasting expertise that an early spring is coming. A surer place to put our trust, however, is in the guarantee that there are always some regulatory dates about which broadcasters should be aware. While March is a month... Continue Reading…