Legal News

FCC Issues Public Notice on Implementation of New Children’s Television Rules and the Filing of October’s Quarterly Children’s Television Reports

By David Oxenford|2019-09-05T10:50:41-05:00September 5th, 2019|Legal News|

Many of the revisions to the FCC’s Children’s Television rules become effective on September 16 (as we wrote here), though there are portions of the revised rules whose implementation will be delayed pending approval by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The FCC earlier this week released a Public Notice... Continue Reading…

RMLC-GMR Interim License Version 6.0: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

By Kevin Goldberg and Karyn K. Ablin|2019-09-05T09:30:56-05:00September 5th, 2019|Legal News|

Commercial radio stations represented by the Radio Music License Committee (“RMLC”) should take note of yet another extension – through March 31, 2020 – of the interim license allowing those stations to play music in the repertory of Global Music Rights (“GMR”) while the RMLC and GMR continue to duke out their music licensing differences...… Continue Reading

FCC Releases Annual Regulatory Fee Order – Payments Due Sept. 24, 2019

By Elizabeth Craig|2019-09-03T10:59:02-05:00September 3rd, 2019|Legal News|

As we begin the march into cooler weather, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or the “Commission”) has released the final schedule of regulatory fees for 2019 and their due date. Despite some initial confusion around the release of the deadline, the confirmed date is September 24, 2019 and the Fee Filer website is now active...… Continue Reading

GMR to Offer Commercial Radio Another Extension of Their Interim License – to March 31, 2020 While the Litigation Continues

By David Oxenford|2019-08-29T19:54:25-05:00August 29th, 2019|Legal News|

This week, the Radio Music License Committee issued a press release that states that Global Music Rights (“GMR”), the new performing rights organization that collects royalties for the public performance of songs written by a number of popular songwriters (including Bruce Springsteen, members of the Eagles, Pharrell Williams and others) has agreed to extend their... Continue Reading…

FCC Enforcement Monitor ~ August 2019

By Scott R. Flick, Joseph A. Cohen and Warren Kessler|2019-08-29T11:34:32-05:00August 29th, 2019|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: Big-4 Network, Among Others, Settles With FCC Over Emergency Alert Tone Violations Despite Self-Disclosure, Sponsorship ID Violations Land $233,000 Proposed Fine Topeka TV Licensee Enters […]

FCC Releases Final Regulatory Fees With Some Relief for Broadcasters

By Lauren Lynch Flick|2019-08-28T22:58:52-05:00August 28th, 2019|Legal News|

The FCC has released its finalized schedule of annual Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2019, and thanks to the collective efforts of all 50 State Broadcasters Associations and the National Association of Broadcasters, there is some good news for radio stations and satellite television stations. But before we get to that, some information for you […]

Correction: FCC Regulatory Fees Due September 24 – And You Can Start Paying Now

By David Oxenford|2019-08-28T16:35:15-05:00August 28th, 2019|Legal News|

The FCC issued a Public Notice today, announcing that its regulatory fee filing system was now taking payments – and that payments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, on September 24. Yesterday, we indicated that the fees were due on September 30. We based that on a sentence in the FCC’s Order that said... Continue Reading…

Revised Children’s TV Rules Effective in Part Soon – Current Paperwork Requirements Still in Place, Further Comments Requested

By Anne Goodwin Crump|2019-08-28T10:00:13-05:00August 28th, 2019|Legal News|

As we previously reported, many of the revised children’s TV rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or the “Commission”) in July are to go into effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, and we now know what that effective date will be: September 16, 2019. That effective date will apply to...… Continue Reading

2019 FCC Regulatory Fees to be Due By September 30 – Commission Issues Fee Order

By David Oxenford|2019-08-28T08:44:39-05:00August 28th, 2019|Legal News|

The FCC on Tuesday released its Report and Order on regulatory fees. The Order says that the fees will be due by September 30. The FCC should soon issue additional guidance about the exact filing dates and procedures. In the Order, the FCC did reduce the fees for radio somewhat from those proposed in their... Continue Reading…