Legal News

Copyright Office Grants Second Extension of Comment Dates in Proceeding Looking at MVPD Reporting Obligations and the Definition of Cable System

By David Oxenford|2018-03-09T11:16:04-06:00March 9th, 2018|Legal News|

In December, we wrote about a proceeding initiated by the Copyright Office to review the reporting obligations of cable and satellite television systems related to the statutory license that permits those systems to carry the programming of local television stations. Systems must report information including revenue and subscriber information that allow royalties to be computed. ...… Continue Reading

It’s Political Broadcasting Season Again – What Broadcast Stations Should Be Thinking About Now, Before the Lowest Unit Rate Windows Open

By David Oxenford|2018-03-08T11:09:12-06:00March 8th, 2018|Legal News|

This week’s political primaries in Texas are but the first of many more election contests that will occur between now and November. Already, we are receiving client calls about the political rules, how they should be applied, and what stations should be considering in anticipation of the upcoming elections. I’ve discussed the general FCC issues to be...… Continue Reading

New Hearing Aid Compatibility Standards to Take Effect March 30

By FHH Law|2018-03-07T15:29:49-06:00March 7th, 2018|Legal News|

This week, the FCC announced that March 30 will be the effective date for amending hearing aid compatibility (HAC) rules. These rules, published in the Federal Register on March 6, were designed to allow those who are hard of hearing to have access to the national telecommunications network and to further implement the Twenty-First Century...… Continue Reading

Next Media Regulation Modernization Item – Easing Transfer of Satellite TV Stations

By David Oxenford|2018-03-05T11:13:38-06:00March 5th, 2018|Legal News|

The FCC last week released its tentative agenda for its March open meeting. On it was a single item dealing with broadcast issues, a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to ease the paperwork involved in the sale of a satellite TV station. This item is another action as part of its Modernization of Media...… Continue Reading

Announcing a New Member to our CommLawBlog Team: Sekoia Rogers

By FHH Law|2018-03-01T13:39:52-06:00March 1st, 2018|Legal News|

Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC and the CommLawBlog team are thrilled to welcome Sekoia Rogers as the firm’s newest associate starting March 1, 2018. Ms. Rogers joined the firm in September 2017 as a legal fellow after receiving her law degree from American University Washington College of Law in May of 2017. In fact, you’ve...… Continue Reading

FCC Enforcement Monitor ~ February 2018

By Scott R. Flick, Joseph A. Cohen and Warren Kessler|2018-02-28T14:47:11-06:00February 28th, 2018|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: FCC Proposes Forfeitures Against South Carolina Stations for Failure to Maintain Public Inspection File Noncommercial Station and FCC Settle Dispute Over Promotional Announcements Brooklyn-based Bitcoin […]

FCC Announces Long-Form Application Deadline for AM Stations that Resolved Mutually Exclusive Situations in First Translator Window

By David Oxenford|2018-02-28T11:00:02-06:00February 28th, 2018|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice announcing a filing window from March 14 to March 28 for “long-form” applications for new translators that were filed in last summer’s window for Class C and D AM stations to seek new FM translators to rebroadcast their stations. The Public Notice also sets the procedures for filing...… Continue Reading

Political Broadcasting Rules Q&A

By Dan Kirkpatrick|2018-02-27T12:14:01-06:00February 27th, 2018|Legal News|

With primaries in some states happening as soon as March, the 2018 election cycle is certain to be contentious and hard-fought. Now is the time for broadcasters to review their systems to ensure that they will be in compliance with the FCC’s political advertising requirements. Now that all broadcast stations are required to place political...… Continue Reading

The First EEO Audit of 2018 With a New Wrinkle – Notifications by Email and Responses Submitted Through the Online Public File

By David Oxenford|2018-02-27T10:03:39-06:00February 27th, 2018|Legal News|

On Friday, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing its first EEO audit of 2018. The Notice lists the almost 300 radio and television stations that will be subject to the review as well as the rules that apply to that audit. And those rules are somewhat new. First, the notice itself was not sent...… Continue Reading