The FCC’s final Order on Reconsideration in its media ownership proceeding was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 8. This latest step in the long-running saga of the FCC’s attempts to reform its media ownership rules relaxes many media ownership rules. Absent Court intervention or Commission reconsideration, those changes will take effect on Feb....… Continue Reading
Since Chairman Pai took over the leadership of the FCC, he has emphasized that one of his main goals has been to “close the digital divide and bring the benefits of the Internet age to all Americans.” So it comes as no surprise that the FCC has taken several measures recently to overhaul the Lifeline...… Continue Reading
The Copyright Royalty Board on Friday published in the Federal Register its decision setting the royalty rates that noncommercial broadcasters will pay to the performing rights organizations for the public performance of musical compositions in over-the-air broadcasting during the period 2018-2022. The rates reflect settlements between ASCAP, BMI and SESAC and various organizations representing noncommercial...… Continue Reading
On the eve of the 2018 mid-term elections, broadcasters will soon have to navigate the FCC’s rules on political broadcasting. To assist with this, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth’s Dan Kirkpatrick, Frank Montero, and Scott Johnson, were joined by the FCC’s Bobby Baker and Gary Schonman to present, in collaboration with the Colorado Broadcasters Association, a webinar on...… Continue Reading
As anyone who had turned on TV, listened to the radio, looked at the Internet or read a newspaper knows, the Federal government ran out of money at midnight on Friday, and news outlets are calling it a government shutdown. But, unlike shutdowns in the past where all agencies closed their doors at the same...… Continue Reading
CommLawBlog is happy to say that Fletcher Heald & Hildreth has, once again, served as lead legal advisor on more transactions than any other law firm, according to S&P Global’s Media and Entertainment and New Media category. This is the EIGHTH (yup! You read that right!) year in a row that we have received this...… Continue Reading
Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth and CommLawBlog are happy to welcome well-known broadcast attorney Mark Lipp to our broadcast and media practice. Mark joins FHH as a member effective as of Jan. 15. Mark is well-known for representing broadcast stations in a variety of FCC issues including enforcement, renewals, auctions, litigation, and transactions. He also advises...… Continue Reading
The window for Class A and B AM stations (and certain Class C and D AM stations) to apply for new cross-service FM translators will open at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, and close at 5:59 p.m. Eastern Time (not at 11:59 p.m.) on Jan. 31, 2018. This will be the...… Continue Reading
Prometheus Radio Project and Media Mobilizing Project, public interest groups who have been opponents of relaxation in the FCC’s broadcast ownership rules, have filed the first Petition for Review of the FCC’s Order on Reconsideration of the Quadrennial Review of those rules. In November, the FCC by a 3 to 2 vote eliminated the rule requiring that...… Continue Reading