As someone who has been deeply involved in planning for the rollout of ATSC 3.0, I get a lot of questions about the next generation broadcasting standard. By far the two most common questions are “When will the transition start?” and “When will it end?” My answers—which often lead to quizzical looks—are “Very soon. And […]
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 $25,000 Fine Against Individual for Operating a Pirate Radio Station FCC Admonishes Wireless Carrier for Data Breach Telecommunications Relay Service Providers Agree to […]
After the election, it was clear that we would be seeing a much different FCC in 2017. Such transitions typically take time, as a president’s nomination of new candidates to fill the Chairman’s or commissioners’ seats, along with the delay typically associated with obtaining Senate confirmation, means that a new fully-staffed FCC won’t typically be ready […]
Just 29 days ago, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued an unusual decision denying Petitions for Reconsideration of an order adopted by the commissioners themselves, raising questions as to who’s in charge at the FCC. The petitions were filed by noncommercial broadcasters in the Commission’s long-running proceeding to update its broadcast ownership reporting requirements. Today, a […]
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 $10,000 Fine to FM Licensee for Public Inspection File Violations Spoofed Calls Lead to $25,000 Fine Wireless Licensee Agrees to Pay $28,800 Settlement […]
It took a while to get to this point, but at the first public meeting of the Pai FCC, the Commission voted today to eliminate the requirement that stations maintain “Letters and Emails from the Public” in their public inspection files. As discussed below, that decision will have differing impacts on TV and radio stations, […]
Commission’s Order makes it into the Federal Register, establishing deadlines petitions for reconsideration and/or judicial review as well as effective date of the underlying order – but what exactly will take effect on that date? Back in January we reported on the FCC’s latest attempt to craft the Perfect Broadcast Ownership Report for both the … Continue Reading
If you’re fixin’ to file your Children’s Television Report (FCC Form 398) for the first quarter of 2016 (and you should be – this year they’re due no later than Monday, April 11, for crying out loud!), don’t forget what we told you last February: the FCC has changed the filing portal for those reports, … Continue Reading
New services promise exceptional performance. Just not everywhere. And not soon. After the successes of 3G and 4G mobile services, something called 5G was inevitable. It’s still a ways off, but the outlines are taking shape. The hallmark of 5G mobile service will be blindingly fast data speeds, possibly in the gigabit-per-second range, faster than … Continue Reading