Legal News

FCC Fines: $17,000 for Unsecure AM Tower Fence (Not Owning the Tower Site is No Excuse); $25,000 for Missing Quarterly Issues Programs Lists; $22,000 for Nonfunctioning EAS and Wrong Tower Coordinates

By David Oxenford|2015-02-11T11:06:22-06:00February 11th, 2015|Legal News|

A flurry of fines against broadcasters have come out of the FCC in the last week. These fines highlight the scrutiny under which owners of broadcast stations can find themselves should an FCC Field Office inspector knock on their door. If the FCC pays a visit and finds a violation, a station is often looking … Continue Reading

FCC Extends Comment Dates in Proceeding Looking to Regulate Online Video Under MVPD Rules

By David Oxenford|2015-02-11T11:00:12-06:00February 11th, 2015|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday released a public notice extending the comment dates in their proceeding to regulate Online (or “over-the-top”) Video, particularly Internet video providers who provide multiple channels of linear video programming (programming streamed at the same time to all viewers, as opposed to on-demand video like that provided by Netflix or Amazon), in the … Continue Reading

Update: Comment Deadlines Extended in MVPD-Redefinition Proceeding

By FHH Law|2015-02-10T16:08:39-06:00February 10th, 2015|Legal News|

Last month we reported on the FCC’s proposal to redefine the MVPD universe to include services “untethered” from any infrastructure-based definition – in other words, to include Internet-delivered, “over-the-top&rdqu...

Telecom Tickler 2015 – CPNI Certifications Due By March 2

By Michelle A. McClure|2015-02-09T13:33:49-06:00February 9th, 2015|Legal News|

It’s that time of year again – time for our annual reminder to all telecommunications carriers and interconnected VoIP providers that your CPNI certifications are due by March 2, 2015. While the Enforcement Bureau has announced the de...

FCC Releases Tentative Amounts for Opening Offers to TV Stations to Surrender their Spectrum in the Incentive Auction – and the Numbers Are High

By David Oxenford|2015-02-09T11:43:35-06:00February 9th, 2015|Legal News|

On Friday, the FCC released a new report by the investment bankers advising them on the incentive auction, Greenhill and Company. This report summarizes proposed auction procedures, but also sets out, on a market-by-market basis, the expected opening bids to be offered to TV broadcasters for the surrender of their spectrum so that the spectrum … Continue Reading

Incentive Auction Update: Projected Opening Bids Shoot Up in Latest Greenhill Report

By Davina Sashkin|2015-02-08T14:52:09-06:00February 8th, 2015|Legal News|

Latest Greenhill estimates incorporate more sophisticated procedures and analytics, results of AWS-3 auction. Let’s say that you’re a TV broadcaster (full-service or Class A), and you’ve been thinking about participating in the Incen...

Roam-eo, Roam-eo, Wherefore Art Thou? Locating E911 Callers to Become Easier

By Tony Lee|2015-02-08T14:00:38-06:00February 8th, 2015|Legal News|

With widespread cooperation, Commission looks to improve accuracy, reliability of E911 location capability Back in the day, when landline phones ruled, emergency responders could locate 911 callers with relative ease. After all, each landline phone was...

Copyright Office Issues its Report on Music Licensing – Issues Include Broadcast Performance Royalties, Publisher Withdrawals from ASCAP and BMI, and Pre-1972 Sound Recordings

By David Oxenford|2015-02-08T11:45:58-06:00February 8th, 2015|Legal News|

The Copyright Office this past week released its Report following its study of music licensing in the US; a comprehensive report addressing a number of very controversial issues concerning music rights and royalties. Whether its release during the week of the Grammy Awards was a coincidence or not, the report itself, which takes positions on … Continue Reading

On the 76-81 GHz Screen: More Radar, Less Amateur?

By Mitchell Lazarus|2015-02-08T09:56:29-06:00February 8th, 2015|Legal News|

FCC proposes increased radar uses of the band, to the possible detriment of radio astronomers and amateur radio. Just ten years ago, the upper reaches of the millimeter wave bands – the “nosebleed” spectrum – were mostly empty. ...