Broadcast

FCC Requires MVPDs to Submit Reports of Broadcast Station Blackouts

By Mark Malonzo|2025-01-08T13:07:47-06:00January 8th, 2025|Legal News|

Tags: Broadcast, TV, MVPD, Cable, Satellite, FCC, Retransmission Consent, Medi The FCC adopted rules on January 3 that require Multichannel Video Programming Distributors, including cable or satellite providers (“MVPDs” or “Reporting Entities”) to report certain broadcast station blackouts. The rules will be effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, but MVPDs will not be required to comply until the...… Continue Reading

FCC Opens Limited Filing Window for New Noncommercial TV Stations

By Anne Goodwin Crump|2024-10-16T10:05:23-05:00October 16th, 2024|Legal News|

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) has issued a public notice, DA 24-1065, which announces the opening of a filing window for applications for construction permit for new noncommercial educational (“NCE”) TV stations in 12 specified communities in various areas of the United States. This window opens at 12:01 a.m. EST on December 4,...… Continue Reading

Comment Deadline Set for Proposed Disclosure Requirements for AI Content in Political Ads

By Anne Goodwin Crump|2024-08-08T13:32:19-05:00August 8th, 2024|Legal News|

As has been widely publicized, the FCC has proposed that broadcasters be required to air an announcement for all political ads, including both candidate and issue ads that contain content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The deadlines for comments on this proposal have now been set. Initial comments will be due by September 4, 2024,...… Continue Reading

ETRS Form One Due Oct. 4 for All EAS Participants

By Mark Malonzo|2024-08-05T15:41:00-05:00August 5th, 2024|Legal News|

The FCC announced today that all EAS Participants must submit their annual Form One filings no later than October 4, 2024. EAS Participants are parties subject to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules. Virtually all broadcast stations, wired and wireless cable television systems, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, digital audio broadcasting systems, and wireline video...… Continue Reading

FCC Sets Effective Date for Foreign Sponsorship ID Rule Changes

By Travis Andring|2024-07-18T17:10:13-05:00July 18th, 2024|Legal News|

On July 16th, the FCC announced that two changes to its sponsorship identification requirements for foreign government-provided programming, as detailed in its June 10th Second Report and Order, are set to become effective on August 15, 2024. Recall that the FCC modified its sponsorship identification rules in March of 2022 to require broadcasters to identify...… Continue Reading

New Pre-Sunrise and Post-Sunset Power Levels Available for Eligible AM Stations

By Mark Malonzo|2024-07-16T09:16:18-05:00July 16th, 2024|Legal News|

The FCC is now accepting letter requests from AM stations for pre-sunrise authorization (PSRA) and post-sunset authorization (PSSA). PSRA permits AM stations to operate at increased power during the two hours immediately preceding sunrise. PSSA allows for increased power for the two hours immediately following sunset. According to the FCC’s Public Notice, the Audio Division...… Continue Reading

New Commercial FM Programming Non-Duplication Rule Goes Into Effect on August 2, 2024

By Paul J. Feldman|2024-07-08T11:29:52-05:00July 8th, 2024|Legal News|

The FCC recently announced that August 2, 2024, is the effective date of its newly reinstated programming non-duplication rule for commercial FM stations. As we have previously noted [https://www.commlawblog.com/2024/06/articles/broadcast-2/partial-return-of-the-radio-duplication-rule] that rule, which was reinstated in a June 2024 Reconsideration Order, prohibits commonly owned or operated commercial FM stations with overlapping service contours from duplicating more than...… Continue Reading

FCC Received Petition for New FM Broadcast Station Class

By Travis Andring|2024-06-21T15:18:40-05:00June 21st, 2024|Legal News|

On June 20, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing a June 13 Petition for Rulemaking submitted by Commander Communication Corporation (“Commander”) to create a new FM station class “A10.” In its Petition, Commander proposed a new FM class with operating parameters of maximum of 10,000 watts effective radiated power (ERP) and 100 meters height...… Continue Reading

Partial Return of the Radio Duplication Rule

By Daniel Brown|2024-06-12T11:02:05-05:00June 12th, 2024|Legal News|

Continuing its progression of reversals, the FCC announced on June 5, 2024 that it would once again reinstate section 73.3556 of the Commission’s rules (the “Radio Duplication Rule” or “Rule”) for commercial FM stations. The Radio Duplication Rule does not apply to noncommercial educational stations nor AM stations. As some of our readers might recall,...… Continue Reading