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
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
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
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
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
On Monday of this week, the FCC issued a Second Report and Order amending and clarifying its rules concerning the disclosure of foreign sponsorship of programming. Amidst growing concerns regarding the potential influence of Russian, Chinese, and other foreign governments on recent U.S. elections, the FCC implemented new rules in 2022 requiring broadcasters to conduct...… Continue Reading
The FCC has announced that the current freeze on major modification to Class A television, LPTV, and TV translator will be partially lifted to allow applications to change channels as of August 20, 2024, subject to certain limitations. Channel change applications will be permitted on a nationwide basis without geographic limitation. For the limited number...… Continue Reading
The FCC released a Public Notice today establishing deadlines for submitting comments on its proposed rules to permit limited, voluntary program origination on FM boosters. Comments must be filed no later than May 16. Reply comments must be filed no later than June 17. The proposed rules would provide flexibility for stations to use boosters...… Continue Reading
On April 2, 2024, the FCC released a Report and Order (“R&O”) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”) adopting rule changes that will allow FM booster stations to originate up to three minutes of programming per hour. Prior to adopting the changes, the FCC generally defined a booster as a “fill-in” translator that is...… Continue Reading