FCC – Page 50 – Tennessee Association of Broadcasters

FCC Releases Proposed Order to Modify Media Ownership Rules

By Dan Kirkpatrick|2017-10-27T12:49:40-05:00October 27th, 2017|Legal News|

As expected, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai yesterday released his proposed Order modifying the FCC’s media ownership rules. Consistent with what he announced at an Oct. 25 House Energy and Commerce Committee FCC Oversight Hearing, the Order, if adopted, will allow nearly unrestricted television duopolies in almost every market, eliminate radio/TV cross-ownership restrictions, and abolish the Commission’s long-standing prohibition...… Continue Reading

FCC Eliminates Broadcast Main Studio Rules, Related Staffing, and Program Origination Requirements; Controversial Order Passes Three-Two Along Party Lines

By Paul J. Feldman|2017-10-25T14:45:57-05:00October 25th, 2017|Legal News|

On Oct. 24, 2017, the FCC issued a Report and Order eliminating the Commission’s rule requiring each AM, FM, and television broadcast station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license (i.e. the Main Studio Rule). In the same Order, the FCC eliminated existing requirements that are associated with the...… Continue Reading

The FCC Rethinks Citizens Broadband at the Eleventh Hour

By Mitchell Lazarus|2017-10-25T12:45:41-05:00October 25th, 2017|Legal News|

The FCC is having second thoughts about the auctioned “middle layer” of the planned Citizens Broadband Radio Service at 3550-3700 MHz. You may remember how this is all supposed to work, with three categories of users. The “Incumbent Access” (IA) users, already in place in the band, will have interference protection from all the others....… Continue Reading

EAS Report to SECCs Due Nov. 6

By Mark DeSantis|2017-10-25T09:49:26-05:00October 25th, 2017|Legal News|

The FCC scored a legal victory in court this past week when the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld its requirement that EAS participants report to their State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC) their progress on developing multilingual EAS alerts (an SECC is a committee assigned to implement EAS in a specific state). EAS participants must...… Continue Reading

FCC Proposes Market-Based Changes to Toll Free Number Administration

By Keenan Adamchak|2017-10-24T14:29:36-05:00October 24th, 2017|Legal News|

On Sept. 28, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that seeks to permit the assignment of toll free numbers via alternative market-based approaches, including the auctioning of numbers. Furthermore, consistent with such a market-based approach, the Commission proposed the development of a secondary market allowing subscribers to reassign their...… Continue Reading

Initial Reimbursement Allocations Announced for Repack Expenses

By Dan Kirkpatrick and Davina Sashkin|2017-10-16T21:04:12-05:00October 16th, 2017|Legal News|

On October 16, 2017, the Incentive Auction Task Force and the FCC’s Media Bureau jointly announced the initial allocation from the TV Broadcaster Relocation Fund (Relocation Fund) for the reimbursement of eligible full power and Class A television stations as well as multi-channel video programming distributors (MVPDs) (Eligible Entities) impacted by the Incentive Auction. The...… Continue Reading

Reminder: FREE Upcoming CPB Compliance Webinar

By FHH Law|2017-10-16T11:05:24-05:00October 16th, 2017|Legal News|

This is a reminder to not snooze on next week’s CPB compliance webinar! On Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. Fletcher, Heald, & Hildreth’s CPB Compliance guru Bob Winteringham will present a FREE one-hour webinar to help you navigate the twists and turns of CPB compliance. You can register for the webinar, for free, via this...… Continue Reading

Now Available: Online Public Inspection File Webinar

By FHH Law|2017-10-13T08:45:51-05:00October 13th, 2017|Legal News|

With the March 1, 2018 Online Public Inspection File deadline for mid-sized and smaller market (and non-commercial) approaching, Fletcher, Heald, & Hildreth’s Frank Montero and Steve Lovelady recently presented a webinar to help industry professionals navigate through the online filing process. In collaboration with Colorado Broadcasters Association, Montero and Lovelady spoke on a variety of...… Continue Reading

Reminder: FREE Online Public Inspection Files Refresher Course Webinar

By FHH Law|2017-10-11T13:15:57-05:00October 11th, 2017|Legal News|

This is a reminder that tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 12th at 12:00 p.m. EDT, Fletcher, Heald, & Hildreth’s Frank Montero and Steve Lovelady in partnership with Colorado Broadcasters Association, will present a FREE webinar entitled “Online Public Inspection Files: A Refresher Webinar.” You can register for the webinar, for FREE, via this link. While 2017 isn’t...… Continue Reading