It’s February, and we’re back to the normal cycle of FCC filings. Due to be placed in the public files of radio and TV stations with 5 or more full-time employees are EEO Public Inspection File Reports for radio and TV stations in the following states: Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York,… Continue Reading
The FCC today adopted rules to require that the public inspection files of radio stations (and of cable television systems and operators of satellite radio and television companies) to put their public inspection files online. While, thus far, the FCC has only released a public notice summarizing its decision and not the full text explaining… Continue Reading
If you missed our recent webinar (featuring FCC political broadcasting guru Bobby Baker) covering All Things Political Broadcasting, don’t worry. You can attend ex post facto, in absentia (if that’s such a thing), by listening to the whole two-hour production online. Just click on this link. As with folks who attended the live event, you’ll … Continue Reading
At the beginning of each year, we publish our broadcaster’s calendar of important dates – setting out the many dates for which broadcasters should be on alert as this year progresses. The Broadcasters Calendar for 2016 is available here. The dates set out on the calendar include not only FCC filing deadlines and dates by… Continue Reading
It’s that time of the year when we need to dust off the crystal ball and make predictions about the legal issues that will impact the business of broadcasters in 2016. While we try to look ahead to identify the issues that are on the agenda of the FCC and other government agencies, there are… Continue Reading
The FCC yesterday released, and trumpeted, a Consent Decree reached with Cumulus Radio for a violation at one of its New Hampshire stations where full sponsorship identification announcements were not made on issue ads promoting an electric company’s construction project in New Hampshire. In the Consent Decree, Cumulus agreed to pay a $540,000 penalty to… Continue Reading
Last week, we noted that an order acting on the FCC’s proposal to adopt a requirement for an online public file for radio, cable and satellite had been prepared and was circulating among the FCC commissioners for their review. Yesterday, in a post on the FCC’s blog, the FCC Chairman confirmed that the decision would… Continue Reading
Ready or not, here it comes: Campaign 2016. FHH presents the FCC’s political guru, Bobby Baker, to help broadcasters get themselves ready. If you thought 2015 was some kind of something when it came to politics, you can expect 2016 to be even more. Things are about to get considerably more serious on the campaign … Continue Reading
The FCC appears poised to decide what to do with its proposals for an online public inspection file for radio stations, and for cable and satellite TV systems. The FCC’s list of “Items on Circulation” (orders that have been written and are being considered for approval by the FCC Commissioners) indicates that the decision has… Continue Reading