station employment unit

February Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters—License Renewals, EEO Reporting, Rulemaking Comments, FM Auction Filing Deadline, Lowest Unit Rate Windows, and More

By David Oxenford|2020-01-23T10:12:07-06:00January 23rd, 2020|Legal News|

With the holiday season getting smaller in the rear-view mirror and many parts of the country dealing with ice, snow, and single-digit temperatures, broadcasters could be forgiven for dreaming about the sunshine and warmth that come with spring. Before spring arrives, however, broadcasters need to tend to important regulatory matters in February. And, if you... Continue Reading…

FCC Starts First EEO Audit of Radio and TV Stations for 2019 – And Announces Upcoming Review of its EEO Audit and Enforcement Program

By David Oxenford|2019-02-17T09:33:45-06:00February 17th, 2019|Legal News|

On Friday, the FCC issued its first EEO audit of almost 300 radio and TV stations across the country (see the model audit letter and list of stations affected here), the day after announcing its intent to abolish the Form 397 EEO Mid-Term Report (see our articles here and here). In the Order announcing the...… Continue Reading

69 Radio Stations Receive FCC EEO Audit Letter

By David Oxenford|2018-06-20T07:40:46-05:00June 20th, 2018|Legal News|

The FCC this week announced its next EEO audit – one limited to only 69 radio stations. No television stations or cable systems were included in the audit notice. The Notice is available here, and list of stations involved is here. Responses to the audit are due August 6. Unlike the last audit (about which...… Continue Reading

The First EEO Audit of 2018 With a New Wrinkle – Notifications by Email and Responses Submitted Through the Online Public File

By David Oxenford|2018-02-27T10:03:39-06:00February 27th, 2018|Legal News|

On Friday, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing its first EEO audit of 2018. The Notice lists the almost 300 radio and television stations that will be subject to the review as well as the rules that apply to that audit. And those rules are somewhat new. First, the notice itself was not sent...… Continue Reading

Almost 80 Radio Stations Hit With New FCC EEO Audit Letter

By David Oxenford|2017-06-17T21:13:59-05:00June 17th, 2017|Legal News|

While the FCC in April made broadcaster’s compliance with the FCC’s EEO rules easier by allowing the wide dissemination of information about job openings through online sources (see our article here), there still remain significant obligations under those rules (see our article here). The FCC made that clear on Friday, releasing a Public Notice announcing...… Continue Reading

FCC Announces First Round of 2016 EEO Audits for Radio and TV Stations

By David Oxenford|2016-02-25T16:32:26-06:00February 25th, 2016|Legal News|

The FCC today issued a Public Notice announcing its first EEO audit for 2016. Letters to about 280 radio and television stations went out on February 24 asking for evidence of their compliance with the FCC’s EEO rules. In today’s notice, the FCC released the form audit letter and list of stations that will be audited.… Continue Reading

FCC Issues Reminder on Form 397 EEO Mid-Term Reports – Filing Obligations Begin on June 1 for Radio Stations in DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia

By David Oxenford|2015-05-27T11:36:50-05:00May 27th, 2015|Legal News|

EEO Mid-Term Reports on FCC Form 397 must be filed at the mid-point of the renewal cycle of radio stations if they are part of a station employment unit with more than 10 full-time employees, or 5 or more full-time employees for TV. A station employment unit is one or more commonly-controlled stations serving substantially the… Continue Reading

May Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Including EEO Mid-Term Reports, FM Auction, Emergency Communications Compliance, TV Market Modification Comments and More

By David Oxenford|2015-04-30T11:02:36-05:00April 30th, 2015|Legal News|

May is one of those months where there are no routine, recurring FCC regulatory filing deadlines – no EEO reports or Quarterly Issues Programs lists, no Children’s Television Programming Reports or noncommercial station ownership report deadlines. But, as with any month, that does not mean that there are no dates of concern for broadcasters –… Continue Reading

FCC Announces EEO Audit of Over 250 Radio and TV Stations

By David Oxenford|2015-02-12T08:42:52-06:00February 12th, 2015|Legal News|

The FCC yesterday issued a Public Notice announcing the first set of EEO audits for 2015. Letters to over 250 radio and TV stations went out asking for evidence of their compliance with the FCC’s EEO rules. The Commission has pledged to audit 5% of all broadcast stations and cable systems each year to assure … Continue Reading