The FCC released its decision to limit to 10 the number of applications that can be filed by one party in the next window for new noncommercial FM stations in the reserved FM band (those channels below 92.1 on the FM dial). No party can have attributable interests in more than 10 applications filed in… Continue Reading…
FCC Being Anything but CALM About Congressional Letter – Asks for Public Comments on CALM Act Enforcement
Earlier this week, we highlighted a letter sent last week from Congresswoman Anna Eshoo asking the FCC to review CALM Act compliance. The letter noted that the FCC has received thousands of complaints about loud commercials in the decade that the law has been in effect without having taken any enforcement action. The FCC wasted no time in reacting,…
A New TV Station in Your Future? Lifting of TV Freeze Brings Proposals for New Allotments
While the pandemic has focused much attention on streaming television services, at least some companies believe that over-the-air television still has a future, as evidenced by recent proposals to allocate new TV channels which, if adopted, could result in brand new TV stations. As we wrote here, last year the FCC lifted the freeze on… Continue Reading…
Congressional Letter to FCC on CALM Act Violations Puts Focus on FCC Enforcement Issues
As we highlighted yesterday in our weekly summary of regulatory issues for broadcasters, last week saw a letter from Congresswoman Anna Eshoo to the FCC asking for the FCC to review the enforcement of the rules established by the CALM Act, which prohibits loud commercials on TV stations. The letter cites news reports of thousands… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: April 10, 2021 to April 16, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. According to press reports, broadcasters should pencil in August 11, 2021 on their calendars for the next national test of… Continue Reading…
Reminder: Issue Ads Require Public File Disclosures Even Outside Political Windows
Back in January, we reminded broadcasters that state and local elections, even those held in “off-years” like 2021, still fall within the FCC’s political broadcasting rules. Virtually all FCC rules, with the exception of reasonable access, apply to candidates for the local school board or town council just as they do for candidates for President… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: April 3, 2021 to April 9, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments from the last week of significance to broadcasters, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The National Association of Broadcasters this week announced that its CEO, Gordon Smith, will be stepping down at the end… Continue Reading…
Closing Out the Incentive Auction and TV Repack – FCC Reminds Broadcasters of End Dates for Submitting Invoices for Repacking Expenses
The Commission’s staff this week issued a Public Notice reminding broadcasters that the reimbursement program for those broadcasters displaced by the repacking of the television band after the incentive auction is coming to an end. The FCC reminded broadcasters eligible for reimbursement (including certain FM stations and LPTV licensees – see our article here ) that… Continue Reading…
With a Change at the Top at the NAB as CEO Gordon Smith Plans His Departure – What are the Regulatory Issues That are Facing Broadcasters?
The broadcast trade press is full today with the news that NAB CEO Gordon Smith will be stepping back from that position at the end of the year, to be replaced by current COO (and former head of Government Relations) Curtis LeGeyt. As many will remember, Smith took over the organization over a decade ago… Continue Reading…
FCC Clarifies Upcoming Windows for Construction Permits for New Commercial and Noncommercial FM Stations (and a Few AMs Too)
At the end of last week, the FCC released several orders clarifying the rules for upcoming windows where construction permits for new FM channels will be made available to parties interested in starting new radio stations, and a few AM construction permits will also be auctioned off. The Public Notice released on Thursday for commercial… Continue Reading…
This Week in Broadcast Regulation – March 27, 2021 to April 2, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. The Supreme Court this week announced its decision in Federal Communications Commission v. Prometheus Radio Project, the broadcast ownership case… Continue Reading…
Supreme Court Reinstates 2017 FCC Changes to Broadcast Ownership Rules Including the End to Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership Ban – But Radio Changes Yet to Come
The United States Supreme Court yesterday released its decision upholding the FCC’s 2017 changes to its ownership rules in the FCC v Prometheus Radio Project case (see our summary here). Those rules had been put on hold in 2019 by a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals which held that the FCC had… Continue Reading…
