Here are some of the regulatory developments of 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. Global Music Rights (GMR) has offered commercial radio stations an extension of their interim license for the public performance of… Continue Reading…
FCC Reminds Analog LPTV/TV Translators of July 13 Digital Transition Deadline – Extensions Due by March 15
In a Public Notice, the FCC has reminded all analog LPTV stations and TV translators that they need to convert to digital by July 13, 2021 or cease operations. The Notice reminds operators of these stations that, if they cannot meet the July 13 deadline, they can request an extension by March 15. Upon a… Continue Reading…
FCC Notes Violations for Two LPFM Operators for Spurious Emissions – Make Sure that Your Station is Transmitting Only Within Its Assigned Frequency
In two Notices of Violation issued on one day this week, an FCC Field Office cited Low Power FM operators for using transmission systems that, in addition to transmitting signals on their authorized channels, were also emitting signals on other channels that posed the potential for interference with other users on those other frequencies –… Continue Reading…
GMR Offers to Extend Its Interim License With Commercial Radio Stations – But It Wants a 20% Increase in Royalty Payments
Global Music Rights, one of the newest performing rights organization licensing the public performance of musical compositions, has agreed to extend its interim license with commercial radio broadcasters. That license is set to expire at the end of March (see our article here). This interim license has been offered and extended for the last several… Continue Reading…
Everyone Seems to Want to Regulate Online Media – But Can They? Setting the Stage- Looking at the Range of Regulatory Proposals
In recent months, we have seen concerted attempts to reign in digital and social media from all along the political spectrum – from Washington, in the states and even internationally. We thought that we would look at some of those efforts and their motivations today. We will look at many of these issues in more… Continue Reading…
FCC To Consider Emergency Alert System Changes and Evaluate the Ability of Streaming Services to Participate in EAS
At its March 17 monthly Open Meeting, the FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking to modify certain aspects of the Emergency Alert System used by many of those regulated by the FCC including broadcasters, cable companies, and wireless communications devices such as mobile phones. The FCC is reviewing these issues as required… Continue Reading…
This Week in Broadcast Regulation: February 20, 2021 to February 26, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments of 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. About 200 radio and television stations have been randomly selected to be audited by the FCC for their EEO compliance…. Continue Reading…
FCC Issues First Broadcast EEO Audit of 2021– Reviewing the Basics of the FCC’s EEO Rules
Yesterday the FCC released another of its regular EEO audit notices (available here), asking over 200 radio and TV stations, and the station employment units with which they are associated (i.e., commonly owned stations serving the same area) , provide to the FCC (by posting the information in their online public inspection file) their EEO Annual Public File… Continue Reading…
March Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: Copyright, White Spaces, and Zonecasting Comments; LPTV and Translator Analog-to-Digital Extension; Emergency Alerting for Streaming Companies, and More.
March brings springtime and, with it, a likely reprieve from the cold and extreme weather much of the country has been suffering through. As noted below, though, March brings no reprieve from the routine regulatory dates and deadlines that fill a broadcaster’s calendar. TV operators have until March 8 to file comments in the Copyright Office’s… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 13, 2021 to February 19, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments of 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. Bidding in the auction of the C-Band has concluded. The FCC’s auction page for Auction 107 states that a formal… Continue Reading…
No Class C4 FM To Be Permitted By Waiver – Where Things Stand on Proposal for New Class of FM Stations
At the end of last week, the FCC’s Audio Division released a letter decision denying a Class A FM station licensee (limited in power to 6 KW) a waiver that would have allowed it to upgrade its facilities to those that would be equivalent to what would be permitted if the Commission was to establish… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: February 6, 2021 to February 12, 2021
Here are some of the regulatory developments of 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 FCC has started planning for its next AM/FM radio auction (Auction 109) scheduled to begin on July 27. Four… Continue Reading…
