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, at the last of its monthly open meetings of 2020, voted to adopt new rules for Broadcast Internet… Continue Reading…
MORE Act Passes House – But Don’t Rush to Run Marijuana Ads on Your Broadcast Station
Last week, there was much written in the press about the MORE Act passing in the House of Representatives, taking actions to decriminalize marijuana under federal law. This would include removing marijuana from Schedule I, which is the list of drugs whose use for almost all purposes is prohibited in the United States. The passage… Continue Reading…
FCC Terminates Proceeding to Dedicate TV Channel in Each Market to Unlicensed Wireless Use
One of the last questions about the repacking of the television spectrum following the television incentive auction was whether there would be a UHF television channel set aside in each television market for unlicensed wireless uses. Microsoft and other tech companies have been pushing for that set aside for years, arguing that more capacity for… Continue Reading…
New FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington on the Way
The Senate this week confirmed Nathan Simington for the seat on the FCC currently held by Michael O’Rielly. It is expected that Mr. Simington will be sworn in as a new Commissioner later this week, allowing Commissioner O’Rielly to serve through tomorrow’s FCC open meeting where he will likely give his farewell comments to the… Continue Reading…
$125,000 FCC Penalty to Broadcaster for Tower Structure and Contest Rule Violations – Including Violation of Rule Against Broadcasting Seemingly Live Recorded Programming Without Informing Listeners
Last week, the FCC announced a Consent Decree with a Florida broadcaster, with the broadcaster admitting violations of several FCC rules and agreeing to pay a $125,000 fine and enter into a consent decree to ensure future compliance. The violations addressed in the decree include (i) the failure to monitor tower lights and report that they had been out for significant periods of time,…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 28, 2020 to December 4, 2020
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. Also, we include a look at actions to watch in the week ahead. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced his intention… Continue Reading…
FCC Starts Rulemaking on Possible Adoption of GeoBroadcast Solutions Zonecasting Proposal to Allow FM Boosters to Originate Limited Amounts of Programming
Zonecasting – the proposal by GeoBroadcast Solutions to allow FM boosters to originate limited amounts of programming different than their primary station – has advanced at the FCC though the release this week of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking formally asking if the FCC should adopt rules permitting this service and, if so, what those… Continue Reading…
December Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters: License Renewals, EEO Filings, DTV Ancillary/Supplementary Fees, Comment Deadlines and More
December is a busy month for broadcasters with routine filings to complete and action on FCC proceedings that will carry over to the next administration. Keep on top of these dates and deadlines even as your calendar fills up with holiday celebrations. We start at the beginning of the month, with December 1 being the… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 21, 2020 to November 27, 2020
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 is seeking comment on proposed sponsorship identification requirements for broadcast programming that is paid for, or provided by,… Continue Reading…
In the Conversion to NextGen TV, Who is Responsible for the Content of the Simulcast Streams?
In one of those weird little quandaries in the broadcast legal world, the FCC just asked for comments on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by the NAB seeking a clarification as to who is responsible for the content of simulcast streams provided to comply with the ATSC 3.0 conversion rules. Under those rules, for a station to convert to the new NextGen TV transmission system,…
FCC Proposes $20,000 Fine for TV Station Program-Length Commercial in Children’s Programming
The FCC’s Video Division yesterday issued a Notice of Apparent Liability to a Baltimore TV station for airing a commercial for a Hot Wheels product in eight showings of the program “Team Hot Wheels.” The Commission has, for almost 30 years, had a policy against what they term “program-length commercials” – programs that feature characters… Continue Reading…
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: November 14, 2020 to November 20, 2020
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. After reviewing comments submitted this summer (we wrote about the rulemaking, here), the FCC will vote at its next Open… Continue Reading…
