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 FCC’s Video Division of its Media Bureau has begun to release decisions on TV license renewal applications filed in the renewal windows beginning last June that have been held up for public file deficiencies. For the first time since the pandemic started, proposed fines were announced for untimely uploads of documents to an online public file. The Video Division proposed fines of $9000 to two noncommercial Virginia TV stations – one of which uploaded four quarterly issues/programs lists over a year late and three others less than a month late; the other station was more than a year late with five lists and had another that was uploaded less than a month late. (Notice of Apparent Liability). Two other Virginia noncommercial TV stations were admonished by the Video Division for lesser delays in uploading quarterly issues/programs lists, problems apparently caught by FCC staff in reviewing the public files after the filing of the stations’ license renewal applications. (Admonishment Letter Example) These actions highlight the importance that the Commission places on timely uploads of documents to broadcasters’ online public files generally, and on the quarterly issues/programs lists in particular (see our article on the importance of such lists, here).
- New FCC application fees became effective on July 15, and the FCC released a Guide to the new fees for entities regulated by the Media Bureau. Many common applications, like applications for license renewal, assignment, transfer of control, and special temporary authority, now cost more to file. Biennial ownership reports, which will be filed later this year, will cost $15 more to file than they did during the 2019 filing cycle. FM translator minor changes will, for the first time, carry fees. The fee adjustments are meant to reflect the legal, engineering, and supervisory resources used in reviewing an application. (Fee Filing Guide)
- The FCC released a proposal to update certain rules dealing with political advertising to make them consistent with common practice in the regulation of such advertising. The first proposal would formally add use of social media and creation of a campaign website to the factors to consider when determining if a write-in candidate has made a “substantial showing” of a bona fide campaign for office so that they can be considered a “legally qualified candidate.” Legally qualified candidates, even write-ins who have made this substantial showing, are entitled to all the protections of the Commission’s political rules, including equal opportunities, lowest unit rates and, for candidates for federal office, reasonable access to buy advertising time on commercial broadcast stations. Looking at the online activities of an alleged candidate has already been part of the evaluation of whether write-in candidates have made a substantial showing of a “bona fide candidacy” – one demonstrating that the write-in candidate was conducting a serious campaign for office entitling them to the protections of the political rules. The second proposal would update the political file recordkeeping rules to require that stations upload to their political files any request for advertising time that “communicates a message relating to any political matter of national importance” (i.e., federal issue ads) – a requirement that was imposed by statute almost two decades ago but never reflected in the FCC rules. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking containing these updates is to be considered at the Commission’s regular monthly open meeting to be held on August 5. If adopted, comments on the proposals will be due after Federal Register publication. (Draft NPRM)
- At the request of several industry parties, the Media Bureau gave interested parties more time to file comments and reply comments to refresh the record in the 2018 Quadrennial Review of media ownership, which includes proposals for relaxation of the local radio ownership rules. Comments will now be due September 2, 2021 with reply comments due October 1, 2021. We wrote in more depth about this quadrennial review, here. (Public Notice)
- The FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes updates and changes to, or elimination of, several broadcast radio technical rules. Comments will be due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, with reply comments due 45 days after Federal Register publication. (NPRM)
- The FCC released its accounting of broadcast station totals as of June 30, showing a slight decrease in full-power radio stations and a slight increase in translators and boosters over the totals released in early April. (Station Totals)
Courtesy Broadcast Law Blog
