CommLawCenter

December 15, 2012

Commercial and noncommercial webcasters and those simulcasting radio programming over the Internet must by this date submit the Monthly Report of Use and Monthly Usage Statement of Account forms to SoundExchange for the month ending October 31, 2012.

December 13, 2012

By this date, television broadcasters and MVPDs must be in compliance with the regulations adopted by the FCC implementing the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act.

December 1, 2012

Commercial television, digital Class A and digital LPTV stations must by this date electronically file FCC Form 317, the Annual DTV Ancillary/Supplementary Services Report for Commercial Digital Television Stations, with the FCC whether or not they have received any income from transmitting ancillary or supplementary services. If a digital station provided ancillary or supplementary services during the 12-month time period ending on the preceding September 30, and received compensation for doing so, the station is required to pay to the FCC five percent of the gross revenue from such services concurrently with the filing of Form 317. Note that since this filing deadline falls on a weekend, the submission of this item to the FCC can be made until December 3.

December 1, 2012

Full-power AM and FM radio broadcast stations licensed to communities in Kansas, Nebraska or Oklahoma, and television stations and Class A television stations, as well as LPTV stations capable of local origination, licensed to communities in Arkansas, Louisiana or Mississippi, must on this date begin to air their pre-filing renewal announcements in accordance with the FCC's regulations. Additional announcements must air on December 16, January 1, and January 16.

December 1, 2012

Full-power AM and FM radio broadcast stations licensed to communities in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota or South Dakota, and television stations and Class A television stations, as well as LPTV stations capable of local origination, licensed to communities in Alabama or Georgia, must begin on this date to air their post-filing license renewal announcements in accordance with the FCC's regulations. Additional announcements must air on December 16, January 1, January 16, February 1 and February 16. FM Translator stations and TV translator stations, as well as LPTV stations not capable of local origination, licensed to communities in these states must arrange for the required newspaper public notice of their license renewal application filing.

December 1, 2012

Full-power AM and FM radio broadcast stations, as well as FM Translator stations, licensed to communities in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota or South Dakota, and television, Class A television, LPTV and TV Translator stations licensed to communities in Alabama or Georgia, must electronically file their applications for renewal of license on FCC Form 303-S, along with their Equal Opportunity Employment Reports on FCC Form 396 by this date, and commercial stations must promptly submit their FCC license renewal application filing fee. FCC Forms 303-S and 396 as filed must be placed in stations' public inspection files. Note that since this filing deadline falls on a weekend, the submission of this item to the FCC can be made until December 3.

December 1, 2012

Noncommercial radio stations licensed to communities in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota or South Dakota and noncommercial television stations licensed to communities in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont (other than sole proprietorships or partnerships composed entirely of natural persons) must electronically file by this date their biennial ownership reports on FCC Form 323-E, unless they have consolidated this filing date with that of other commonly owned stations licensed to communities in other states. FCC Form 323-E does not require a filing fee. The form as filed must be placed in stations' public inspection files. Note that since this filing deadline falls on a weekend, the submission of this item to the FCC can be made until December 3.

December 1, 2012

Station employment units that have five or more full-time employees and are comprised of radio and/or television stations licensed to communities in Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota or Vermont must by this date place in their public inspection file and post on their station website a report regarding station compliance with the FCC's EEO Rule during the period December 1, 2011 through November 30, 2012. A more detailed review of station EEO obligations and the steps for implementing an effective EEO program can be found in our most recent EEO Advisory.