9/4/2008
On September 2, 2008, the FCC released a Public Notice Warning Regulatory Fee Filing Payers About Potential “Phishing.”
8/26/2008
The Commission has announced that full payment of all applicable Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2008 must be received no later than September 25, 2008.
8/5/2008
In July 2008, the FCC released the latest edition of “The Public and Broadcasting” manual, its second update in three months.
7/25/2008
July 31, 2008 is the deadline by which television stations are required to file claims for copyright royalties with the Copyright Office. FCC rules require television stations to make signal carriage elections by October 1, 2008 for the period 2009-2012. The upcoming termination of analog broadcasts makes this year’s carriage elections especially important. In addition, television stations that will terminate analog broadcasting have a special October 1 notice obligation with respect to satellite operators.
July 2008
This Broadcast Station EEO Advisory is directed to radio and television stations licensed to communities in: California, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule.
July 2008
Commercial and noncommercial Radio stations licensed to communities in Illinois and Wisconsin must file their Biennial Ownership Reports with the FCC by August 1, 2008. Commercial and noncommercial Television stations licensed to communities in California, North Carolina, and South Carolina must also file their Biennial Ownership Reports by the same deadline.
7/15/2008
Yesterday, the FCC announced that, effective as of August 4, 2008, it was lifting the freeze on the filing of two types of Class A television station applications: (i) ones to expand authorized coverage through facilities modifications, and (ii) ones to substitute channels where current channels are expected to be displaced.
June 2008
Topics include:
6/26/2008
The FCC Form 388 is now available in the Commission’s Consolidated DataBase System (CDBS) for electronic filing by July 10, 2008. The Report will cover the period April through June. Once filed, a copy of the Report should be promptly placed in the station’s local public inspection file and posted on the station’s website, if it has one.
June 2008
The FCC has long permitted devices employing relatively low level radio frequency signals (“Part 15 devices”), such as garage door openers, cordless telephones, personal computers, and computer peripherals, to be operated without the need for a spectrum license. While such operations are unlicensed, the devices themselves are not unregulated. The FCC’s rules require that the manufacturer or importer of such devices (the “responsible party”) obtain equipment authorization before marketing any such device in order to minimize the potential for harmful radiofrequency interference. Failure to obtain proper equipment authorization can result in monetary forfeitures and/or other sanctions. The FCC routinely investigates Part 15 rule violations and, as an example, recently issued a notice of apparent liability in the amount of $1,000,000 against one alleged violator.
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