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Articles Posted by Scott R. Flick

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Heard About the FTC’s Ban on Non-Competes? The Truth Is Worse

On Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission announced a new rule banning employee non-compete agreements, treating them as harmful and an “unfair method of competition.”  This includes non-competes in the broadcast industry, where they serve a vital purpose that was given short shrift by the FTC.  Stations spend large sums of…

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FCC Enforcement Monitor March 2024

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published the FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: Maine LPTV Licensee Agrees to Pay $2,500 for Closed-Captioning Violation Georgia Broadcaster Loses FM Translator License, Faces Five-Figure Fine…

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2024 First Quarter Issues/Programs List Advisory for Broadcast Stations

The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ Public Inspection Files by April 10, 2024, reflecting information for the months of January, February, and March 2024. Content of the Quarterly List The FCC requires each broadcast station to air a reasonable amount of programming responsive to…

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Annual EEO Public File Report Deadline for Stations in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas

April 1 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas to place their Annual EEO Public File Report in their Public Inspection File and post the report on their station website.  Under the FCC’s EEO Rule, all radio and television station…

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FCC Enforcement Monitor February 2024

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others.  This month’s issue includes: New Hampshire Presidential Primary Deepfake Robocalls Lead to Enforcement Action Against Call Originator TV Broadcaster Faces $720,000 Fine for Failure…

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Annual EEO Public File Report Deadline for Stations in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma

February 1 is the deadline for broadcast stations licensed to communities in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma to place their Annual EEO Public File Report in their Public Inspection File and post the report on their station website.  Under the FCC’s EEO Rule, all…

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FCC Enforcement Monitor January 2024

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others.  This month’s issue includes: TV Broadcaster Faces $150,000 Fine for Failure to Negotiate Retransmission Consent in Good Faith Sponsorship ID and Political File Violations…

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Meeting Your Annual Children’s Television Programming Reporting Obligations

The deadline to file the 2023 Annual Children’s Television Programming Report with the FCC is January 30, 2024, reflecting programming aired during the 2023 calendar year.  In addition, commercial stations’ documentation of their compliance with the commercial limits in children’s programming during the 2023 calendar year must be placed in…

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Media and Telecom Companies Must Adapt to New DOL Rule on Classifying Employees and Independent Contractors

Given that the name of this site is CommLawCenter, our focus is generally on communications law and regulation.  More accurately, however, our focus is on legal developments that affect the media and telecom industries, even when they emanate from entities other than Congress or the FCC.  This is particularly true…

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FCC 2018 Quadrennial Order Largely Maintains Status Quo, But Local Television Ownership Rule Modifications Create New Uncertainty

Bookending the Christmas weekend, the FCC’s long-awaited 2018 Quadrennial Review Report and Order was adopted on Friday, December 22 and released Tuesday, December 26.  The Commission is required by Congress to conduct a regulatory review of its broadcast ownership rules every four years and was directed by the U.S. Court…