5/1/2009 As previously reported, the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (the “Analog Nightlight Act”) required the FCC to develop a program to permit continued analog television service for 30 days after the DTV transition, thereby permitting stations to provide emergency and DTV transition information to the public in…
Court Ordered Remand May Force the Supreme Court to deal with the First Amendment Issue 4/28/2009 In a 5-4 decision released today, the Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s so-called “fleeting expletives” policy which bans the radio and television broadcast of single so-called four-letter words that are considered indecent. However, the…
April 2009 The FCC has released a new Federal Register notice indicating that the increase in certain FCC application fees will become effective April 28, 2009. A PDF version of this entire article can be found at Reminder: Increased FCC Application Filing Fees Will Become Effective April 28, 2009
4/16/2009 FCC Fines Texas Low Power Noncommercial Educational Station $20,000 for Airing Advertisements. The FCC issued a Public Notice late today providing guidance to broadcasters regarding the DTV walk-in center consumer education requirement it created last month. On March 13th, the FCC imposed a number of additional DTV consumer education…
March 2009 The next Children’s Television Programming Report must be electronically filed with the FCC and placed in stations’ local Public Inspection Files by April 10, 2009, reflecting programming aired during the months of January, February and March 2009. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements As a result of the Children’s Television…
March 2009 The next FCC Form 388 DTV Quarterly Activity Station Report must be electronically filed via CDBS and placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2009, reflecting information for the months of January, February, and March 2009. As we have previously advised, on March 3, 2008,…
March 2009 The next Quarterly Issues/Programs List (“Quarterly List”) must be placed in stations’ local public inspection files by April 10, 2009, reflecting information for the months of January, February, and March 2009. The FCC’s action adopting the new program report Form 355, which is intended to replace the Quarterly…
March 2009 This Broadcast Station EEO Advisory is directed to radio and television stations licensed to communities in: Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas, and highlights the upcoming deadlines for compliance with the FCC’s EEO Rule. April 1, 2009 is the deadline for stations licensed to communities in the…
March 2009 Commercial and noncommercial Radio stations licensed to communities in Texas must electronically file their Biennial Ownership Reports with the FCC by April 1, 2009. Commercial and noncommercial Television stations licensed to communities in the States of Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee must also electronically file their Biennial…
DTV Transition Date Officially Moved to June 12, 2009 February 2009 President Obama signed into law the DTV Delay Act that serves to move the digital television transition from February 17th to June 12th. Irrespective of this delay, many stations will proceed with the termination of analog operation on February…