For many television stations, network non-duplication and syndicated exclusivity protection are a distant memory. With the ever-increasing number of non-broadcast programming services available to cable operators, the number of distant station signals imported by cable and satellite into local markets has fallen dramatically. As a result, many local television stations…
Comm Law Center
EAS Tests Soon to Become a National Affair
Late today, the FCC released an Order laying the groundwork for the first national test of the Emergency Alert System. As we noted in an earlier post, the FCC began this process nearly a year ago, when it released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on the implementation…
New FCC License Renewal Certification Requires Special Attention
The Office of Management and Budget is currently considering whether to approve a revised version of FCC Form 303-S, the “Application For Renewal of Broadcast Station License” that all commercial and noncommercial full-power radio and television stations will be required to use when they file for their next renewal of…
FCC Enforcement Monitor
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: Antenna Structure Owner’s Failure to Act Results in $25,000 Fine FCC Fines Microwave Licensee $15,000 for Late-Filed Renewal AM Broadcaster…
Renew Now to Avoid Children’s Television Fines
No, the FCC has not instituted an early-filing program so licensees can get that pesky license renewal out of the way. Instead, in 2010 it cleaned up television license renewal applications that had been hanging around since the last renewal cycle, issuing nearly $350,000.00 in children’s television fines to some…
Don’t Forget the Upcoming January 10 Deadline for Broadcasters’ Fourth Quarter Reports
Given the many distractions during the holiday season, I thought it would be a good idea to remind readers that January 10 represents a busy quarterly deadline for all radio and television stations. Below is a brief summary of the deadlines, as well as links to our Client Alerts describing…
Assess or Be Assessed When It Comes to EEO
A trend we see in FCC enforcement actions is the FCC attributing multiple rule violations to a single act or omission, and then peppering stations with multiple fines. This trend is confirmed in two EEO enforcement actions released in the waning hours of 2010. These cases demonstrate, among other things,…
A Look Ahead at 2011 Reveals an Interesting Year for Retrans, Renewals, and Indecency
Earlier this month we posted our 2011 Broadcasters Calendar on CommLawCenter as well as on our Pillsbury web page. We have been annually publishing the Broadcasters Calendar, which contains much information regarding broadcast station deadlines and legal requirements, for as long as I can recall. It has always been one…
Net Neutrality Debate Shows Exactly “What’s in a Name”
While we await release of the text of today’s Net Neutrality order from the FCC, it strikes me as useful to take a step back and apply a broader perspective to what can be learned from the debate that led to it. While lawyers get a rush when they think…
Legislative Trickle Becomes a Flood in Lame Duck Session
Members of the Communications Industry that don’t keep up with legal and political developments in Washington aren’t in the industry for long. That truism has been particularly apt in the past few months, starting with the President’s October signing of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010…