Mid-Term EEO Report on FCC Form 397 Required June 1 for Certain Radio Stations in DC, MD, VA, and WV
In addition to preparing their Annual EEO Public File Report by June 1, larger radio stations in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia must also prepare and file with the Commission an FCC Form 397 Mid-Term EEO Report.
Please note, only radio Station Employment Units located in these four jurisdictions with 11 or more full-time employees are required to file an FCC Form 397 by June 1, 2007. The Form 397 provides the FCC with copies of the Station Employment Unit’s two most recent Annual EEO Public File Reports (the reports from this year and last year), and is an important part of both the station’s compliance with the EEO rules and the Commission’s monitoring procedures. While normally the Annual EEO Public File Report is simply prepared and placed in the station’s public file and on its website (if it has one), at the mid-term of the license term and again at the time the station’s license renewal application is filed, stations must actually provide the FCC with its two most recent Public File Reports. This allows the FCC and the public to review the station’s compliance with the EEO rules.
June 1, 2007 is the first time that the Mid-Term EEO Report will be filed by any group of stations, and marks the mid-point in the license term for radio stations in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Television stations in these states will file a Mid-Term EEO Report this time next year. A copy of the FCC’s Public Notice reminding stations of this filing requirement and listing the other radio stations that will file such reports in 2007 is available here.