Here we are, almost a full month into the new year, and a number of important dates for broadcasters are already upon us. As we wrote here, for instance, the payment of a minimum fee to SoundExchange by radio stations streaming their signals on the Internet is due today. Lowest unit rates are in effect in many states for upcoming Presidential and even some Congressional primaries (see our post announcing the beginning of the LUR period for Super Tuesday). FCC filing deadlines for Annual Ownership Reports for a number of states are due on February 1, as are EEO Public File Reports for several states. And, on February 18, full power television stations must file with the FCC a Form 387 Status Report detailing where they are in their transition to digital television in time for the February 2009 transition deadline. How is a broadcaster to keep all these dates straight? Check out our advisory on the Important Dates for Broadcasters in 2008, available here, which tracks many of the deadlines that will occur this year – including the dates of routine FCC filings, lowest unit rate windows for political broadcasting purposes, and digital television transition milestones.
And a reminder about February 1 deadlines. Radio stations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, and television stations in Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma must prepare and file electronically an FCC Form 323 Biennial Ownership Report with the FCC. Our Advisory on completing and filing the Ownership Report can be found, here. And radio and television Station Employment Units in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, and Oklahoma must place in their Public Inspection File and post on their website, if they have a website, their FCC Annual EEO Public File Report. In addition, radio stations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi with eleven or more full-time employees must also prepare and file electronically with the Commission an FCC Form 397 Mid-Term EEO Report. Our Advisory on these filing requirements can be found here. Stay on top of all these deadlines with our advisory on Important Dates for Broadcasters for 2008.