While May is one of those months that does not have any routine, scheduled FCC filing deadlines, there are still some regulatory dates and deadlines in May of which broadcasters should be aware.  As detailed below, this includes comment deadlines in an FCC proceeding concerning the state of competition in the video and audio marketplaces and an inquiry by the FCC’s Media Bureau regarding the status of the television programming ratings system.  There are also several political ad window openings in several states and the District of Columbia this May. 

One deadline, however, that will not occur this May is the Audible Crawl Rule compliance deadline.  The Audible Crawl Rule requires TV broadcasters to provide an audio description of visual, nontextual emergency information (such as radar maps or other graphics) that is displayed during non-newscast programming, on a secondary audio stream (the station’s “SAP Channel”).  As we noted here, the FCC’s Media Bureau extended the waiver of the Audible Crawl Rule—which was set to expire on May 27—to the earlier of November 29, 2027 or until the FCC rules on the NAB’s pending petition for rulemaking and waiver concerning the rule. Just this week, the FCC commenced a rulemaking proceeding to do away with that rule and allow TV stations to instead provide text accompanying a graphic to provide the gist of the emergency information – and that text would be provided on the SAP channel. 

Let’s look at other dates and deadlines that broadcasters will need to be aware of this May, and take a quick look ahead to the return of some routine compliance deadlines in early June:

May 21 is the deadline for comments responding to the FCC’s biannual call for comments on the State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace.  The FCC seeks comment on competition in the video and audio marketplaces, including the impact of digital competitors on radio and TV stations and the role that regulation plays in the competitive landscape.  The FCC uses these comments to prepare required reports to Congress on competition issues.  It also often references the reports in FCC proceedings dealing with competition issues, including FCC proceedings dealing with its ownership rules.  Reply comments are due June 22.

May 22 is the deadline for comments responding to the Media Bureau’s Public Notice requesting comment the status of the TV Parental Guidelines program ratings system.  In 1996, Congress determined that parents should be informed about the nature of video programming and be able to block programming they believe is harmful to their children.  TV industry representatives responded by creating the TV Parental Guidelines age ratings system, which is overseen by TV Oversight Management Board (TVOMB).  In 2019, the FCC submitted a report to Congress on the status of the TV Parental Guidelines system, which included suggestions on increasing the system’s accuracy, accessibility, and transparency to the public, and increasing awareness of the TVOMB’s role.  The Bureau now seeks comment on various issues related to the TV Parental Guidelines, including whether the industry has adopted its 2019 suggestions, the TVOMB’s effectiveness in administering the system, and the public’s awareness and understanding of the system.  It also asks if new ratings should be developed to identify programming dealing with gender identity issues.  Reply comments are due June 22.

Broadcasters located in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia should also be aware of the opening of the following political windows tied to state and local elections occurring in June and July 2026—meaning that Lowest Unit Rates apply to sales to candidates and their authorized committees (see our article here on the basics of computing LUR):

In our summary of regulatory dates in April, we identified other windows that are already open for LUR for elections occurring in May and early June. 

As a refresher, in the 45 days before a primary election, and 60 days before a general or special election, broadcasters must extend to legally qualified candidates their lowest unit rate and continue to follow all other applicable political broadcasting rules.  For a deeper dive on how to prepare for the 2026 elections, see our post here, which also includes a link to our comprehensive Political Broadcasting Guide.  Also, take a look at our 2026 Broadcasters’ Calendar to see if your state has any upcoming primary, general, or special election (and confirm that all dates for political windows, including those listed above, are accurate as some dates have changed since the calendar was prepared).

Looking forward to June, there are a few regulatory deadlines broadcasters should be aware of.  June 1 is the deadline for radio and TV station employment units in Arizona, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming with 5 or more full-time employees to upload their Annual EEO Public File Report to their stations’ Online Public Inspection Files (OPIFs).  A station employment unit is a station or cluster of commonly controlled stations serving the same general geographic area having at least one common employee.  For employment units with 5 or more full-time employees, the annual report covers hiring and employment outreach activities for the prior year.  A link to the uploaded report must also be included on the home page of each station’s website, if the station has a website.  Start the preparations now to get these reports into your public file on time, as even a single late report can lead to FCC fines (see our article here about a recent $26,000 fine for a single late EEO report).  June 1 is also the date on which Mid-Term EEO reviews begin for TV and Class A TV station employment units with 5 or more full-time employees in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.  The Mid-Term EEO Review analyzes the last two Annual Reports for compliance with the FCC’s EEO requirements (see our articles here and here).  Additionally, June 7 is the deadline for all commercial full power TV, Class A TV, and AM and FM radio stations to begin complying with the FCC’s new foreign sponsorship identification requirements (see our note here).

We’ll have more June regulatory dates at the end of May.  As always, consult your own legal and technical advisors for other dates of importance that might apply to your stations in the upcoming months.