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Category Archives: Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report

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September Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Annual Regulatory Fees; Nationwide EAS Test; Comment Dates on FM Translator Interference, Audio Competition, Children’s Television Requirements, and Reimbursement for LPTV and FM Repacking Costs; and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Broadcast Performance Royalty, Children's Programming and Advertising, Emergency Communications, FCC Fees, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Intellectual Property, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Multiple Ownership Rules, Music Rights, Programming Regulations, Television
While September is one of those months with neither EEO reports nor Quarterly Issues Programs or Children’s Television Reports, that does not mean that there are no regulatory matters of importance to broadcasters. Quite the contrary – as there are many deadlines to which broadcasters should be paying attention. The one regulatory obligation that in… Continue Reading

Comments Due September 26 on FCC Proposals for LPTV, TV Translator and FM Reimbursement of Costs Incurred By Incentive Auction Repacking – What Are the Issues to be Addressed?

By David Oxenford on Posted in FM Radio, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
In Monday’s Federal Register, publication is scheduled for the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on reimbursing LPTV stations, TV translators and FM radio stations (both full-power and FM translator stations) for costs they incur because of the TV incentive auction and the resulting repacking of the TV spectrum. The publication in the Federal Register means… Continue Reading

August Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EEO Filings, Comments on FM Translator Interference and Class C4 Proposal, EAS Form One and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in Children's Programming and Advertising, EEO Compliance/Diversity, Emergency Communications, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
It may be time for summer vacations, but the FCC seemingly never rests, so there are a number of important dates of which broadcasters need to take note. By August 1, EEO Annual Public File Reports are due to added to the public files of Commercial and Noncommercial Full-Power and Class A Television Stations and… Continue Reading

FCC Lifts Freeze on LPTV and TV Translator Minor Change Applications

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
Last week, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that it was lifting the freeze on minor changes for LPTV and TV translator stations – a freeze that had been in place while the displacement window for stations displaced by the TV incentive auction was taking place (see our articles here and here on that… Continue Reading

FCC Extends LPTV/TV Translator Displacement Filing Window – Deadline Now June 1

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice announcing an extension in the application filing deadline in the window for LPTV stations and TV translators that are displaced by the TV repacking following the incentive auction. In this window, displaced stations can file applications for new channels or new facilities that remove their conflicts with repacked… Continue Reading

LPTV and TV Translator Displacement Window Announced – April 10 through May 15

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
The FCC on Friday issued a Public Notice announcing that LPTV stations and TV translators displaced by the Incentive auction and repacking of the TV band will have an opportunity to file for replacement channels for the ones on which they currently operate in a window that will run from April 10 through May 15. … Continue Reading

FCC to Randomly Inspect TV Stations Repacked by the Incentive Auction

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Television
The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice indicating that they will be inspecting approximately 60 of the over 900 TV stations changing channels as a result of the incentive auction and the repacking of the TV spectrum that took place after that auction.  The FCC notice says that it is hiring contract employees who will… Continue Reading

Washington Legal Issues for TV Broadcasters – Where Things Stand in the New Year

By David Oxenford on Posted in Cable Carriage, Children's Programming and Advertising, Digital Television, EEO Compliance/Diversity, Emergency Communications, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Indecency, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Multiple Ownership Rules, Payola and Sponsorship Identification, Political Broadcasting, Programming Regulations, Public Interest Obligations/Localism, Television
It’s a new year, and a good time to reflect on where all the Washington issues for TV broadcasters stand at the moment, especially given the rapid pace of change since the new administration took over just about a year ago. While we try on this Blog to write about many of the DC issues… Continue Reading

January Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Quarterly Issues Programs Lists and Children’s Television Reports, FM Translator Window, Main Studio Rule Change and Streaming Requirements

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Children's Programming and Advertising, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Intellectual Property, Internet Radio, Music Rights, Programming Regulations, Public Interest Obligations/Localism, Television
The holidays are over, and while the regulation never stops, it is time to once again buckle down and look at what is on the horizon for broadcasters. While, in the next few days, we will have our typical look ahead at the broadcast regulatory agenda in Washington for the New Year, we also need… Continue Reading

FCC Freezes LPTV and TV Translator Applications in Anticipation of Displacement Filing Window

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
The FCC yesterday issued a Public Notice announcing the immediate freeze on the filing of minor change applications for LPTV and TV translator stations. This is to stabilize the FCC’s database so that applicants in the upcoming window for the filing of displacement applications by LPTV and TV Translator stations displaced by the incentive auction… Continue Reading

December Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EEO, TV and Translator Filing Windows, Ancillary Revenue Reports, Main Studio Rule Effective Date, Copyright Office Take-Down Notice Registration and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Digital Television, EEO Compliance/Diversity, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Intellectual Property, Low Power Television/Class A TV, On Line Media, Television, Website Issues
While the end of the year is just about upon us, that does not mean that broadcasters can ignore the regulatory world and celebrate the holidays all through December. In fact, this will be a busy regulatory month, as witnessed by the list of issues that we wrote about yesterday to be considered at the… Continue Reading

FCC Announces That It Will Lift Filing Freeze on TV Station Modification Applications before LPTV/TV Translator Displacement Window

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
For well over four years, television stations have not been able to file applications to upgrade their technical facilities as the FCC froze such applications as it wanted to preserve a stable database of TV facilities while it conducted the Incentive Auction and implemented the repacking of the TV band. For TV stations affected by the… Continue Reading

October Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Quarterly Issues Programs and Children’s Television Reports, EEO Obligations, Repacking Reports and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Children's Programming and Advertising, EEO Compliance/Diversity, FCC Fines, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, License Renewal, Multiple Ownership Rules, Programming Regulations, Public Interest Obligations/Localism, Television
The beginning of a calendar quarter always brings numerous regulatory obligations, and October is one of those months with a particularly full set of obligations. All full-power broadcasters, commercial and noncommercial, must complete their Quarterly Issues Programs Lists and place these reports into their public inspection files by October 10. These reports are the FCC’s… Continue Reading

FCC Announces Second Filing Window for Upgrades and New Channels for Repacked TV Stations – October 3 through November 2

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice (linked here) announcing that it will open the post-Incentive Auction “second filing window” on Tuesday, October 3, 2017.  In this window, any repacked TV station, including stations that changed from UHF to VHF during the incentive auction and repacked Class A stations, can file an amendment to its… Continue Reading

Reminder: Repacking Transition Progress Report Must Be Filed by Repacked TV Stations by October 10

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Television
The FCC yesterday issued a Public Notice (available here) reminding all TV stations (including Class A TV stations) that are changing channels as a result of the TV incentive auction, including those receiving compensation from auction payments for moving from UHF to VHF channels, that they must file their first quarterly Transition Progress Report no… Continue Reading

Washington Issues for TV Broadcasters – Where Things Stand at the FCC

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Political Broadcasting, Television
There is never a shortage of Washington issues for broadcasters to consider, and the rapid pace of change since the new administration took over in January has made it even more difficult to track where all the issues stand. While we try on this Blog to write about many of the DC issues for broadcasters,… Continue Reading

September Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Including Reg Fees, Nationwide EAS Test, Must-Carry Letters, Lowest Unit Rate, Translator and Repack Deadlines and GMR License Extension

By David Oxenford on Posted in Advertising Issues, AM Radio, Broadcast Performance Royalty, Cable Carriage, Emergency Communications, FCC Fees, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Intellectual Property, Music Rights, Political Broadcasting, Television
Summer is coming to an end, but the legal obligations never take a vacation, and September brings another list of regulatory deadlines for broadcasters. While the month is one of those without the usual list of EEO Public File obligations or quarterly FCC filing obligations, there still are a number of other regulatory deadlines for… Continue Reading

First Post-Incentive Auction Window Opens for Modifications By Repacked TV Stations that Can’t Build on Their Assigned Channel

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
Earlier this week, the FCC announced the first of its post-auction filing windows for TV stations that are forced to abandon their current channels as a result of the repacking of the TV band after the broadcast incentive auction. As a result of the shrinking of the TV band, many TV stations were required to… Continue Reading

August Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EEO, Translators, Media Regulation Modernization, EAS, Incentive Auction and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in EEO Compliance/Diversity, Emergency Communications, FCC Fees, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Programming Regulations, Television
It’s almost August, and despite it being vacation time for many, there are still regulatory dates that must be addressed by the broadcast industry. Routine filing dates this coming month include the need for EEO Public Inspection File Reports to be included in station’s public inspection files (either the online files for all TV stations… Continue Reading

Incentive Auction Developments – Payments to TV Stations Giving Up Their Spectrum Announced and Bill Introduced to Provide More Funds for Repacking Reimbursement for TV, Radio and LPTV Stations

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, FM Radio, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
Earlier this week, we wrote about some of the upcoming dates for broadcasters in the TV incentive auction process – particularly those dealing with the repacking process. Developments continue, with the FCC yesterday issuing a Public Notice announcing that stations that relinquished their spectrum in the incentive auction will be receiving their payouts from the… Continue Reading

What’s Next for TV Stations Repacked as a Result of the Incentive Auction? – Recent Flurry of FCC Announcements

By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Television, FM Radio, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
As the repacking of the TV band proceeds after the Incentive Auction, the FCC has issued some guidance as to what comes next for TV stations. Obviously, in the near future, TV stations that agreed to surrender their spectrum in the auction will get notice from the FCC to expect their payments from the proceeds… Continue Reading

NAB Details Radio Stations that Could be Affected by Repacking of the TV Band

By David Oxenford on Posted in FM Radio, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Television
One of the lesser highlighted concerns of the repacking of the TV band into channels 36 and below following the recent incentive auction has been the impact of the repacking on radio stations. As TV stations need to shuffle channels to fit into the smaller TV band as the upper TV channels are repurposed for… Continue Reading

July Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Quarterly Issues Programs and Children’s Television Reports, Comment Dates on Main Studio Rule Elimination and Modernization of Media Regulation, Incentive Auction CP Filing Deadline, Effective Date for Captioning Clips of Live and Near-Live Programming, and Window for FM Translators for AM Stations

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Children's Programming and Advertising, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Internet Video, Programming Regulations, Public Interest Obligations/Localism, Television
July is a big month on the Washington regulatory scene for broadcasters. There are, of course, the routine quarterly regulatory obligations. For all stations, commercial and noncommercial, Quarterly Issues Programs Lists, summarizing the most important issues facing a broadcaster’s community, and the programs that were broadcast in the prior quarter to address those issues, must… Continue Reading

FCC Announces Potential Solutions for LPTV Stations that are Displaced Before Getting the Opportunity to File for a New Channel

By David Oxenford on Posted in Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
The FCC in a Public Notice released yesterday recognized that some LPTV stations and TV translators may get bumped from their current channels even before full power stations start their transition to new channels to repack the TV band to make parts of it available for wireless Internet operations. The FCC has established windows for… Continue Reading