By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FM Radio,General FCC,Public Interest Obligations/Localism,TelevisionAt the FCC meeting yesterday, the FCC repealed, on a 3 to 2 vote, the main studio and studio staffing requirements for TV and radio broadcasters. The final order, here, was substantially unchanged from the draft we described when it was released last month. Broadcasters need no longer have a main studio or even locate… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FM Radio,General FCC,TelevisionFCC Chairman Ajit Pai spoke on Wednesday at the opening lunch at the NAB Radio Show in Austin, promising more moves to bring media regulation in line with the realities of the modern media marketplace. In his speech, the text of which is available here, the Chairman promised several actions including the following: A monthly… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FCC Fines,FM Radio,Public Interest Obligations/Localism,TelevisionIn today’s Federal Register, the FCC has given notice of its proposal to abolish the main studio rule. That notice, here, sets the date for comments on this proposal as July 3. Reply comments are due two weeks later on July 17. We wrote about the FCC’s proposal and the questions being asked in this… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FM Translators and LPFMThe FCC’s proceeding on revitalizing AM radio is headed into its second phase, looking at further steps that it can take to assist the oldest broadcast service adapt and thrive in the new media world. In the Fall, the FCC adopted certain policy and rule changes to help AM stations, most notably allowing wider use… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FCC Fines,FM Radio,Public Interest Obligations/Localism,TelevisionThe FCC issued a Forfeiture Order this week, fining a station $7000 for violations of the main studio rule. The facts of the case were set out in a Notice of Apparent Liability issued back in February, where the licensee had claimed that its studio was in a location that was shared with another broadcaster… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in FCC FinesThe FCC’s main studio rules require that broadcast stations have a main studio open during normal business hours. And, when the studio is open, it obviously needs to be manned so that someone is there to meet any visitors who my show up. And, sometimes, those visitors are from the FCC. When the FCC shows up,… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in FCC Fines,Public Interest Obligations/LocalismThe FCC has continued this week on its recent tear of fining broadcast stations and other regulated entities for violations of FCC rules – in the last week proposing fines or reaching consent decrees relating to issues including incomplete public files, EAS violations, unauthorized transfers of FM translators, and tower lighting issues, among others. But a fine issued to… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in FCC Fines$15,000 per station was the cost of a broadcast licensee’s failure to adequately supervise two stations of which he was the licensee, but which were operated pursuant to time brokerage agreements or LMAs. Like many stations in these tough economic times, this licensee decided to allow a third party to provide the bulk of the programming and… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Emergency Communications,FCC Fines,Tower IssuesLast week, the FCC issued several fines to broadcasters for failure to observe some basic FCC rules. As there many FCC rules to observe, broadcasters should use the misfortune of others who have suffered from these fines as a way to check their own operations to make sure that they meet all of the required Commission standards. In the recent… Continue Reading