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Although many, including Congress, take the last of their summer vacations in August, there are still many dates to which broadcasters should be paying attention this month.  One deadline that most commercial broadcasters should be anticipating is the FCC’s Order that will set the amount of their Annual Regulatory Fees.  Payment of those fees will be due sometime in September before the October 1 start of the federal government’s new fiscal year.  These announcements usually come in late August or in the first few days of September.  So be on the lookout for that announcement.

Noncommercial broadcasters who were anticipating a filing window for new noncommercial educational FM translators in the reserved band (88.1-91.9 MHz) in August, when it was originally scheduled to be held, should instead look later in the year, as the filing window has been moved from August to November (see our discussion here).  Applications can be drafted for the November window beginning August 3, but they cannot be filed until the window opens.

Continue Reading August 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Annual EEO Public File Reports, Political Windows, and more

The lazy days of summer provide little respite from the regulatory actions of importance to broadcasters.  July brings quarterly requirements including, most importantly, the obligation to upload Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists to a station’s online public file.  Also in July, eligible applicants may also begin drafting their applications for new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM translator stations to be filed in the mid-August filing window.  To allow preparations for that filing window, the FCC instituted a filing freeze on all LPFM, FM translator, and FM booster station minor modification applications beginning on July 10.  Political file windows are also opening in July in a few states.  So, even if the beach chair is calling, remember to keep an eye on dates that can affect your stations.

July 1 is the first date for existing NCE station operators to begin preparing their applications in the FCC’s LMS database for the new NCE FM translator reserved band (88.1-91.9 MHz) filing window.  That window will be open between 12:01 a.m., ET, on August 11, 2026 and 11:59 p.m., ET, on August 25, 2026.  To facilitate the preparation of the filing window applications by stabilizing the technical database, the Bureau announced a filing freeze on both reserved and non-reserved band LPFM, FM translator, and FM booster station minor modification applications beginning at 11:59 p.m., ET, on July 10, and continuing until the filing window’s closing.  So if you are planning a change in a translator or LPFM’s facilities, get it on file before July 10 or you will be precluded from filing for the next six weeks.  For more on the filing window and the filing freeze, see our Broadcast Law Blog article here.

Continue Reading July 2026 Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists, Comment Deadlines, NCE FM Translator Filing Window Applications and Filing Freezes, Political Windows, and more

In January, the FCC announced it would be opening a filing opportunity for new FM translators to operate in the FM Reserved Band (88.1-91.9 MHz) (see our article here).  Applications can only be filed by existing noncommercial station operators.  Subsequently, the FCC’s Media Bureau announced that applicants would be limited to 10 applications nationwide – and low power FM operators would be allowed to file for only 2 translators (4 if they were a Tribal group)(see our article here).  This week, the Media Bureau issued a Public Notice announcing more rules for the window – and setting the dates for applications.  The window for filing applications will open at 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and it will close at 6:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

Parties can begin to prepare applications much sooner, as the application forms will be available in the FCC’s LMS database starting on July 1.  Applications must include information about the applicant for a potential “points system” analysis that will be used to choose between applications that have technical conflicts that cannot be resolved by engineering changes.  For more on the points system, see our articles here and here.  Claims for points will be frozen at the end of the filing window, so be sure to detail your claims for those points in your initial application.

Continue Reading Window for Filing Applications for New Noncommercial FM Translators Set – Applications Due by August 25

In January, the FCC made public its plans to open a window for the filing of applications for new FM translators in the “reserved band” – between 88.1 and 91.9 – to be operated by licensees of noncommercial stations (see our article here).  When the Commission approved this window at its February regular monthly open meeting, it announced that the Media Bureau would consider whether to implement a 10-application limit for any company seeking construction permits in this window, and it would adopt other eligibility criteria.  This past week, the Media Bureau issued a Public Notice setting out those eligibility criteria. 

In its Public Notice, the Bureau indeed adopted the 10-application limit.  While some parties suggested a higher limit – especially for applications outside of major markets – the Bureau concluded that the 10-application limit worked best to avoid speculation in translator permits and concluded that this limit would ensure a manageable number of applications for the Bureau to process.  The Bureau also adopted lower caps on any translators to be paired with LPFM stations – adopting a four-application cap on translators for Tribal LPFM applicants and a two-application cap on applications for all other LPFM applicants.

Continue Reading FCC’s Media Bureau Sets the Eligibility Rules for Upcoming NCE Translator Filing Window