Where do all the Washington DC legal issues facing TV broadcasters stand? While we try on this Blog to write about many of those issues, we can’t always address everything that is happening. Every few months, my partner David O’Connor and I update a list of the legal and regulatory issues facing TV broadcasters.
television law
It’s Official: Online Posting of TV Public File Required Beginning August 2nd; FCC Schedules More Demos of System
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Posted in Public Interest Obligations/Localism
On Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit followed the FCC’s lead in denying the NAB’s request for stay of the requirement for TV stations to post their public inspection files online. Accordingly, that rule goes into effect on Thursday, August 2, 2012.
Effective that date, TV stations should post all new public file documents online in the FCC database created for this purpose. Stations will have six months in which to post pre-existing public file documents into that database. The online posting requirement applies to TV stations only…not to radio stations or cable systems.
Posting of the political public file will not be required until July 1, 2014, except for the top four network affiliated stations (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) in the top 50 markets. No station will be required to post political file documents created prior to August 2, 2012.Continue Reading It’s Official: Online Posting of TV Public File Required Beginning August 2nd; FCC Schedules More Demos of System
FCC to Stream Demo of Online Public File Database; Denies NAB Request for Stay
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Posted in Public Interest Obligations/Localism
This entry is no longer available. For information on this topic, see this article.
Checklist for Commercial Broadcasters Public Inspection File – With License Renewals a Year Away, Make Sure that Your File is Complete
By David Oxenford on
Incomplete public inspection files were the largest source of fines during the last license renewal cycle. We wrote last week about two noncommercial broadcasters whose renewal applications filed many years ago have just now led to consent decrees and voluntary contributions to the US treasury in lieu of fines. To help commercial broadcasters avoid these…
David Oxenford Conducts Seminar for Utah Broadcasters on Political Broadcasting, FCC EEO Rules and Other Legal Issues Facing Radio and Television Broadcasters
By David Oxenford on
On February, 18, 2010, David Oxenford conducted a seminar for the Utah Broadcasters Association on legal issues that affect radio and television broadcasters. First, David summarized the various broadcasting legal and policy issues pending before the FCC and Congress. David’s PowerPoint presentation is available here. Broadcasters interested in Washington issues that may affect them this year may…
TV Stations – Remember to Publicize the Location of Children’s Television Programming Reports or Face FCC Fine
By David Oxenford on
Posted in Children's Programming and Advertising, FCC Fines
In two just released cases, the FCC fined television stations $8000 each for failing to publicize the location of their Children’s Television Programming Reports for an entire license renewal period (the cases can be found here and here). The FCC found that any remedial steps taken by the licensees after they discovered their failures at…
Tim Tebow’s Super Bowl Ad – Any Real FCC Legal Controversy Here?
By David Oxenford on
Posted in Fairness Doctrine, Programming Regulations
Reading the trade press and the blogs, one would think that the Tim Tebow ad that will reportedly air during the Super Bowl presented novel, controversial legal issues. In fact, while we haven’t seen the ad, from what we’ve read, there do not seem to be significant legal issues – most particularly ones that arise from an FCC…