CommLawBlog, published by Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC, focuses on legal developments affecting the telecommunications, media, and technology sectors. The blog covers regulatory updates from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), including enforcement actions, application fee adjustments, and reporting requirements for broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs). It also addresses issues related to retransmission consent disputes, administrative law challenges, and compliance with communications statutes. The blog provides analysis of court decisions impacting agency authority and administrative procedures, as well as insights into government affairs and litigation relevant to communications law practitioners and industry stakeholders.
June 1
Annual EEO Public Inspection File Report – Broadcasters with Station Employment Units comprised of radio and/or television stations with five or more full-time employees licensed to communities in Arizona, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada,…
On the heels of the expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the FCC has announced that they too will be rescinding some pandemic-related relief measures. As of Monday, May 15th, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that,…
The FCC announced today via Public Notice that mid-term EEO reviews for radio stations in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia will begin on June 1. We discussed EEO mid-term reviews earlier this year in anticipation of this announcement. …
On April 24, 2023 the FCC released its most recent list of broadcast stations that will be audited regarding their compliance with the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) rules. Licensees of the audited stations will have to upload their audit…
During her address today at the 2023 NAB Show, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared two developments in the Next Generation Television (“Next Gen TV” or “ATSC 3.0”) rulemaking.
The Future of Television Initiative
The Chairwoman introduced the Future of…
On March 30, 2023, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) seeking comment on the following proposed rules for a one-year filing window for eligible LPTV stations to apply for conversion to Class A designation:
Eligibility Requirements …
On March 9, 2023, the FCC’s spectrum auction authority expired for the first time since it was initially granted in 1993. The authority enabled the FCC to auction spectrum when it received conflicting applications for a frequency in the wireless…
At the FCC Commissioners’ meeting on March 16, the FCC imposed new STIR/SHAKEN and robocall mitigation requirements on all providers, including intermediate providers and regardless of their STIR/SHAKEN implementation status. All providers are now required to take “reasonable steps”…
March 31
Supply Chain Annual Report – Providers of advanced communications services that purchased, rented, leased, or otherwise obtained covered communications equipment and services on the Covered List in 2022 must submit an annual report on or before March…
On March 17th our very own Frank Montero and Seth Williams presented a lecture on how to close a broadcast station acquisition to the latest class of industry leaders. The session was part of the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership…
