The FCC is instituting a policy of enhanced reporting on licensee ownership so it can get an accurate breakdown of the ownership level of various ethnic and gender population categories. Every licensee of either an AM, FM, TV; LPTV and/or Class A TV will be file FCC Form 323 this year, accurate to 10/1/09 and submitted by 11/1/09.
This uniform filing period replaces a rolling filing period, the existence of which means that there are many licensees out there who are due to file the old 323 between now and that date. For those falling into that category, the good news is you can save your ink and put away your calculator. The FCC is waiving the requirement to send in the soon-to-be-obsolete form. Stations need only honor the 11/1/09 deadline.
