Washington Beat

Pursuant to the Expanded Online Public File Order, all broadcast radio licensees were required to transition their public inspection files to the FCC’s online public file database by March 1. That was eight months ago. Did your stations forget about this? If so, the Commission is reminding you of your obligations.

The FCC on Tuesday released a Public Notice announcing a settlement window for mutually exclusive applicants in the Special Displacement Window where LPTV stations and TV translators are displaced by the incentive auction. If you are impacted by this, noted D.C. communications attorney David Oxenford has broken down what you'll need to do.

Some 100 years ago, Michael Collins was a largely household name, in reference to a revolutionary leader in Ireland. Today, a leader of the same name is joining one of the nation's top performance rights groups for a role that will see this Michael Collins also seeking to sway politicians into crafting legislation deemed favorable by his organization.

The NAB isn't the only influential lobbying group that has concerns regarding the FCC's initiative for the potential expanded uses of the C-Band. The American Cable Association (ACA) believes the national communications regulator "should proceed carefully in light of what is at stake." What is that, exactly? "Disrupting video content to millions of Americans, especially in rural areas, and harming thousands of small businesses in the process."

"It is amazing how much you can learn from only a few minutes on this site," Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner says of the FCC's digital gateway to all of its rules and regulations — FCC.com. More importantly, Benner notes, a visit to the Commission's website can potentially save substantial forfeitures, consent decrees, frustrations and legal expenses. 

The NAB on Monday filed reply comments with the Commission regarding its NPRM concerning expanded operations in the C-Band. While the NAB does not endorse any particular proposal for reallocation in the C-Band, it wants the FCC to take three steps in this proceeding. Here's what they are.

The FCC earlier this year voted to create the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA). On Thursday, the Commission revealed that it has received all of the approvals required to launch the OEA. Some 100 people will work in the Office, and the lone Democrat on the FCC marked the occasion by offering two ideas "to ensure that its work is credible and consistent with the public interest."

Nearly one year ago, featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner began working on a column that described how the FCC had arranged an excellent piece of legislation that significantly prevented internet firms from selling our most private information. As Election Day nears, Benner shares details on how soon-to-depart Sen. Jeff Flake helped kill the FCC's efforts. 

At its October Open Meeting on Tuesday, the Commission voted on making a portion of mid-band spectrum (2.5 to 4.2 GHz) available for 5G use. In November, it will launch the first of two high-band 5G spectrum auctions scheduled for 2018. Now, say Pillsbury Law partner Glenn S. Richards and associate Joseph A. Cohen, is therefore a good time to take a look at what 5G is, and what impact it promises to have.

Cable operators in select cities in Hawaii and Massachusetts currently use a series of Commission forms to calculate reasonable rates that local franchising authorities must review and approve. The FCC now seeks comment on whether to move forward with "fundamental changes" that could impact this and "existing complex cable rate regulation."

The FCC has released a "catalog of potential expenses and estimated costs" for LPTV stations and TV translator facilities, and for FM radio stations, most likely to be incurred as a result of broadcaster repacking. It's a must read for any facility impacted by the post-FCC spectrum auction.

The use of so-called white space is of high interest to the rollout of broadband services in rural areas. It is also of keen interest to the NAB, which has asked the FCC to reconsider the Office of Engineering and Technology's approval for the official registry of .UK domain names to operate the Commission's white space database system to provide service to the public.

On Wednesday, a midday event at a Class A 50kw iHeartMedia News/Talk AM in the Midwest will be joined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in  hosting an unveiling of the station's modernization project. This station, which can be heard as far as Florida during the night, is one of 77 that serve as a National Public Warning System (NPWS) Primary Entry Point (PEP) broadcast facility.

Here's a sobering statistic offered by featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner. In the past 23 years, his "Mock FCC Compliance Certification Inspections" found that one of out five broadcast stations declined to permit any political advertising. Why was this the case? Benner places the blame on the high cost of legal assistance necessary to comply with FCC regulations.

Three months ago, two sizable proposed fines were handed to the licensee of an Alaskan FM -- all thanks to a license renewal needed to consummate a sale of the station. On Wednesday, the Media Bureau's Audio Division Chief made a decision on the two fines. One stays in place, while the other has been cancelled.