Author: Renee Gonzalez

A description of fee amounts and fee codes for new application fees. See Application Fee Filing Guide for full details

FCC adopts a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to eliminate or amend outmoded or unnecessary radio broadcast technical rules. See NPRM for full details.

The FCC announced a “closed” auction of construction permits for new or modified low power television (LPTV) stations and TV translator stations and seek comment on the procedures to be used for this auction. The bidding for the auction, which is designated as Auction 111, to commence in February 2022. See Public Notice for full details.

The Media Bureau reminds those remaining analog Low Power Television and TV Translator stations (LPTV/translator stations) that have not filed for a digital construction permit to construct a digital facility to do so immediately. Those analog LPTV/translator stations that fail to take immediate action will risk having their license automatically cancelled, by operation of law, after the July 13, 2021 analog termination date. See Public Notice for full details.

In FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit regarding the Commission’s media ownership rules. The Third Circuit had vacated and remanded the Commission’s 2018 Incubator Order and its 2017 Order on Reconsideration in their entirety, as well as the definition of eligible entities adopted in the Commission’s 2016 Second Report and Order. Consistent with the Supreme Court’s decision, this Order reinstates the changes adopted in the Incubator Order and Order on Reconsideration and the eligible entity definition as adopted in the Second Report and Order. As such, the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule are eliminated, and the Local Television Ownership Rule and Local Radio Ownership Rule are reinstated as adopted in the Order on Reconsideration.6In addition, the eligible entity standard and its application to regulatory measures as set forth in the Second Report and Order are reinstated. Finally, the regulatory measures adopted in the Incubator Order are reinstated. See Order for full details.

On October 27, 2020, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in its proceeding to allow AM radio licensees to broadcast using an all-digital signal. The All-Digital AM Order was released on October 27, 2020, and published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2020. In the All-Digital AM Order, the Commission amended sections 73.402-406 of the rules to permit AM stations to operate using all-digital broadcast signals. Section 73.406 of the new rules requires licensees to notify the Commission using a Digital Notification form, FCC Form 335-AM, when commencing, making certain changes to, or ceasing all-digital operation. The All-Digital AM Order, and the rules adopted therein, became effective January 4, 2021, with the exception of section 73.406, which contains new information collection requirements and therefore had to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

See Public Notice for full details.

Comments Due: June 3, 2021

Reply Comments Due: July 9, 2021

Media Bureau seeks comment on effectiveness of the commission’s rules implementing the CALM act and potential updates to those rules. See Public Notice for full details.

Notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) for amendment of Parts 15 and 74 of the Rules for Wireless Microphones in the TV Bands, 600 MHz Guard Band, 600 MHz Duplex Gap, and the 941.5-944 MHz, 944-952 MHz, 952.850-956.250 MHz, 956.45-959.85 MHz, 1435-1525 MHz, 6875-6900 MHz and 7100-7125 MHz Bands. See NPRM for full details.

The Commission recently announced the intention to open a 2021 filing window for FM reserved band (channels 201 – 220) applications for new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM radio stations and sought comment on a proposed limit of 10 applications filed by any party during the upcoming window. See Public Notice for full details.

The FCC announces a filing window for applications for noncommercial educational (NCE) FM new station construction permits. The filing window will open at 12:01 am EDT on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, and close at 6:00 pm EST on November 9, 2021. The window is available for FM reserved band (channels 201 – 220) proposals. New applications must be filed electronically on FCC Form 2100, Schedule 340 in the Bureau’s Licensing Management System (LMS). The FCC recently amended its rules and procedures for filing NCE FM applications and selecting and licensing competing NCE FM applications. The Bureau will provide detailed information about filing procedures and requirements by public notice in advance of the filing window.

Minor Change Filing Freeze. A limited application filing freeze will commence on October 5, 2021, and continue until the close of the window. The freeze will include all reserved band minor change applications and amendments, and, due to their potentially preclusive impact on window filings, Channels 221, 222, 223, and (IF channels) 254 – 274 non-reserved band minor change applications and amendments.

See Public Notice for full details.