Tag Archives: Federal Communications Commission

Less Than One Month Until May 29, 2015 Pre-Auction Licensing Deadline

By Kara Azocar on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable, Spectrum & Mobile
The FCC Media Bureau’s designated May 29, 2015 “Pre-Auction Licensing Deadline” is rapidly approaching.  Full power and Class A facilities must be licensed by this deadline in order to be eligible for protection in the repacking process that will be part of the television incentive auction. For these purposes, facilities subject to a pending application … Continue Reading

FCC Plans Maximum Fine for Television Broadcast of Indecent Material

By Jeff Kosseff on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
The Federal Communications Commission today announced its intent to fine a television station $325,000 — the maximum penalty available — for airing less than three seconds of a pornographic video on a small portion of the screen during an evening newscast.  The Notice of Apparent Liability is a reminder of the FCC’s continued vigorous enforcement … Continue Reading

FCC Tentatively Concludes that Certain Online Video Distributors are MPVDs

By Robyn Polashuk on Posted in Telecommunications
On December 19, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) relating to the designation of certain online video programming distributors as “multichannel video programming distributors” (MVPDs) under the Communications Act.  This NPRM raises important and complex issues for the content community and has implications for other statutory regimes as well as existing program … Continue Reading

FCC Proposes $200,000 Fine For Simulated EAS Codes

By Dan Kahn on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
The FCC has proposed fining Turner Broadcasting System $200,000 for allegedly transmitting simulated Emergency Alert System (EAS) codes 14 times over a six day period in the absence of an actual emergency.   Two viewers complained that an advertisement that aired on Turner’s Adult Swim Network (which shares channel airtime with the Cartoon Network) contained audio … Continue Reading

FCC Seeks Comment on Petitions to Forbear or Clarify New TCPA Rules

By Yaron Dori on Posted in Telecommunications
Earlier today, the FCC placed on public notice two petitions requesting that the agency clarify or forbear from enforcing certain aspects of its new TCPA regulations that went into effect on October 16, 2013.  Those regulations, which we summarized here, created, among other things, a new “prior express written consent” requirement for the transmission of … Continue Reading

Deadline Nears for Online Captioning of Full-Length Programming Edited For Internet Distribution

By Dan Kahn on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
Under the Internet closed captioning requirements established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), after certain triggering deadlines, video programming shown on television with captions in the United States and distributed in full-length form over Internet Protocol (IP) must be provided with captions online.  Beginning on September 30, 2013, the IP closed captioning requirements will apply … Continue Reading

FCC Seeks Comment on Video Description

By Dan Kahn on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
The Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments by September 4 on issues related to video description, which is the transmission of a secondary audio track describing the visible action in video programming for the benefit of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  Under FCC rules, local TV station affiliates … Continue Reading

SpectrumWatch: FCC Draws Criticism on Band Plan Proposals

By Michael Beder on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable, Spectrum & Mobile, Telecommunications
A joint statement released today by AT&T, the National Association of Broadcasters, and Verizon criticized the FCC for seeking comments on new proposals for reorganizing the spectrum currently used by television broadcasters, which the statement said would go against the “growing consensus” of the broadcast and wireless industries.… Continue Reading

FCC Confirms That Sellers Can Be Liable for Telemarketer TCPA Violations

By Michael Beder on Posted in Privacy & Data Security, Telecommunications
A seller who authorizes a third-party telemarketer to market the seller’s goods or services may be held vicariously liable if the telemarketer violates the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Federal Communications Commission held in a May 9 declaratory ruling. The FCC’s ruling interprets two subsections of the TCPA. The first subsection — 47 U.S.C. … Continue Reading

SpectrumWatch: FCC Considers Alternative Band Plans for Post-Incentive Auction Spectrum

By Michael Beder on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable, Spectrum & Mobile, Telecommunications
In a Public Notice released yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission asked for comments on several possible plans for reorganizing the spectrum currently used by television broadcasters. Initial comments are due June 14, with reply comments due June 28. Under a statute passed last year, broadcast television stations will be allowed to voluntarily participate in an … Continue Reading

Leadership Changes at the Federal Communications Commission

By Eve Pogoriler on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable, Telecommunications
Change is in the air at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  The agency’s chairman, Julius Genachowski, announced yesterday that he will be stepping down on Friday, May 17.  (He had announced his plans to leave the FCC in March, but the date of his departure has been uncertain since then.)  Until his successor is confirmed … Continue Reading

FCC Sanctions Toll-Free Number Broker

By Eve Pogoriler on Posted in Telecommunications
Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) handed down a $240,000 forfeiture order against IT Connect, Inc., a company that the FCC found had violated the prohibition on brokering toll-free telephone numbers.  In its order, the FCC confirmed that it is unlawful for private entities to sell toll-free numbers for a fee, and it applied the … Continue Reading

FCC Cracks Down For First Time on Mobile Jamming Device Use; Fines in the Six Figures

By Kara Azocar on Posted in Spectrum & Mobile, Telecommunications
Last week, the FCC for the first time proposed to fine companies for using mobile phone signal jamming devices.  The FCC found that two entities, Taylor Oilfield Manufacturing, Inc. and The Supply Room, Inc., willfully and repeatedly imported and operated multiple illegal mobile phone signal jammers in the U.S.  Although the FCC in the past … Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Rules Requiring Emergency Information Provided During Non-News Programming To Be Conveyed on Secondary Audio Stream

By Kara Azocar on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
New rules adopted by the FCC require that when television stations in the U.S. display emergency information visually during non-news programming, they must provide the same information aurally on a secondary audio stream. The new rules do not change the requirement that emergency information provided visually during newscasts be conveyed aurally on primary audio. The … Continue Reading

Annual Employment Report Requirement For Broadcasters and MVPDs Back in Effect

By Eve Pogoriler on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published a notice in the Federal Register that the requirement to file an Annual Employment Report is effective immediately.  This requirement — entailing the filing of an FCC Form 395-A for multichannel video programming distribution systems (MVPDs) and an FCC Form 396-B for broadcasters — was adopted years ago, … Continue Reading

Commenters Debate FCC Proposals on Ownership Reporting

By Eve Pogoriler on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable
Interested parties have filed comments at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding proposed changes to the requirements for ownership reports.  In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released in January, the FCC asked for comment on several issues related to the ownership reports filed by broadcast licensees and by others with attributable interests in licensees. Among … Continue Reading

SpectrumWatch: FCC Considers Relocating Spectrum for Wireless Medical Devices in Repacking of Broadcaster Spectrum

By Kara Azocar on Posted in Spectrum & Mobile
The Federal Communications Commission sought comment, in connection with the incentive auction and repacking process reported in previous posts, on whether to relocate wireless medical telemetry service (“WMTS”) users from the 608-614 MHz spectrum band, known as Channel 37, or allow unlicensed devices to coexist with WMTS on Channel 37.  The proposal elicited comments by … Continue Reading

SpectrumWatch: 3 Key Areas of Industry Agreement Regarding the FCC’s Spectrum Auction and Repacking Proposals

By Lindsey Tonsager on Posted in Broadcasting & Cable, Spectrum & Mobile, Telecommunications
The Federal Communications Commission received over 300 comments from the public regarding its proposals to allow broadcast television stations to voluntarily participate in an auction of their spectrum to mobile broadband providers and to involuntarily repack remaining television stations into a smaller television spectrum band.  Broadcast television station groups, individual stations, mobile broadband providers, wireless … Continue Reading

FCC Reminds Wireless Service Providers of Jan. 15, 2013, Hearing Aid Compatibility Report Deadline

By Dan Kahn on Posted in Spectrum & Mobile
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently issued an enforcement advisory reminding wireless service providers and resellers that they must report on their compliance with the hearing aid compatibility rules by January 15, 2013.  Under FCC rules, most wireless service providers must offer consumers a minimum number of hearing-aid compatible phones or other handsets.  The purpose … Continue Reading
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