FCC Gives NCEs Reprieve on Filing Biennial Ownership Reports

Non-commercial educational (NCE) television and radio stations received an early Christmas present from the Commission. The agency suspended biennial ownership filing requirements for those that who would otherwise be required to file such reports on Form 323-E.

That means NCE licensees and other entities with attributable interests in such stations are not required to biennially file the existing Form 323-E on February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1, or October 1. Instead, these entities must now file their biennial ownership reports on the revised version of Form 323-E-FCC Form 2100, Schedule 323-E-on or before December 1, 2017 and file biennially thereafter. The information must be current as of October 1, 2017.

The Commission has been trying to align ownership reporting requirements for non-commercial educational stations with the deadlines for commercial broadcast stations.