Upcoming FCC Broadcast, Telecom Filing Deadlines
Do you know what upcoming FCC filing deadlines early April through early May apply to you? We do. Note our list is not comprehensive. Other proceedings may apply to you. Please do not hesitate to contact FHH if you have any questions.
April 1, 2017 - EEO Public File Reports - All radio and television stations with five (5) or more full-time employees located in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas must place EEO Public File Reports in their public inspection files. All TV stations, as well as radio stations in the top 50 markets, must upload the reports to their online public files. All other radio stations may continue to place hard copies in the paper public file for the time being. For all stations with websites (including those with online public files), the report must be posted there as well.
EEO Mid-Term Reports - All radio stations with eleven or more full-time employees in Texas, and all television stations with five or more full-time employees in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee must electronically file a mid-term EEO report on FCC Form 397, with the last two EEO public file reports attached.
Annual Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet - All telecommunications carriers and certain Interconnected VoIP providers must report annual revenues for the preceding calendar year on FCC Form 499-A.
Automated Reporting Management Information System (ARMIS) Reporting - Certain incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) must provide financial, service quality, infrastructure, and operational data for the preceding year across applicable ARMIS reports.
Federal Excise Taxes - Deadline for payment of federal excise taxes by certain telecommunications carriers and Interconnected VoIP providers.
Rate of Return Reporting - Certain local exchange carriers or groups of affiliated carriers must report compliance with FCC rate-of-return and price cap regulations on FCC Forms 492 and 492A.
Recordkeeping Compliance Certification and Contact Information Registration - All equipment manufacturers and providers of certain telecommunications services and Interconnected VoIP services must file annual recordkeeping certification and updated contact information for disability access services covered by Sections 255, 716, and 717 of the Communications Act.
Section 43.21(c) Letters - Certain common carriers subject to Section 32.9000 of the Commission's rules must file with the Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau a letter detailing its operating revenues and the value of its entire communications plant for the prior calendar year.
April 10, 2017 - Children's Television Programming Reports - For all commercial television and Class A television stations, the first quarter 2017 children's television programming reports must be filed electronically with the Commission.
Commercial Compliance Certifications - For all commercial television and Class A television stations, a certification of compliance with the limits on commercials during programming for children ages 12 and under, including those limits related to the on-air display of website addresses, or other evidence to substantiate compliance with those limits, must be uploaded to the online public inspection file.
Issues/Programs Lists - For all commercial and noncommercial radio, television, and Class A television stations, a listing of each station's most significant treatment of community issues during the past quarter must be placed in the station's public inspection file. Radio stations in the top 50 markets and in an employment unit with five or more employees will have to place these reports in the new online public inspection file, while all other radio stations may continue to place hard copies in the paper file for the time being. Television and Class A television stations will continue upload them to the online file.
Class A Television Continuing Eligibility Documentation - The Commission requires that all Class A Television maintain in their online public inspection files documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the station is continuing to meet the eligibility requirements of broadcasting at least 18 hours per day and broadcasting an average of at least three hours per week of locally produced programming.
April 12, 2017 - Comments are due April 12 on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) connected vehicle technology Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
May 9, 2017 - ATSC 3 Television Broadcast Standard - Comments due with regard to the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to authorize television broadcasters to use the "Next Generation" broadcast television transmission standard developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee and known as ATSC 3.
Please contact Anne Goodwin Crump and Dan Kirkpatrick for broadcast items and Cheng-yi Liu about telecom items if you have questions about any of these filings.