July 10 Deadline for Quarterly TV Reports

June 30, 2016

Below are the deadlines for the second quarter reports that full-power and Class A television stations must file:

Documents That Must Be Uploaded Into Each Station’s Online Public Inspection File by July 10, 2016:

  • Issue-Responsive Programming List for programming broadcast between April 1, 2016 and June 30, 2016 (all commercial and noncommercial stations)
  • Documentation of compliance with Children’s Advertising Limits (commercial stations only)
  • Documentation that the station continues to meet Class A eligibility requirements (Class A TV stations only)

FCC Filing Due By July 11, 2016:

  • FCC Form 398 – Children’s Television Programming Report (commercial stations only)

I. Issue-Responsive Programming Lists:

Commercial and noncommercial television and Class A stations must prepare and upload into their online public inspection files a list of the programs that provided the most significant treatment of community issues during the previous quarter. The listing should provide a brief narrative statement that identifies the issues that were given significant treatment, and should describe the programs in which the issues were addressed. Each program description must include the date, time and title of each program, the duration of each responsive programming segment, and a brief explanation demonstrating how the programming addressed the community issue.

II. Records Verifying Compliance With Children’s Advertising Limits:

Commercial television stations must upload into their online public inspection files documentation verifying compliance with the children’s television advertising limits during the previous quarter. This documentation must identify the programs that were subject to the limits, and must describe any instances of non-compliance.

III. Documentation of Continued Class A Eligibility:

Class A television stations must maintain documentation in their public inspection files demonstrating compliance with both of the Class A eligibility requirements: (i) the broadcast of a minimum of 18 hours per day; and (ii) the broadcast of an average of at least three hours per week of locally produced programming each quarter. We recommend that Class A stations place a statement of compliance in their public inspection files on a quarterly basis.

IV. Children’s Television Programming Report (FCC Form 398):

Commercial television and Class A stations must file FCC Form 398, the Children’s Television Programming Report, with the FCC. The report documents commercial broadcasters’ compliance with the children’s educational programming requirements during the preceding quarter. The Form 398 is filed by stations in the FCC’s Licensing and Management System.

If you have any questions about these ongoing recordkeeping and related obligations, please contact one of the Lerman Senter attorneys with whom you work.

Categories: Media