Multiple FCC Deadlines for Radio/TV On Tap in October

posted on 10.01.2024

- ETRS Oct. 4, Quarterly Programs and More Oct. 10

Texas broadcasters are staring at a slew of FCC regulatory filings this month with the first one involving EAS testing and monitoring hitting at the end of this week on Oct. 4, and multiple others hitting next week on Oct. 10.

Radio and TV broadcasters have until this Friday, Oct. 4, to file their EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) Form One which provides information regarding a station's EAS equipment and monitoring assignments, as well as other data.

Even though the FCC and FEMA are forgoing a national EAS test this year, all EAS participants must annually update their EAS information by filing ETRS Form One, according to attorney David Oxenford with Wilkinson Barker Knauer who offers these insights as stations seek to complete this task.

Radio, TV Quarterly Issues/Program Lists Due Oct. 10

Stations can get into all kinds of trouble if they're not careful here as Oxenford notes that these quarterly lists are the only official records of how a station is serving the public and addressing the needs and interests of its community.

All full-power and Class A TV stations, as well as commercial and noncommercial full-power AM and FM Radio stations, must file quarterly issues/program lists.

The lists should identify the issues of importance to the station's community and the programs that the station aired between July 1 and September 30, 2024, that addressed those issues.

They must be timely uploaded to a station's Online Public Inspection File (OPIF); late-filing of these quarterly reports likely have resulted in more fines in the last decade than for any other FCC rule violation.

Oxenford shares this guidance on the importance of the quarterly issues/program lists obligation.

Non-Comms, Class A TVs, Foreign Entities

But wait, there's more! Various licensees have to file additional information on Oct. 10 for the period from July 1 to Sept. 30, including:

• Non-Commercial Educational Stations: Documentation of any on-air fundraising benefitting third parties that interrupted their normal programming (see Oxenford guidance here)
• Class A TV Stations: Documentation of continuing eligibility for Class A status
• Full-Power TV, Class A TV, Full-Power Radio Stations: Documentation of any programming time that was leased by a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government or provided by a foreign entity for free in exchange for its airing (see Oxenford articles here and here for more information).

Questions? Contact Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.

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