FCC Announces Effective Dates For Radio, Satellite, Cable Online Public Inspection File Requirements

Dates Set

The first group of broadcast and satellite radio licensees having to comply with the FCC's new online public inspection file database must start using the database on FRIDAY, JUNE 24th, the Commission announced. The database has been opened for testing starting TODAY (5/12). The date has been set based on the COMMISSION's intention to publish the new rules in the Federal Register on WEDNESDAY, MAY 25th, with the effective date being 30 days after that.

The rule expansion's first filing date affects commercial radio stations in the top 50 NIELSEN markets with five or more full-time employees, satellite radio and television, and cable systems with over 1,000 subscribers. New documents must go into the online file right away; older existing documents will be due for online posting within six months after the effective date. Cable systems with between 1,000 and 5,000 subscribers will have until MARCH 1st, 2017 to put their entire files online; all noncommercial educational radio broadcast stations, commercial radio broadcast stations in the top 50 NIELSEN AUDIO markets with fewer than five full-time employees, and all commercial radio broadcast stations in markets below the top 50 or outside all markets will be exempt until MARCH 1st, 2017. Letters and emails from the public must still be retained by all commercial broadcast licensees but are not to be uploaded to the online file. A live webinar will be scheduled for before the effective date to explain the requirements further.

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