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WileyonMedia

News, Legal and Political Insight for a Dynamic Media Industry

Kathryne Dickerson

Kathryne Dickerson

Kate Dickerson counsels broadcast, newspaper, and telecommunications clients on a variety of regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters.

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Commission Seeks Comment on Revised Proposals for Protection of Class A AM Stations

By Kathryne Dickerson, Gregory Masters and Kathleen A. Kirby on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On October 5, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission, as part of its ongoing efforts to revitalize AM radio, released a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking(SFNPRM) seeking comment on revised proposals regarding interference protection to Class A AM stations (so-called “clear channel” stations). The SFNPRM is a follow-up to the Commission’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking… Continue Reading

NPRM Proposes Momentous Changes to the Children’s Television Programming Rules

By Kathryne Dickerson and Joan Stewart on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On July 13, 2018, the FCC released the text of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) that, consistent with the draft item released in June, proposes sweeping changes to the current children’s television programming rules.  Comments on the FCC’s proposals are due September 24, 2018 and replies are due October 23, 2018. In the NPRM,… Continue Reading

When the Commission Says Certified Mail, It Means Certified Mail

By Kathryne Dickerson and Ari Meltzer on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, MVPD Regulation
As lawyers, we frequently receive questions along the lines of, “I know the rule says [x], but what if I do [y] instead?  That’s consistent with the spirit of the rule, right?”  We now have further proof that complying with the “spirit of the rule” may not be good enough.  In a recent decision, the… Continue Reading

Elimination of Main Studio Rule Effective on January 8, 2018

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On December 8, 2017, the Order eliminating the FCC’s main studio rule was published in the Federal Register. As a result, the rule change will be effective on January 8, 2018. Requirements associated with the main studio rule, such as having at least two employees (one manager and one staff) present on a full-time basis… Continue Reading

FCC Authorizes Voluntary Transition to ATSC 3.0

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, Broadcast Technology
On November 20, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission released a Report & Order (Order) authorizing television broadcasters to use the Next Gen TV standard (a/k/a ATSC 3.0) on a voluntary, market-driven basis. The Order also includes a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) that seeks further comment on three specific issues related to the ATSC… Continue Reading

FTC Issues Enforcement Policy Statement Clarifying Verifiable Parental Consent Requirement for Audio Files

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in FTC
On October 20, 2017, the Federal Trade Commission issued an Enforcement Policy Statement regarding the applicability of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to the collection and use of children’s voice recordings, such as those collected when a child uses an internet-enabled device to perform a search via voice commands.  The Enforcement Statement clarifies… Continue Reading

FCC Draft Order Would Authorize Voluntary Transition to ATSC 3.0

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, Broadcast Technology
On October 26, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission released a draft Report & Order (“Draft Order”) that would allow television broadcasters to use the Next Gen TV standard (a/k/a ATSC 3.0) on a voluntary, market-driven basis.  The Draft Order will be voted on at the Commission’s November 16th Open Meeting.  Below, we summarize the key… Continue Reading

FCC Votes to Eliminate Main Studio Rule

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
At its October 24, 2017 Open Meeting, the FCC voted to eliminate its 78-year-old main studio rule, requiring each radio and television station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license.  Commissioners voted along party lines, with Chairman Pai and Commissioners O’Rielly and Carr voting in favor of eliminating the rule… Continue Reading

Bill Would Expand Reporting and Disclosure Requirements for Online Political Ads

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Advertising Issues, Broadcast Regulation, Political Broadcasting
On October 19, 2017, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota introduced a bill, co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John McCain (R-AZ), aimed at regulating online political advertising.  The bill, dubbed the “Honest Ads Act,” would require online platforms to identify the purchasers of certain political ads, maintain a “public file” containing specific information… Continue Reading

Effective Date Announced for Recordkeeping Requirements for Non-CPB NCEs Conducting Third Party Fundraising

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
Effective November 13, 2017, NCE stations must comply with the recordkeeping requirements established by the new rule that allows them to conduct limited on-air fundraising activities that interrupt regular programming to benefit third-party non-profit organizations. Specifically, non-CPB NCE stations that conduct third-party fundraising must place in their public files, on a quarterly basis, the following… Continue Reading

Reminder: 2017 Must-Carry and Retransmission Consent Elections

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On or before October 1, 2017, each full-power commercial television station must make an election between must carry and  retransmission consent. In addition, although noncommercial television stations do not have retransmission consent rights, they must send carriage notices to DBS (and other satellite operators) on or before October 1, 2017 in order to obtain (or maintain) carriage on… Continue Reading

FCC Releases Orders Eliminating FRN/RUFRN Requirement for NCEs and Allowing NCEs More Flexibility to Conduct Third Party Fundraising

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On April 20, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission released the final text of two items adopted at the Commission’s April Open Meeting that reduce regulatory burdens on noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcasters. The first item is an Order on Reconsideration (Recon Order) that allows NCE filers to utilize so-called “Special Use” FRNs (SUFRNs) when filling out… Continue Reading

FCC Releases Draft Orders that Would Eliminate FRN/RUFRN Requirement for NCEs and Allow NCEs More Flexibility to Conduct Third Party Fundraising

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Attribution, Broadcast Regulation
On March 30, 2017, the FCC or Commission released two draft items that, if adopted at the Commission’s April Open Meeting, would reduce regulatory burdens on noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcasters. FCC Form 323-E and Permissive Use of SUFRNs The first item is a draft Order on Reconsideration (Draft Recon Order) that would roll-back a requirement… Continue Reading

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (to be repacked)

By Ari Meltzer, Joan Stewart and Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, Spectrum
The FCC’s confidential letters to television stations that did not submit successful bids to relinquish their spectrum in the reverse auction could arrive in broadcaster mailboxes any day now.  For some stations, this letter will confirm that it’s business as usual, and that they will continue to operate on the same channel after the auction.… Continue Reading

Commission Releases Circulation Version of ATSC 3.0 NPRM

By Kathryne Dickerson and John Burgett on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, Broadcast Technology
On February 2, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission released the proposed text of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Circulation NPRM) in the Next Gen TV (a/k/a ATSC 3.0) proceeding in which the agency proposes to authorize television broadcasters to use the Next Gen TV transmission standard on a voluntary, market-driven basis, while continuing to deliver… Continue Reading

FCC Eliminates Public File Requirement for Letters/Emails from the Public

By Kathryne Dickerson and Kathleen A. Kirby on Posted in Broadcast Attribution
On January 31, 2017, the newly Republican-majority Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to eliminate the requirement that commercial TV and radio stations retain in their public files copies of letters and emails from the public. (Non-commercial educational broadcasters are not required to do so.) Chairman Pai noted in a Statement accompanying the Report and Order… Continue Reading

FCC Commissioners Pai and O’Rielly Rebuke NCE FRN Decision

By Kathryne Dickerson, Kathleen A. Kirby and Kathleen Scott on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On January 4, 2017, the FCC’s two Republican Commissioners, Ajit Pai and Michael O’Rielly, issued a scathing statement against the Media Bureau’s decision, issued that same day, to deny petitions for reconsideration regarding FCC Registration Number (FRN) reporting requirements for non-commercial educational (NCE) broadcasters. Those requirements, imposed in January 2016 (the 2016 Order), oblige board… Continue Reading

FCC Suspends Biennial Ownership Reports for NCE Stations with February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1, or October 1 Filing Deadlines

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
The FCC has suspended the existing 2017 filing deadlines for non-commercial educational (NCE) stations’ biennial ownership reports. As a result, NCE licensees with biennial report filing deadlines on February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1, or October 1, 2017 are not required to file the existing form 323-E by those deadlines. Instead, NCE licensees will… Continue Reading

FCC Considers Prohibiting Unconditional MFNs and Unreasonable ADMs

By Kathryne Dickerson, Eve K. Reed and Wayne D. Johnsen on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, MVPD Regulation
At its September 29, 2016 open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in which it proposes rules prohibiting “certain practices some multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) use in their negotiations for carriage of video programming” that the Commission believes “may impede competition, diversity, and innovation in… Continue Reading

FCC Bids Adieu to UHF Discount

By Eve K. Reed, Kathryne Dickerson and Ari Meltzer on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
They say all good things must come to an end, and for the FCC’s UHF discount, the end has arrived (pending the outcome of near-certain litigation).  Earlier today, the FCC issued a Report and Order eliminating its 30-year old policy of applying a 50% “discount” to market populations served by UHF stations when calculating compliance with the… Continue Reading

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same… FCC Tweaks Broadcast Ownership Rules in 2014 Quadrennial Review Order

By Kathryne Dickerson, Kathleen A. Kirby and Eve K. Reed on Posted in Broadcast Regulation
On August 25, 2016, the FCC released the text of a Second Report & Order that concludes both its 2010 and 2014 “quadrennial review” proceedings (the “2016 Order”). The Commission is required by statute to review its rules governing the ownership of broadcast radio and television stations every four years to determine whether they “are… Continue Reading

New Certification Requirement for TV Closed Captioning Not Yet Effective

By Kathryne Dickerson on Posted in Broadcast Regulation, Captioning
On Tuesday, the FCC’s new TV closed captioning quality rules, which we discussed in detail here, were published in the Federal Register.  Fed Reg publication often signals that new rules are effective, or will be soon.  Such is not the case for the video programmer registration and captioning certification requirements, which are subject to approval… Continue Reading