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pdfFederal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
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3060-0010
FCC FORM 323
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OWNERSHIP REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATIONS
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. Definitions. For the purposes of completing this form:
(1) A Licensee is a natural person or an entity that
holds a Commission license for a commercial
broadcast station.
(2) A Permittee is a natural person or an entity that
holds a Commission construction permit for a
commercial broadcast station.
(3) A Respondent is any person or entity that is
required to file Form 323.
2. Filing Requirements: Non-Biennial Ownership
Reports. Licensees and Permittees of commercial AM,
FM, or full power television stations must file Form 323
to report all attributable interests in the Licensee or
Permittee as follows.
(1) Transfers of Control/Assignment of License or
Construction Permit. Licensees and Permittees
must file Form 323 within 30 days after the
consummation of a transfer of control or an
assignment of a commercial AM, FM, or full
power television station license or construction
permit. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3615(c). Note:
FCC consent is required prior to
consummation
of
transfers
of
control/assignments
of
broadcast
authorizations.
(2) Post-grant of Construction Permit. A Permittee
of a new commercial AM, FM, or full power
television broadcast station must file Form 323
within 30 days after the grant of an original
construction permit. See 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3615(b)(i).
(3) Application for Station License. On the date that
a Permittee applies for a license to cover an
original construction permit for a new
commercial AM, FM, or full power television
broadcast station, the Permittee must file Form
323 to update its ownership information. A filer
may choose to certify the continuing accuracy
and completeness of a previously-filed ownership
report. If the permit was not assigned or
transferred since it was first granted, the filer may
certify the continuing accuracy and completeness
of a previously-filed report that was submitted
pursuant to item (1), above (i.e., a report that was
filed in connection with grant of the original
construction permit). If the permit was assigned
or transferred since it was first granted, the filer
may certify the continuing accuracy and
completeness of a previously-filed report that was
submitted pursuant to item (2), above (i.e., a postconsummation ownership report). In either case,
the information in the previously-filed report
must remain accurate. See 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3615(b)(ii).
In the case of organizational structures that include
holding companies or other forms of indirect ownership,
a separate FCC Form 323 must be filed for each entity in
the organizational structure that has an attributable
interest in the Licensee or Permittee. If a Permittee or
Licensee holds multiple construction permits and/or
station licenses for which the filing of a non-biennial
ownership report was triggered pursuant to (1), (2), or (3),
above, and the information submitted on the Permittee’s
or Licensee’s ownership report is equally applicable to
each such permit and/or license, the Licensee or Permittee
may file a single Form 323 listing all such licenses and/or
permits.
Similarly, if a non-Licensee/Permittee
Respondent holds attributable interests in multiple
Licensees or Permittees and the information submitted on
the Respondent’s ownership report is equally applicable
to each such Licensee/Permittee and all associated
licenses/permits, the Respondent may file a single Form
323 listing all such Licensees/Permittees and
licenses/permits. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
Respondent that both (1) is a Licensee and/or Permittee
and (2) holds attributable interests in one or more
Licensees and/or Permittees must file two ownership
reports – one as a Licensee/Permittee and one as a nonLicensee/Permittee Respondent.
3. This form is not to be used to request a transfer of
control or assignment of license or construction permit.
The appropriate forms for use in connection with such
transfers or assignments are FCC Forms 314, 315, and/or
316. See 47 C.F.R. Sections 73.3540 and 73.3541. It is
the responsibility of the Licensee or Permittee to
FCC Form 323 Instructions
April 2019
determine if a given transaction constitutes a transfer of
control or an assignment. However, for purposes of
example only, and for the convenience of interested
persons, there are listed below some of the more common
types of transfers. A transfer of control takes place when:
original authorization for the Licensee or
Permittee corporation was issued.
4. Filing Requirements: Biennial Reports. Licensees
of commercial AM, FM, and full power television
broadcast stations, as well as Licensees of Class A
Television and Low Power Television (LPTV) stations,
must file FCC Form 323 every two years to report all
attributable interests in the Licensee. Ownership reports
must be filed by December 1 in all odd-numbered years.
The information in each ownership report shall be current
as of October 1 of the year in which the ownership report
is filed. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3615(a).
(1) An individual stockholder gains or loses
affirmative or negative (50 percent) control.
(Affirmative control consists of control of more
than 50 percent of voting stock; negative control
consists of control of exactly 50 percent of voting
stock.)
(2) Any family group or any individual in a family
group gains or loses affirmative or negative (50
percent) control.
In the case of organizational structures that include
holding companies or other forms of indirect ownership,
a separate FCC Form 323 must be filed for each entity in
the organizational structure that has an attributable
interest in the Licensee. If a Licensee holds multiple
station licenses and the information submitted on the
Licensee’s ownership report is equally applicable to each
such license, the Licensee may file a single Form 323
listing all such licenses. Similarly, if a non-Licensee
Respondent holds attributable interests in multiple
Licensees and the information submitted on the
Respondent’s ownership report is equally applicable to
each such Licensee and all licenses, the Respondent may
file a single Form 323 listing all such Licensees and
licenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Respondent
that both (1) is a Licensee and (2) holds attributable
interests in one or more Licensees must file two
ownership reports – one as a Licensee and one as a nonLicensee Respondent.
(3) Any group in privity gains or loses affirmative or
negative (50 percent) control.
The following are examples of transfers of control or
assignments requiring prior Commission consent:
(1) A, who owns 51 percent of the Licensee’s or
Permittee’s stock, sells 1 percent or more thereof.
A transfer has been effected.
(2) X corporation, wholly owned by Y family, retires
outstanding stock which results in family member
A’s individual holdings being increased to 50
percent or more. A transfer has been effected.
(3) A and B, husband and wife, each owns 50 percent
of the Licensee’s or Permittee’s stock. A sells
some of his stock to B. A transfer has been
effected.
If there has been no change in the information submitted
since the filing of the last biennial report, and that last
biennial report was filed electronically via the
Commission’s Licensing and Management System
(LMS) using the current version of Form 323, a Licensee
or other Respondent may electronically validate and
resubmit its previously-filed biennial Form 323.
(4) A is one of the partners in the Licensee. A sells
any part of his interest to newcomer B or existing
partner C. An assignment has been effected.
(5) X partnership incorporates. An assignment has
been effected.
5. Electronic Filing of FCC Form 323. All Form 323
filings must be submitted electronically. Use the Media
Bureau electronic filing system (http://www.fcc.gov/
encyclopedia/media-bureau-filing-systems-anddatabases).
(6) Minority stockholders form a voting trust to vote
their 50 percent or more combined stockholdings.
A transfer has been effected.
(7) A, B, C, D, and E each own 20 percent of the
stock of X corporation. A, B, and C sell their
stock to F, G, and H at different times. A transfer
is effected at such time as 50 percent or more of
the stock passes out of the hands of the
stockholders who held stock at the time the
SECTION I – GENERAL INFORMATION (All
Respondents Must Complete)
Respondent and Contact Representative. Enter the
legal name, address, contact information and FCC
Registration Number (FRN) of the Respondent. Also
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provide the name, organization, and contact information
for the Respondent’s representative.
payable by the Licensee and is calculated based on the
stations listed on the report. The number of feeable
stations for which a report is filed determines the total fee
due, not the number of Form 323 filings submitted to
provide a complete set of ownership information.
Licensee/Permittee Respondents. The name of the
Licensee or Permittee should be stated exactly as it
appears on the station’s existing license or construction
permit. The current street address or post office box used
by the Licensee or Permittee for receipt of Commission
correspondence should be set forth. Any change in the
name of the Licensee or Permittee, which does not
involve a change in ownership requiring prior
Commission approval, can be communicated to the
Commission by letter. Changes in the mailing address
previously used by the Licensee or Permittee should be
promptly transmitted to the Commission. See 47 C.F.R.
Section 1.5. Licensees and Permittees should submit
address changes via the Media Bureau electronic filing
system
(http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/mediabureau-filing-systems-and-databases).
Fee Exemption: Governmental Entities. Governmental
entities, which include any possession, state, city, county,
town, village, municipal corporation or similar political
organization or subpart thereof controlled by publicly
elected and/or duly appointed public officials exercising
sovereign direction and control over their respective
communities or programs, are exempt from payment of a
fee in connection with the filing of any Form 323. Such
filers should select the option marked “Governmental
Entity.”
If “other” is selected, provide the reason for the fee
exemption.
FRN. The Respondent must provide its FRN – a ten-digit
unique entity identifier. An FRN can be obtained through
the Commission Registration System (CORES), which is
listed
among
the
FCC
E-Filing
systems
https://www.fcc.gov/licensingdatabases/general/online-filing).
Respondent and Report Information. Select the
appropriate option to indicate whether the Respondent, is
If a Respondent submits and/or is listed as an attributable
interest holder on multiple ownership reports, it must
provide the same FRN on all such ownership reports.
Filers should coordinate with each other to ensure such
consistency.
(3) an entity required to file a Form 323 because it
holds an attributable interest in one or more
Licensees or, in the case of non-biennial reports,
Permittees.
(1) a Licensee;
(2) a Permittee (non-biennial reports only); or
Also indicate the nature of the Respondent. If “other” is
selected, provide an exhibit describing the nature of the
Respondent.
Questions concerning CORES FRNs can be directed to
the CORES help desk via email at [email protected] or
by calling 1-877-480-3201 (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET).
Indicate whether the report is (1) filed to satisfy the
biennial filing requirement; (2) a validation and
resubmission of a previously-filed biennial report
(certifying no change from the previously-filed biennial
report), (3) filed in connection with a transfer of control
or assignment of permit or license, (4) a report by a
Permittee within 30 days after the grant of a construction
permit; (5) a report in conjunction with a Permittee’s
application for a station license; or (6) a certification of
accuracy of an previously report filed ownership report by
a Permittee (report in conjunction with a Permittee’s
application for a station license). Purposes (1) and (2)
apply only to biennial filings, while purposes (3)–(6)
apply only to non-biennial filings.
Application Filing Fee. By law, the Commission is
required to collect charges for certain of the regulatory
services it provides to the public. A fee is required to be
paid and submitted with the filing of a Licensee’s
biennial ownership report only. All other Form 323
reports are fee-exempt reports. Amendments to biennial
ownership reports filed by licensees do not require
payment of additional fees unless the amendment adds
one or more feeable stations to the report.
In cases where there has been no change in information
since the last filing of a station’s biennial ownership
report, and a Respondent electronically validates and
resubmits its previously-filed Form 323, such
resubmission constitutes the station’s biennial ownership
report for that year and the required fee must also be
submitted. The fee for the biennial ownership report
(whether on a new Form 323 or as a resubmission) is
A Respondent with a current and unamended biennial
ownership report on file with the Commission that is still
accurate and that was filed using the current electronic
version of Form 323 may select option (2) to validate and
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resubmit the Respondent’s previously-filed biennial
ownership report. A Respondent that selects this option
will not be permitted to make changes to the information
provided under Licensee/Permittee and License/Permit
Information or to Section II-B of the new report. If such
changes are needed, the Respondent should NOT select
option (2) but instead should make use of the report
copying/prefilling capabilities within LMS to create the
new report.
Facility ID Number. Facility ID numbers can be located
by using the “Station Search” at the Media Bureau
electronic
filing
system
(http://www.fcc.gov/
encyclopedia/media-bureau-filing-systems-anddatabases). In addition, the Facility ID Number is
included on all broadcast authorizations and postcards.
FRN. Filers must provide an FRN – a ten-digit unique
identifier – for each licensee/permittee that appears on the
report. An FRN can be obtained through the CORES,
which is listed among the FCC E-Filing systems
(https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/general/
online-filing).
If a report is filed pursuant to option (6), provide the file
number of the previously-filed report that is being
certified. A Respondent that selects this option will not
be permitted to make changes to the information provided
under
Licensee/Permittee
and
License/Permit
Information or to Section II-A of the new report. If such
changes are needed, the Respondent should NOT select
option (6) and should instead select option (5) and make
use of the report copying/prefilling capabilities within
LMS to create the new report.
Questions concerning CORES FRNs can be directed to
the CORES help desk via email at [email protected] or
by calling 1-877-480-3201 (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET).
SECTION II-A – NON-BIENNIAL OWNERSHIP
INFORMATION
Respondents may also amend a previously filed
ownership report. Respondents should select this option
only if the purpose of the filing is to correct one or more
errors in a previously-submitted report. Filing an
amendment will update the previously-filed report, and
the resulting report will have the same file number as the
previously-filed report. When submitting an amendment,
a Respondent must provide the File Number of the
previously-filed report and an exhibit listing the portions
of the previous report that are being revised. A
Respondent that wishes to create a new report based on
data contained in a previously-submitted report should
NOT amend the previously-submitted report. Instead, the
Respondent should make use of the report
copying/capabilities within LMS to create the new report.
Contract Information. Licensees and Permittees of full
power commercial television stations, AM radio stations,
and FM radio stations are required to provide to the
Commission upon request copies of any contracts or other
instruments, or modifications thereof, relating to the
ownership, control, or management of the Licensee or
Permittee or to its stock. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3613.
Licensees and Permittees must provide the Commission
with copies of all contracts or instruments of the types
specified in Section 73.3613 within seven days of a
request by the FCC. The filing requirement is not limited
to executed contracts, but includes documents such as
options, pledges, and other executory agreements and
contracts relating to ownership, control, or management.
Licensee/Permittee Respondents should list all
documents set forth in Section 73.3613(a) through (c) for
all of the stations covered by the report. In addition,
attributable local marketing agreements (LMAs) and
attributable joint sales agreements (JSAs) must be
disclosed by the licensee of the brokering station on its
ownership report. See Amendment of Section 73.3613 of
the Commission’s Rules Regarding Filing of Contracts et
al., MB Docket No. 18-4 et al., Report and Order, 33 FCC
Rcd 10381 (2018). For each contract or instrument, the
Respondent should provide a description of the document,
a listing of the parties, the month and year of execution,
and the month and year of expiration (if the agreement is
perpetual or does not have a fixed expiration date, select
“No Expiration Date”). Additionally, the Respondent
should indicate whether each document is an attributable
LMA, an attributable JSA, a network affiliation
agreement or a document that does not fall into any of
these categories. If “other” is selected, filers may use the
Also enter the “as of” date in the field provided. When
filing a biennial ownership report, the date entered must
be Oct. 1 of the filing year.
Licensee/Permittee and License/Permit Information.
All Licensee/Permittee Respondents must enter the name
and FRN of the Licensee/Permittee and provide
information for each license/permit held by the
Licensee/Permittee and covered by the ownership report,
including call sign, Facility ID Number, community of
license, and class of service. All non-Licensee/Permittee
Respondents must enter the name and FRN for each
Licensee/Permittee covered by the ownership report. In
addition, such Respondents must provide the required
information for each license/permit that is held by one of
those Licensee(s)/Permittee(s) and covered by the
ownership report.
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text box to provide additional information about the
agreement. Each contract/instrument must be identified
and listed directly in the fields provided. For the
purposes of completing this question, only a listing of
the relevant contract and instruments, including the
specific information discussed above, is required. Do
not attach copies of the contracts/instruments to the
form.
an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) and/or
Permittee(s) for which the report is being submitted.
The following interests are attributable, and the holders of
such interests must be reported in response to Part(a):
If a CORPORATION: Each officer, director, and owner
of stock accounting for 5 percent or more of the issued
and outstanding voting stock of the Respondent is
considered the holder of an attributable interest, and must
be reported. Where the 5 percent stock owner is itself a
corporation, each of its directors and executive officers
(president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer or their
equivalents) is considered a holder of an attributable
interest. In certain circumstances, however, one or more
of a corporation’s officers and directors may be exempted
from attribution and need not be reported in response to
Part(a). Refer to Part (e) for additional explanation and
instructions.
This question does not apply to non-Licensee/Permittee
Respondents.
Ownership Interests. As used in this question, an
attributable interest is an ownership interest in or
relationship to a Licensee that confers on its holder a
certain degree of influence or control over the Licensee as
defined in the Commission’s rules. For guidance
concerning attributable interests, Respondents should
consult the instructions below. In addition, Respondents
should review the Commission’s attribution policies and
standards, which are set forth in 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3555, as revised and explained in Review of the
Commission’s Regulations Governing Attribution of
Broadcast and Cable/MDS Interests, MM Docket No. 94150, 14 FCC Rcd 12559 (1999), recon. granted in part,
16 FCC Rcd 1097 (2000) and Report and Order in MM
Docket No. 83-46, 97 FCC 2d 997 (1984), recon. granted
in part, 58 RR 2d 604 (1985), further modified on recon.,
61 RR 2d 739 (1986). Finally, Respondents should
consult Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the
Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No. 07-294, Second
Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC
Rcd 398, 422-24, paras. 47-50 (2016).
In addition, a party that holds voting stock in the corporate
stockholder of a corporate Respondent is considered the
holder of an attributable interest, and must be reported, if
that voting interest, when multiplied by the corporate
stockholder’s interest in the Respondent, would account
for 5 percent or more of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of the Respondent, except that, other than for
purposes of subsection (i) of Note 2 to 47 C.F.R. §
73.3555, the multiplier does not apply to any link in the
ownership chain representing an interest greater than 50
percent. For example, where Corporation X owns stock
accounting for 25 percent of the Respondent’s votes, only
Corporation X shareholders holding 20 percent or more
of the issued and outstanding voting stock of Corporation
X have a 5 percent or more indirect interest in the
Respondent (0.25 x 0.20 = 0.05) and, therefore, are
considered to have an attributable interest in the
Respondent. For purposes other than subsection (i) of
Note 2 to 47 C.F.R. § 73.3555, any shareholder holding
more than 50 percent of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of Corporation X will be deemed to have an interest
in the Respondent equal to the interest held by
Corporation X. For example, where Corporation X owns
stock accounting for 25 percent of the Respondent’s
votes, a Corporation X shareholder holding more than 50
percent of the issued and outstanding voting stock of
Corporation X will be considered to have a 25 percent
indirect interest in the Respondent. For such ownership
structures, report on Form 323 only interests that amount
to 5 percent or more of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of the Licensee after the multiplier is applied.
Where the 5 percent stock owner is a partnership, each
general partner and any limited partner that is not
insulated, regardless of the partnership interest, is
Part (a). Respondents must enter detailed information
about ownership interests by generating a series of
subforms. Answer each item on each subform. The first
subform listing should be for the Respondent itself. If the
Respondent is not a natural person, also list each of the
officers, directors, stockholders, non-insulated partners,
non-insulated members and other persons or entities with
a direct attributable interest in the Respondent. (A
“direct” interest is one that is not held through any
intervening companies or entities.) In the case of vertical
or indirect ownership structures, report only those
interests in the Respondent that also represent an
attributable interest in the Licensee(s) and/or Permittee(s)
for which the report is being submitted.
List each person or entity with a direct attributable interest
in the Respondent separately. Entities that are part of an
organizational structure that includes holding companies
or other forms of indirect ownership must file separate
ownership reports. In such a structure, do not report or
file separate reports for persons or entities that do not have
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considered to have an attributable interest that must be
reported.
(1) specifies that any exempt limited partner (if not a
natural person, its directors, officers, partners,
etc.) cannot act as an employee of the limited
partnership if his or her functions, directly or
indirectly, relate to the media enterprises of the
company;
Stock subject to stockholder cooperative voting
agreements accounting for 5 percent or more of the votes
in a corporate respondent will be treated as if held by a
single entity and any stockholder holding 5 percent or
more of the stock in that block is considered a holder of
an attributable interest.
(2) bars any exempt limited partner from serving, in
any material capacity, as an independent
contractor or agent with respect to the
partnership’s media enterprises;
Pursuant to the Commission’s single majority shareholder
exemption, if a single party holds more than 50 percent of
a Respondent’s voting stock, and a simple majority is all
that is required to control the Respondent’s corporate
affairs, the voting stock holdings of the Respondent’s
other stockholders are not attributable interests. As a
result, such minority stockholders need not be reported on
ownership report filings based on their voting stock
holdings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such a
minority shareholder holds a positional interest in the
Respondent (e.g., is an officer or director of the
Respondent that is not exempted from attribution), or if
the minority shareholder’s combined equity and debt
interests in the Respondent are attributable under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard
(described below), such minority shareholder has an
attributable interest in the Respondent and must be
reported.
(3) restricts any exempted limited partner from
communicating with the Licensee or the general
partner on matters pertaining to the day-to-day
operations of its business;
(4) empowers the general partner to veto any
admissions of additional general partners
admitted by vote of the exempt limited partners;
(5) prohibits any exempt limited partner from voting
on the removal of a general partner or limits this
right to situations where the general partner is
subject to bankruptcy proceedings, as described
in Sections 402 (4)-(5) of the Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, is adjudicated
incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction,
or is removed for cause, as determined by an
independent party;
An investment company, insurance company or trust
department of a bank is not considered a holder of an
attributable interest, and a Respondent may properly
certify that such entity’s interest is non-attributable (see
Part (b), below), IF its aggregated holding accounts for
less than 20 percent of the outstanding votes in the
Respondent AND IF such entity exercises no influence or
control over the corporation, directly or indirectly; and
such entity has no representatives among the officers and
directors of the corporation, unless that entity’s combined
equity and debt interests in the Respondent give rise to
attribution under the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard described below.
(6) bars any exempt limited partner from performing
any services to the limited partnership materially
relating to its media activities, with the exception
of making loans to, or acting as a surety for, the
business; and
(7) states, in express terms, that any exempt limited
partner is prohibited from becoming actively
involved in the management or operation of the
media businesses of the partnership.
Notwithstanding conformance of the partnership
agreement to these criteria, the requisite certification
cannot be made IF the limited partner’s interest is
attributable under the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard described below; or IF the
Respondent has actual knowledge of a material
involvement of a limited partner in the management or
operation of the media-related businesses of the
partnership. In the event that the Respondent cannot
certify as to the noninvolvement of a limited partner, the
limited partner will be considered as an attributable
interest holder and the interest must be reported.
Moreover, a limited partner cannot be insulated, and must
If a PARTNERSHIP: All partners, including all limited
partners, are considered attributable interest holders.
However, a limited partner in a limited partnership is not
considered an attributable interest holder IF the limited
partner is not materially involved, directly or indirectly,
in the management or operation of the media-related
activities of the partnership and the Respondent so
certifies (see Part (b), below). Sufficient insulation of a
limited partner for purposes of this certification would be
assured if the limited partnership arrangement:
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be reported as an attributable interest holder, if that
limited partner’s combined equity and debt interests in the
limited partnership give rise to attribution under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard,
described below, or if that limited partner holds an officer
or director position and is not exempted from attribution
(as discussed below).
response to Part (a). Refer to Part (e) for additional
explanation and instructions.
Attributable Agreements. Pursuant to Section 73.3555,
Notes 2(j) and 2(k), certain agreements give rise to an
attributable interest in a Licensee or Permittee. Any party
to such agreement that creates an attributable interest in
the Licensee/Permittee by virtue of the standards set forth
in 73.3555, Notes 2(j) and 2(k) must be listed in the
Ownership Interests section of the report filed by the
Licensee/Permittee – regardless of whether or not the
Licensee/Permittee itself is a party to the agreement(s). In
addition, each such party must file its own ownership
report(s), pursuant to the standards set forth in these
Instructions, in connection with the relevant
Licensee/Permittee and license(s)/permit(s).
If one or more insulated limited partners would, absent
insulation, have voting rights in the Respondent, the
voting interests reported for the non-insulated partners
should be adjusted (i.e., increased) as necessary to reflect
the effective voting interests of the non-insulated partners.
Partnerships sometimes have officers and directors. Each
executive officer or director of a partnership is considered
to be a holder of an attributable interest. In some cases,
however, one or more of a partnership’s officers and
directors may be exempted from attribution and need not
be reported in response to Part (a). Refer to Part (e) for
additional explanation and instructions.
Equity Debt Plus Attribution Standard. Certain
interests held by substantial investors in, or creditors of,
the Respondent may also be attributable, and the
investor/creditor must be reported, if the interest falls
within the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus (EDP)
attribution standard. Under the EDP standard, the interest
held is attributable if, aggregating both equity and debt, it
exceeds 33 percent of the total asset value (all equity plus
all debt) of the Respondent – a broadcast station licensee,
cable television system, daily newspaper or other media
outlet subject to the Commission’s broadcast multiple
ownership or cross-ownership rules – AND the interest
holder also holds (1) an attributable interest in a media
outlet in the same market, or (2) supplies over 15 percent
of the total weekly broadcast programming hours of the
station in which the interest is held. For example, the
equity interest of an insulated limited partner in a limited
partnership Respondent would normally not be
considered attributable, but, under the EDP standard, that
interest would be attributable if the limited partner’s
interest exceeded 33 percent of the Respondent’s total
asset value AND the limited partner also held a 5 percent
voting interest in another radio or television station
licensee in the same market. See Section 73.3555, Note
2(i), of the Commission’s rules.
If a LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY:
The
Commission treats a limited liability company as a limited
partnership, each of whose members is considered to be
an attributable interest holder. However, where a limited
liability company member is insulated in the manner
specified above with respect to a limited partnership and
where the relevant state statute authorizing the limited
liability company permits a limited liability company
member to insulate itself in accordance with the
Commission’s criteria, that limited liability company
member is not considered an attributable interest holder.
A member cannot be insulated, however, and must be
reported as an attributable interest holder, if that
member’s combined equity and debt interests in the
limited liability company give rise to attribution under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard,
described below, or if that member holds an officer or
director position and is not exempted from attribution (as
discussed below).
If one or more insulated members would, absent
insulation, have voting rights in the Respondent, the
voting interests reported for the non-insulated members
should be adjusted (i.e., increased) as necessary to reflect
the effective voting interests of the non-insulated
members.
Pursuant to a 2008 Commission order, an interest holder
may exceed the 33 percent EDP threshold without
triggering attribution where the investment would enable
an Eligible Entity (as that term is defined by the
Commission) to acquire a broadcast station provided that:
(1) the combined equity and debt of the interest holder in
the Eligible Entity is less than 50 percent, or (2) the total
debt of the interest holder in the Eligible Entity does not
exceed 80 percent of the asset value of the station being
acquired by the Eligible Entity and the interest holder
does not hold any equity interest, option, or promise to
acquire an equity interest in the Eligible Entity or any
Limited liability companies sometimes have officers and
directors. Each executive officer or director of a limited
liability company is considered to be a holder of an
attributable interest. In some cases, however, one or more
of a limited liability company’s officers and directors may
be exempted from attribution and need not be reported in
7
related entity.
See Promoting Diversification of
Ownership in the Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No.
07-294, Report and Order and Third Further Notice of
Proposed Rule Making, 23 FCC Rcd 5922 (2008). The
Commission subsequently suspended this application of
the Eligible Entity definition in 2011. See Media Bureau
Provides Notice of Suspension of Eligible Entity Rule
Changes and Guidance on the Assignment of Broadcast
Station Construction Permits to Eligible Entities, Public
Notice, 26 FCC Rcd 10370 (Med. Bur. 2011). However,
the Commission later reinstated this application of the
Eligible Entity definition in 2016. See 2014 Quadrennial
Regulatory Review – Review of the Commission’s
Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted
Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of
1996 et al., MB Docket No. 14-50 et al., Second Report
and Order, 31 FCC Rcd 9864 (2016).
which include informing reportable individuals of their
obligations and the risk of enforcement action for failing
to provide an RUFRN or CORES FRN or to permit an
RUFRN or CORES FRN to be obtained on their behalf.
An SUFRN may be obtained only if an individual still
refuses to provide a means of reporting a valid RUFRN or
CORES FRN after the filer has taken such steps. See
Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the
Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No. 07-294, Report
and Order, Second Report and Order, and Order on
Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 39, 428-29, paras. 56-58
(2016). Respondents are encouraged to refer individual
interest holders who are resistant to providing the
Respondent with the means of reporting a CORES FRN
or RUFRN to the Second Report and Order and to the
Commission’s Form 323 and Form 323-E website.
While the burden to obtain an RUFRN or CORES FRN
or to permit the filer to acquire an RUFRN or CORES
FRN falls to the interest holder, the Commission reminds
filers of their obligation to review the ownership report
and affirm that, to the best of the filer’s “knowledge and
belief, all statements in [the ownership report] are true,
correct, and complete.” This includes verifying that the
CORES FRN or RUFRN reported for each reported party
is correct and that no SUFRN has been used for an
individual in the absence of reasonable and good-faith
efforts to obtain an RUFRN or CORES FRN, including
informing a recalcitrant interest holder of the obligation
and potential for enforcement action. However, the filer
itself will be exempt from enforcement action if the filer
substantiates that it has used reasonable and good-faith
efforts as described herein.
FRNs. Respondents must provide an FRN – a ten-digit
unique entity identifier – for each person or entity
reported on Form 323. An FRN can be obtained through
the CORES, which is listed among the FCC E-Filing
systems
(https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/
general/online-filing).
Individuals (but not entities) may report either a CORES
FRN or a Restricted Use FRN (RUFRN) on Form 323. If
an RUFRN or CORES FRN has been previously reported
for an individual on one or more ownership report filings
(either commercial or noncommercial), the Respondent
must use that previously-reported RUFRN or CORES
FRN for that individual on all current and future
ownership report filings.
If an SUFRN has not been reported previously for an
individual on any ownership report filings (either
commercial or noncommercial), and, pursuant to the
instructions and standards set forth above, the Respondent
is unable to obtain a CORES FRN or RUFRN for that
individual, the Respondent should click the button on the
relevant subform for Part (a) to generate an SUFRN for
that individual. If an SUFRN has been previously
reported for an individual on one or more ownership
report filings (either commercial or noncommercial) and,
pursuant to the discussion and standards set forth above,
the Respondent remains unable to obtain a CORES FRN
or RUFRN for that party, the Respondent must report the
previously-used SUFRN for the individual.
In limited circumstances, a Respondent may report a
Special Use FRN (SUFRN) for an individual. Before
generating or submitting an SUFRN for an individual,
Respondents should read the Commission’s Form 323
and Form 323-E Frequently Asked Questions concerning
the SUFRN (https://www.fcc.gov/media/ownershipreport-commercial-broadcast-station-form-323). By
reporting an SUFRN for an individual, the Respondent
affirms to the Commission that after using reasonable and
good faith efforts, the Respondent is unable to obtain an
FRN and/or obtain and/or receive permission to use the
Social Security Number or other identifying information
of that individual in order to generate a CORES FRN or
RUFRN for that individual. If an individual interest
holder does not already have a CORES FRN, we expect
filers to acquire an RUFRN or CORES FRN for that
individual or instruct the individual to obtain his or her
own RUFRN or CORES FRN and to provide the FRN to
the filer for reporting on the ownership report form. Filers
must take specific steps to substantiate that they are
making the required reasonable and good faith efforts,
RUFRNs and SUFRNs may only be used to file
ownership reports, and may not be used for any other
purpose at the FCC. RUFRNs and SUFRNs are only
available for natural persons. In addition, RUFRNs and
SUFRNs are not available for any natural person who is a
Respondent on one or more ownership reports.
8
If a party submits and/or is listed as an attributable interest
holder on multiple ownership reports, it must provide the
same FRN on all such ownership reports, regardless of
whether that FRN is a CORES FRN, RUFRN, or SUFRN.
Filers should coordinate with each other to ensure such
consistency.
Other Broadcast Interests. Use the radio buttons on the
subform to indicate whether the interest holder reported
on that subform also has attributable interests in one or
more broadcast stations other than those covered by the
current ownership report.
Part (b). Respondents must indicate that the information
provided in Part (a) of this question is complete by
certifying that all interests, including equity, financial, or
voting interests, not reported in response to Part (a) are
non-attributable.
The guidance concerning SUFRNs provided in Media
Bureau Announces Online Availability of Revised
Biennial Form 323, an Instructional Workshop on the
Revised Form, and the Possibility of Obtaining a Special
Use FRN for the Form, MB Docket No. 07-294, Public
Notice, 24 FCC Rcd 14329 (Med. Bur. 2009) has been
superseded as discussed herein and as provided in the
Second Report and Order.
Part (c). Use either the subforms or one or more CSV
attachments to provide information concerning any daily
newspapers in which any of the interest holders listed in
response to Part (a) of this question has an attributable
interest and that are located within the pertinent in-market
signal contours of any broadcast stations for which this
report is filed. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555. List each
interest holder/newspaper combination separately, and
provide the name and FRN of the interest holder, the name
and location of the newspaper publication, and the interest
holders’ voting percentage interest and positional
interest(s) in the newspaper entity. If the interest holder
holds an attributable interest in the newspaper entity
solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard (discussed above), also provide a
figure for percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus).
Otherwise, either leave the field blank.
Questions concerning CORES FRNs and RUFRNs can be
directed to the CORES help desk via email at
[email protected] or by calling 1-877-480-3201 (Mon.Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET).
Address Information. Provide address information for
the interest holder in the relevant fields.
Listing Type. Indicate whether the interest holder is the
Respondent on the report. Respondent interest holders
should be identified on the first subform of Part (a).
Positional Interests. For each interest holder other than
the Respondent, check the boxes for each type of interest
in the Respondent held by the interest holder. If “other”
is selected, specify the interest type.
Both direct and indirect ownership interests must be
reported, and percentage figures provided for each
interest holder should represent the aggregate of all direct
and indirect interests held by that interest holder.
Percentages of Votes and Total Assets (Equity Debt
Plus). For each interest holder other than the Respondent,
provide the interest holder’s voting percentage in the
Respondent in the field provided. If the interest holder
holds an attributable interest in the Respondent solely
pursuant to the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard, discussed above, provide the interest
holder’s percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) in
the field provided. Otherwise, leave the total assets
(Equity Debt Plus) field blank.
The Respondent must provide an FRN for each interest
holder reported in response to this question. Because any
interest holder listed in response to Part (c) of this
question must also be listed in response to Part (a) of this
question, each FRN provided for an interest holder in
response to Part (c) of this question must match an FRN
provided for an interest holder in response to Part (a) of
this question.
Detailed information and guidance
concerning the FRN requirement is provided in the
section of these Instructions addressing Part (a), above.
Jointly Held Voting Interests. In certain circumstances,
two or more parties hold a voting interest in a Respondent
jointly. Two parties may, for example, hold 100 percent
of the voting interest in an entity together, as joint tenants
(as opposed to each individual holding 50 percent of the
voting interests). Similarly, agreements for partnerships
or limited liability companies may provide that two or
more individuals exercise voting power together. Use the
radio buttons on the subform to indicate whether the
voting interest reported on that subform is held jointly.
Part (d). Indicate whether any individuals listed in Part
(a) are married to each other or related to each other as
parent-child or siblings. If the answer is “Yes,” enter the
names and FRNs of the married and/or related individuals
and select the applicable option indicating the familial
relationship.
9
Part (e). If the Respondent seeks an attribution
exemption for any officer or director with duties wholly
unrelated to the Licensee(s)/Permittee(s), select “Yes”
and enter the name and title of the each such individual in
the applicable fields. For each such individual, provide
an exhibit establishing that he or she will not exercise
authority or influence in areas that will affect the
Respondent or the Licensee(s)/Permittee(s) and station(s)
covered by the report. This exhibit should describe that
individual’s duties and responsibilities and explain the
manner in which such individual is insulated from the
Respondent and, therefore, should not be attributed an
interest.
“No Expiration Date”). Additionally, the Respondent
should indicate whether each document is an attributable
LMA, an attributable JSA, a network affiliation
agreement or a document that does not fall into any of
these categories. If “other” is selected, filers may use the
text box to provide additional information about the
agreement. Each contract/instrument must be identified
and listed directly in the fields provided. For the
purposes of completing this question, only a listing of
the relevant contract and instruments, including the
specific information discussed above, is required. Do
not attach copies of the contracts/instruments to the
form.
When responding to Part (e), Respondents should note
that exemption from attribution cannot be invoked for an
officer or director unless he or she does not, and will not,
have the ability to influence the broadcast operations of
the Permittee(s)/Licensee(s) or Station(s). See 47 C.F.R.
§ 73.3555, Note 2(g).
Licensee Respondents that hold only authorizations for
Class A Television or LPTV stations should select “Not
Applicable” in response to this question and should not
provide any information concerning contracts or other
instruments.
SECTION II-B
INFORMATION
–
BIENNIAL
This question
Respondents.
OWNERSHIP
does
not
apply
to
non-Licensee
Ownership Interests. As used in this question, an
attributable interest is an ownership interest in or
relationship to a Licensee that confers on its holder a
certain degree of influence or control over the Licensee as
defined in the Commission’s rules. For guidance
concerning attributable interests, Respondents should
consult the instructions below. In addition, Respondents
should review the Commission’s attribution policies and
standards, which are set forth in 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3555, as revised and explained in Review of the
Commission’s Regulations Governing Attribution of
Broadcast and Cable/MDS Interests, MM Docket No. 94150, 14 FCC Rcd 12559 (1999), recon. granted in part,
16 FCC Rcd 1097 (2000) and Report and Order in MM
Docket No. 83-46, 97 FCC 2d 997 (1984), recon. granted
in part, 58 RR 2d 604 (1985), further modified on recon.,
61 RR 2d 739 (1986). Finally, Respondents should
consult Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the
Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No. 07-294, Second
Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration, 31 FCC
Rcd 398, 422-24, paras. 47-50 (2016).
Contract Information.
Licensees of full power
commercial television stations, AM radio stations, and
FM radio stations are required to provide to the
Commission upon request copies of any contracts or other
instruments, or modifications thereof, relating to the
ownership, control, or management of the Licensee or to
its stock. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3613. Licensees must
provide the Commission with copies of all contracts or
instruments of the types specified in Section 73.3613
within seven days of a request by the FCC. The filing
requirement is not limited to executed contracts, but
includes documents such as options, pledges, and other
executory agreements and contracts relating to
ownership, control, or management.
Licensee Respondents that hold one or more licenses for
full power commercial television stations, AM radio
stations, and/or FM radio stations should list all
documents set forth in Section 73.3613(a) through (c) for
all of the stations covered by the report. In addition,
attributable local marketing agreements (LMAs) and
attributable joint sales agreements (JSAs) must be
disclosed by the licensee of the brokering station on its
ownership report. See Amendment of Section 73.3613 of
the Commission’s Rules Regarding Filing of Contracts et
al., MB Docket No. 18-4 et al., Report and Order, 33 FCC
Rcd 10381 (2018). For each contract or instrument, the
Respondent should provide a description of the document,
a listing of the parties, the month and year of execution,
and the month and year of expiration (if the agreement is
perpetual or does not have a fixed expiration date, select
Part (a). Respondents must enter detailed information
about ownership interests by generating a series of
subforms. Answer each item on each subform. The first
subform listing should be for the Respondent itself. If the
Respondent is not a natural person, also list each of the
officers, directors, stockholders, non-insulated partners,
non-insulated members and other persons or entities with
a direct attributable interest in the Respondent. (A
“direct” interest is one that is not held through any
intervening companies or entities.) In the case of vertical
10
or indirect ownership structures, report only those
interests in the Respondent that also represent an
attributable interest in the Licensee(s) for which the report
is being submitted.
votes, a Corporation X shareholder holding more than 50
percent of the issued and outstanding voting stock of
Corporation X will be considered to have a 25 percent
indirect interest in the Respondent. For such ownership
structures, report on Form 323 only interests that amount
to 5 percent or more of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of the Licensee after the multiplier is applied.
Where the 5 percent stock owner is a partnership, each
general partner and any limited partner that is not
insulated, regardless of the partnership interest, is
considered to have an attributable interest that must be
reported.
List each person or entity with a direct attributable interest
in the Respondent separately. Entities that are part of an
organizational structure that includes holding companies
or other forms of indirect ownership must file separate
ownership reports. In such a structure, do not report or
file separate reports for persons or entities that do not have
an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) for which the
report is being submitted.
Stock subject to stockholder cooperative voting
agreements accounting for 5 percent or more of the votes
in a corporate respondent will be treated as if held by a
single entity and any stockholder holding 5 percent or
more of the stock in that block is considered a holder of
an attributable interest.
The following interests are attributable, and the holders of
such interests must be reported in response to Part (a):
If a CORPORATION: Each officer, director, and owner
of stock accounting for 5 percent or more of the issued
and outstanding voting stock of the Respondent is
considered the holder of an attributable interest, and must
be reported. Where the 5 percent stock owner is itself a
corporation, each of its directors and executive officers
(president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer or their
equivalents) is considered a holder of an attributable
interest. In certain circumstances, however, one or more
of a corporation’s officers and directors may be exempted
from attribution and need not be reported in response to
Part (a). Refer to Part (e) for additional explanation and
instructions.
Pursuant to the Commission’s single majority shareholder
exemption, if a single party holds more than 50 percent of
a Respondent’s voting stock, and a simple majority is all
that is required to control the Respondent’s corporate
affairs, the voting stock holdings of the Respondent’s
other stockholders are not attributable interests. As a
result, such minority stockholders need not be reported on
ownership report filings based on their voting stock
holdings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such a
minority shareholder holds a positional interest in the
Respondent (e.g., is an officer or director of the
Respondent that is not exempted from attribution), or if
the minority shareholder’s combined equity and debt
interests in the Respondent are attributable under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard
(described below), such minority shareholder has an
attributable interest in the Respondent and must be
reported.
In addition, a party that holds voting stock in the corporate
stockholder of a corporate Respondent is considered the
holder of an attributable interest, and must be reported, if
that voting interest, when multiplied by the corporate
stockholder’s interest in the Respondent, would account
for 5 percent or more of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of the Respondent, except that, other than for
purposes of subsection (i) of Note 2 to 47 C.F.R. §
73.3555, the multiplier does not apply to any link in the
ownership chain representing an interest greater than 50
percent. For example, where Corporation X owns stock
accounting for 25 percent of the Respondent’s votes, only
Corporation X shareholders holding 20 percent or more
of the issued and outstanding voting stock of Corporation
X have a 5 percent or more indirect interest in the
Respondent (0.25 x 0.20 = 0.05) and, therefore, are
considered to have an attributable interest in the
Respondent. For purposes other than subsection (i) of
Note 2 to 47 C.F.R. § 73.3555, any shareholder holding
more than 50 percent of the issued and outstanding voting
stock of Corporation X will be deemed to have an interest
in the Respondent equal to the interest held by
Corporation X. For example, where Corporation X owns
stock accounting for 25 percent of the Respondent’s
An investment company, insurance company or trust
department of a bank is not considered a holder of an
attributable interest, and a Respondent may properly
certify that such entity’s interest is non-attributable (see
Part (b), below), IF its aggregated holding accounts for
less than 20 percent of the outstanding votes in the
Respondent AND IF such entity exercises no influence or
control over the corporation, directly or indirectly; and
such entity has no representatives among the officers and
directors of the corporation, unless that entity’s combined
equity and debt interests in the Respondent give rise to
attribution under the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard described below.
If a PARTNERSHIP: All partners, including all limited
partners, are considered attributable interest holders.
11
However, a limited partner in a limited partnership is not
considered an attributable interest holder IF the limited
partner is not materially involved, directly or indirectly,
in the management or operation of the media-related
activities of the partnership and the Respondent so
certifies (see Part (b), below). Sufficient insulation of a
limited partner for purposes of this certification would be
assured if the limited partnership arrangement:
attribution standard described below; or IF the
Respondent has actual knowledge of a material
involvement of a limited partner in the management or
operation of the media-related businesses of the
partnership. In the event that the Respondent cannot
certify as to the noninvolvement of a limited partner, the
limited partner will be considered as an attributable
interest holder and the interest must be reported.
Moreover, a limited partner cannot be insulated, and must
be reported as an attributable interest holder, if that
limited partner’s combined equity and debt interests in the
limited partnership give rise to attribution under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard,
described below, or if that limited partner holds an officer
or director position and is not exempted from attribution
(as discussed below).
(1) specifies that any exempt limited partner (if not a
natural person, its directors, officers, partners,
etc.) cannot act as an employee of the limited
partnership if his or her functions, directly or
indirectly, relate to the media enterprises of the
company;
(2) bars any exempt limited partner from serving, in
any material capacity, as an independent
contractor or agent with respect to the
partnership’s media enterprises;
If one or more insulated limited partners would, absent
insulation, have voting rights in the Respondent, the
voting interests reported for the non-insulated partners
should be adjusted (i.e., increased) as necessary to reflect
the effective voting interests of the non-insulated partners.
(3) restricts any exempted limited partner from
communicating with the Licensee or the general
partner on matters pertaining to the day-to-day
operations of its business;
Partnerships sometimes have officers and directors. Each
executive officer or director of a partnership is considered
to be a holder of an attributable interest. In some cases,
however, one or more of a partnership’s officers and
directors may be exempted from attribution and need not
be reported in response to Part (a). Refer to Part (e) for
additional explanation and instructions.
(4) empowers the general partner to veto any
admissions of additional general partners
admitted by vote of the exempt limited partners;
(5) prohibits any exempt limited partner from voting
on the removal of a general partner or limits this
right to situations where the general partner is
subject to bankruptcy proceedings, as described
in Sections 402 (4)-(5) of the Revised Uniform
Limited Partnership Act, is adjudicated
incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction,
or is removed for cause, as determined by an
independent party;
(7) states, in express terms, that any exempt limited
partner is prohibited from becoming actively
involved in the management or operation of the
media businesses of the partnership.
If a LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY:
The
Commission treats a limited liability company as a limited
partnership, each of whose members is considered to be
an attributable interest holder. However, where a limited
liability company member is insulated in the manner
specified above with respect to a limited partnership and
where the relevant state statute authorizing the limited
liability company permits a limited liability company
member to insulate itself in accordance with the
Commission’s criteria, that limited liability company
member is not considered an attributable interest holder.
A member cannot be insulated, however, and must be
reported as an attributable interest holder, if that
member’s combined equity and debt interests in the
limited liability company give rise to attribution under the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard,
described below, or if that member holds an officer or
director position and is not exempted from attribution (as
discussed below).
Notwithstanding conformance of the partnership
agreement to these criteria, the requisite certification
cannot be made IF the limited partner’s interest is
attributable under the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
If one or more insulated members would, absent
insulation, have voting rights in the Respondent, the
voting interests reported for the non-insulated members
should be adjusted (i.e., increased) as necessary to reflect
(6) bars any exempt limited partner from performing
any services to the limited partnership materially
relating to its media activities, with the exception
of making loans to, or acting as a surety for, the
business; and
12
the effective voting interests of the non-insulated
members.
Commission) to acquire a broadcast station provided that:
(1) the combined equity and debt of the interest holder in
the Eligible Entity is less than 50 percent, or (2) the total
debt of the interest holder in the Eligible Entity does not
exceed 80 percent of the asset value of the station being
acquired by the Eligible Entity and the interest holder
does not hold any equity interest, option, or promise to
acquire an equity interest in the Eligible Entity or any
related entity.
See Promoting Diversification of
Ownership in the Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No.
07-294, Report and Order and Third Further Notice of
Proposed Rule Making, 23 FCC Rcd 5922 (2008). The
Commission subsequently suspended this application of
the Eligible Entity definition in 2011. See Media Bureau
Provides Notice of Suspension of Eligible Entity Rule
Changes and Guidance on the Assignment of Broadcast
Station Construction Permits to Eligible Entities, Public
Notice, 26 FCC Rcd 10370 (Med. Bur. 2011). However,
the Commission later reinstated this application of the
Eligible Entity definition in 2016. See 2014 Quadrennial
Regulatory Review – Review of the Commission’s
Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted
Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of
1996 et al., MB Docket No. 14-50 et al., Second Report
and Order, 31 FCC Rcd 9864 (2016).
Limited liability companies sometimes have officers and
directors. Each executive officer or director of a limited
liability company is considered to be a holder of an
attributable interest. In some cases, however, one or more
of a limited liability company’s officers and directors may
be exempted from attribution and need not be reported in
response to Part (a). Refer to Part (e) for additional
explanation and instructions.
Attributable Agreements. Pursuant to Section 73.3555,
Notes 2(j) and 2(k), certain agreements give rise to an
attributable interest in a Licensee. Any party to such
agreement that creates an attributable interest in the
Licensee by virtue of the standards set forth in 73.3555,
Notes 2(j) and 2(k) must be listed in the Ownership
Interests section of the report filed by the Licensee –
regardless of whether or not the Licensee itself is a party
to the agreement(s). In addition, each such party must file
its own ownership report(s), pursuant to the standards set
forth in these Instructions, in connection with the relevant
Licensee(s) and license(s).
Equity Debt Plus Attribution Standard. Certain
interests held by substantial investors in, or creditors of,
the Respondent may also be attributable, and the
investor/creditor must be reported, if the interest falls
within the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus (EDP)
attribution standard. Under the EDP standard, the interest
held is attributable if, aggregating both equity and debt, it
exceeds 33 percent of the total asset value (all equity plus
all debt) of the Respondent – a broadcast station licensee,
cable television system, daily newspaper or other media
outlet subject to the Commission’s broadcast multiple
ownership or cross-ownership rules – AND the interest
holder also holds (1) an attributable interest in a media
outlet in the same market, or (2) supplies over 15 percent
of the total weekly broadcast programming hours of the
station in which the interest is held. For example, the
equity interest of an insulated limited partner in a limited
partnership Respondent would normally not be
considered attributable, but, under the EDP standard, that
interest would be attributable if the limited partner’s
interest exceeded 33 percent of the Respondent’s total
asset value AND the limited partner also held a 5 percent
voting interest in another radio or television station
licensee in the same market. See Section 73.3555, Note
2(i), of the Commission’s rules.
FRNs. Respondents must provide an FRN – a ten-digit
unique entity identifier – for each person or entity
reported on Form 323. An FRN can be obtained through
CORES, which is listed among the FCC E-Filing systems
(https://www.fcc.gov/licensingdatabases/general/online-filing).
Individuals (but not entities) may report either a CORES
FRN or a Restricted Use FRN (RUFRN) on Form 323. If
an RUFRN or CORES FRN has been previously reported
for an individual on one or more ownership report filings
(either commercial or noncommercial), the Respondent
must use that previously-reported RUFRN or CORES
FRN for that individual on all current and future
ownership report filings.
In limited circumstances, a Respondent may report a
Special Use FRN (SUFRN) for an individual. Before
generating or submitting an SUFRN for an individual,
Respondents should read the Commission’s Form 323
and Form 323-E Frequently Asked Questions concerning
the SUFRN (https://www.fcc.gov/media/ownershipreport-commercial-broadcast-station-form-323). By
reporting an SUFRN for an individual, the Respondent
affirms to the Commission that after using reasonable and
good faith efforts, the Respondent is unable to obtain an
FRN and/or obtain and/or receive permission to use the
Social Security Number or other identifying information
of that individual in order to generate a CORES FRN or
Pursuant to a 2008 Commission order, an interest holder
may exceed the 33 percent EDP threshold without
triggering attribution where the investment would enable
an Eligible Entity (as that term is defined by the
13
RUFRN for that individual. If an individual interest
holder does not already have a CORES FRN, we expect
filers to acquire an RUFRN or CORES FRN for that
individual or instruct the individual to obtain his or her
own RUFRN or CORES FRN and to provide the FRN to
the filer for reporting on the ownership report form. Filers
must take specific steps to substantiate that they are
making the required reasonable and good faith efforts,
which include informing reportable individuals of their
obligations and the risk of enforcement action for failing
to provide an RUFRN or CORES FRN or to permit an
RUFRN or CORES FRN to be obtained on their behalf.
An SUFRN may be obtained only if an individual still
refuses to provide a means of reporting a valid RUFRN or
CORES FRN after the filer has taken such steps. See
Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the
Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No. 07-294, Report
and Order, Second Report and Order, and Order on
Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 39, 428-29, paras. 56-58
(2016). Respondents are encouraged to refer individual
interest holders who are resistant to providing the
Respondent with the means of reporting a CORES FRN
or RUFRN to the Second Report and Order and to the
Commission’s Form 323 and Form 323-E website.
or RUFRN for that party, the Respondent must report the
previously-used SUFRN for the individual.
RUFRNs and SUFRNs may only be used to file
ownership reports, and may not be used for any other
purpose at the FCC. RUFRNs and SUFRNs are only
available for natural persons. In addition, RUFRNs and
SUFRNs are not available for any natural person who is a
Respondent on one or more ownership reports.
If a party submits and/or is listed as an attributable interest
holder on multiple ownership reports, it must provide the
same FRN on all such ownership reports, regardless of
whether that FRN is a CORES FRN, RUFRN, or SUFRN.
Filers should coordinate with each other to ensure such
consistency.
The guidance concerning SUFRNs provided in Media
Bureau Announces Online Availability of Revised
Biennial Form 323, an Instructional Workshop on the
Revised Form, and the Possibility of Obtaining a Special
Use FRN for the Form, MB Docket No. 07-294, Public
Notice, 24 FCC Rcd 14329 (Med. Bur. 2009) has been
superseded as discussed herein and as provided in the
Second Report and Order.
While the burden to obtain an RUFRN or CORES FRN
or to permit the filer to acquire an RUFRN or CORES
FRN falls to the interest holder, the Commission reminds
filers of their obligation to review the ownership report
and affirm that, to the best of the filer’s “knowledge and
belief, all statements in [the ownership report] are true,
correct, and complete.” This includes verifying that the
CORES FRN or RUFRN reported for each reported party
is correct and that no SUFRN has been used for an
individual in the absence of reasonable and good-faith
efforts to obtain an RUFRN or CORES FRN, including
informing a recalcitrant interest holder of the obligation
and potential for enforcement action. However, the filer
itself will be exempt from enforcement action if the filer
substantiates that it has used reasonable and good-faith
efforts as described herein.
Questions concerning CORES FRNs and RUFRNs can be
directed to the CORES help desk via email at
[email protected] or by calling 1-877-480-3201 (Mon.Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET).
Address Information. Provide address information for
the interest holder in the relevant fields.
Listing Type. Indicate whether the interest holder is the
Respondent on the report. Respondent interest holders
should be identified on the first subform of Part (a).
Positional Interests. For each interest holder other than
the Respondent, check the boxes for each type of interest
in the Respondent held by the interest holder. If “other”
is selected, specify the interest type.
If an SUFRN has not been reported previously for an
individual on any ownership report filings (either
commercial or noncommercial), and, pursuant to the
instructions and standards set forth above, the Respondent
is unable to obtain a CORES FRN or RUFRN for that
individual, the Respondent should click the button on the
relevant subform for Part (a) to generate an SUFRN for
that individual. If an SUFRN has been previously
reported for an individual on one or more ownership
report filings (either commercial or noncommercial) and,
pursuant to the discussion and standards set forth above,
the Respondent remains unable to obtain a CORES FRN
Citizenship, Gender, Ethnicity and Race Information.
Among other things, Part (a) seeks information as to those
persons to which the Commission’s minority and female
ownership policies have historically applied. In addition
to citizenship and gender information, Part (a) seeks
information concerning the ethnicity and race of reported
individuals. Interest holders that are not natural persons
are not required to answer this item.
Ethnicity. Indicate whether or not the individual being
reported is Hispanic or Latino (i.e., a person of Cuban,
14
Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or
other Spanish Culture or origin, regardless of race).
Percentages of Votes, Equity, and Total Assets (Equity
Debt Plus). For each interest holder other than the
Respondent, provide the interest holder’s voting and
equity percentages in the Respondent in the fields
provided. If the interest holder holds an attributable
interest in the Respondent solely pursuant to the
Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard,
discussed above, provide the interest holder’s percentage
of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) in the field provided.
Otherwise, leave the total assets (Equity Debt Plus) field
blank.
Race. The five racial categories are as follows:
(1) American Indian or Alaska Native. A person
having origins in any of the original peoples of
North and South America (including Central
America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or
community attachment.
(2) Asian. A person having origins in any of the
original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia,
or the Indian Subcontinent including, for
example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands,
Thailand, and Vietnam.
Jointly Held Voting Interests. In certain circumstances,
two or more parties hold a voting interest in a Respondent
jointly. Two parties may, for example, hold 100 percent
of the voting interest in an entity together, as joint tenants
(as opposed to each individual holding 50 percent of the
voting interests). Similarly, agreements for partnerships
or limited liability companies may provide that two or
more individuals exercise voting power together. Use the
radio buttons on the subform to indicate whether the
voting interest reported on that subform is held jointly.
(3) Black or African American. A person having
origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
(4) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. A
person having origins in any of the original
peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands.
Other Broadcast Interests. Use the radio buttons on the
subform to indicate whether the interest holder reported
on that subform also has attributable interests in one or
more broadcast stations other than those covered by the
current ownership report.
(5) White. A person having origins in any of the
original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or
North Africa.
Part (b). Respondents must indicate that the information
provided in Part (a) of this question is complete by
certifying that all interests, including equity, financial, or
voting interests, not reported in response to Question 2(a)
are non-attributable.
Check all racial categories that apply to the individual
being reported.
Tribal Nation or Tribal Entity. The Respondent may
use the checkbox provided to identify any entity reported
in response to Part (a) that is a Tribal Nation or Tribal
entity. For purposes of this item, a Tribal Nation or Tribal
entity means any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band,
nation, pueblo, village or community which is
acknowledged by the federal government to constitute a
government-to-government relationship with the United
States and eligible for the programs and services
established by the United States for Indians. See The
Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994
(Indian Tribe Act), Pub. L. 103-454, 108 Stat. 4791
(1994) (the Secretary of the Interior is required to publish
in the Federal Register an annual list of all Indian Tribes
which the Secretary recognizes to be eligible for the
special programs and services provided by the United
States to Indians because of their status as Indians);
Statement of Policy on Establishing a Government-toGovernment Relationship with Indian Tribes, Policy
Statement, 16 FCC Rcd 4078, 4080 (2000); see also 47
C.F.R. §§ 73.3573(f)(6) & Note 5, 73.7000.
Part (c). Use either the subforms or one or more CSV
attachments to provide information concerning any daily
newspapers in which any of the interest holders listed in
response to Part (a) of this question has an attributable
interest and that are located within the pertinent in-market
signal contours of any broadcast stations for which this
report is filed. See 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555. List each
interest holder/newspaper combination separately, and
provide the name and FRN of the interest holder, the name
and location of the newspaper publication, and the interest
holders’ voting percentage interest, equity percentage
interest, and positional interest(s) in the newspaper entity.
If the interest holder holds an attributable interest in the
newspaper entity solely on the basis of the Commission’s
Equity Debt Plus attribution standard (discussed above),
also provide a figure for percentage of total assets (Equity
Debt Plus). Otherwise, either leave the field blank.
Both direct and indirect ownership interests must be
reported, and percentage figures provided for each
15
interest holder should represent the aggregate of all direct
and indirect interests held by that interest holder.
Licensee Respondents with no parent entities should so
indicate in a textual exhibit.
The Respondent must provide an FRN for each interest
holder reported in response to this question. Because any
interest holder listed in response to Part (c) of this
question must also be listed in response to Part (a) of this
question, each FRN provided for an interest holder in
response to Part (c) of this question must match an FRN
provided for an interest holder in response to Part (a) of
this question.
Detailed information and guidance
concerning the FRN requirement is provided in the
section of these Instructions addressing Part (a), above.
This question
Respondents.
does
not
apply
to
non-Licensee
SECTION III – CERTIFICATION (All Respondents
Must Complete)
The person certifying the accuracy of the information in
this report must be the individual Licensee or Permittee,
an appropriate officer or director of the Licensee or
Permittee, a general partner in the Licensee or Permittee
partnership, or a member of the Licensee or Permittee
limited liability company. If this report is filed for a
Respondent that is not a Licensee or Permittee, the person
certifying the accuracy of the information must be an
appropriate officer or director of the Respondent, a
general partner in the Respondent partnership, or a
member of the limited liability company Respondent.
The date of the signature must be no earlier than Oct. 1 of
the filing year when filing a biennial ownership report.
Part (d). Indicate whether any individuals listed in Part
(a) are married to each other or related to each other as
parent-child or siblings. If the answer is “Yes,” enter the
names and FRNs of the married and/or related individuals
and select the applicable option indicating the familial
relationship.
Part (e). If the Respondent seeks an attribution
exemption for any officer or director with duties wholly
unrelated to the Licensee(s), select “Yes” and enter the
name and title of the each such individual in the
applicable fields. For each such individual, provide an
exhibit establishing that he or she will not exercise
authority or influence in areas that will affect the
Respondent or the Licensee(s)/Permittee(s) and station(s)
covered by the report. This exhibit should describe that
individual’s duties and responsibilities and explain the
manner in which such individual is insulated from the
Respondent and, therefore, should not be attributed an
interest.
FCC NOTICE REQUIRED BY THE PAPERWORK
REDUCTION ACT AND THE PRIVACY ACT
We have estimated that each response to this collection of
information will take 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Our estimate
includes the time to read the instructions, look through
existing records, gather and maintain the required data,
and actually complete and review the form or response. If
you have any comments on this burden estimate, or on
how we can improve the collection and reduce the burden
it causes you, please write to the Federal Communications
Commission, AMD-PERM, Paperwork Reduction
Project (3060-0010), Washington, DC 20554. We will
also accept your comments via the Internet if you send
them to [email protected].
Please DO NOT SEND
COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THIS ADDRESS.
Remember - you are not required to respond to a
collection of information sponsored by the Federal
government, and the government may not conduct or
sponsor this collection, unless it displays a currently valid
OMB control number or if we fail to provide you with this
notice. This collection has been assigned an OMB control
number of 3060-0010.
When responding to Part (e), Respondents should note
that exemption from attribution cannot be invoked for an
officer or director unless he or she does not, and will not,
have the ability to influence the broadcast operations of
the Licensee(s) or Station(s). See 47 C.F.R. § 73.3555,
Note 2(g).
Licensee Ownership Structure Chart. Licensees must
include as an attachment a chart or similar document
showing the Licensee’s vertical or other ownership
structure including the Licensee and all entities that have
attributable interests in the Licensee. Any chart format is
acceptable provided that it (a) meets the technical
requirements for the submission of attachments via the
Commission’s online filing system; and (b) accurately
depicts the Licensee’s complete ownership structure, as
described above. Licensee Respondents with a single
parent entity may provide a brief explanatory textual
exhibit in lieu of a flowchart or similar document.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or
Commission) is soliciting this information under
authority of Sections 1, 2(a), 4(i), 257, 303(r), 307, 309,
and 310 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
as part of its responsibilities that relate to the ownership
of commercial broadcast stations, including AM and FM
radio and television, as well as to interests in daily
newspapers that are subject to the Commission’s media
16
ownership rules. The Commission needs this information
to process FCC Form 323, “Ownership Report for
Commercial Broadcast Stations.”
or information contained in this system may be disclosed
to authorized entities, as is determined to be relevant and
necessary, outside the FCC as a routine use pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows. In each of these cases, the
FCC will determine whether disclosure of the records is
compatible with the purpose for which the records were
collected.
The authority under which the FCC requires filers to
comply with the requirements of FCC Form 323,
“Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations,”
including the submission of their personally identifiable
information, is derived from 47 C.F.R. Sections 73.3555,
73.3615, 73.6026, and 74.797.
1. Public Access – documents filed in LMS are
publicly available via the Commission’s web
site;
The Commission uses these records in this system:
2. Adjudication and Litigation – to the Department
of Justice (DOJ), or other administrative body
before which the FCC is authorized to appear,
when: (a) the FCC or any component thereof; or
(b) any employee of the FCC in his or her
official capacity; or (c) any employee of the FCC
in his or her individual capacity where DOJ or
the FCC has agreed to represent the employee;
or (d) the United States is a party to litigation or
has an interest in such litigation, and the use of
such records by the DOJ or the FCC is deemed
by the FCC to be relevant and necessary to the
litigation;
1. To assess the data contained in responses to FCC
Form 323, “Ownership Report for Commercial
Broadcast Stations,” which the Commission uses
to evaluate licensees’ or permittees’ compliance
with the Commission’s media ownership rules,
etc., and other related uses. This form is filed:
(a) To satisfy the biennial filing requirement
(Biennial Ownership Report);
(b) As a validation and resubmission of a
previously filed Biennial Ownership Report;
(c) In connection with the transfer of control or
assignment of a broadcast station;
(d) By a permittee within 30 days after the grant
of a construction permit and on the date that
the permittee files its license application;
(e) As a certification of accuracy of the initial or
post-consummation Ownership Report filed
by the permittee in conjunction with its
application for a station license; or
(f) As an amendment of a previously filed
Ownership Report.
3. Financial obligations under the Debt Collection
Acts –to other Federal agencies for the purpose
of collecting and reporting on delinquent debts
as authorized by the Debt Collection Act of 1982
or the Debt Collection Improvement Act of
1996. A record from this system may be
disclosed to any Federal, state, or local agency
to conduct an authorized computer matching
program in compliance with the Privacy Act of
1974, as amended, to identify and locate
individuals who are delinquent in their
repayment of certain debts owed to the U.S.
Government. A record from this system may be
used to prepare information on items considered
income for taxation purposes to be disclosed to
Federal, state, and local governments;
2. To undertake studies of minority and female
ownership that include but are not limited to:
Studies that support the Commission’s diversity
policy goals and other ownership studies to
support its statutory requirement to review the
media ownership rules quadrennially to
determine whether they are necessary in the
public interest as the result of competition.
4. Law enforcement and Investigation – to disclose
pertinent information to the appropriate Federal,
state, or local agency responsible for
investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or
implementing a statute, rule, regulation, or
order, where the FCC becomes aware of an
indication of a violation or a potential violation
of a civil or criminal law or regulation;
3. Any other uses of FCC Form 323 within the
Commission’s authority.
The PII that is contained in FCC Form 323 and the PII
that may be stored in the Commission’s information
system(s) are covered by the FCC system of records
notice, FCC/MB-1, “Ownership Reports for Commercial
and Noncommercial Broadcast Stations.” In addition to
those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C.
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records
5. Congressional Inquiries – to provide
information to a Congressional office from the
record of an individual in response to an inquiry
17
made from that Congressional office made at the
request of that individual;
identity theft or fraud, or harm to the security or
integrity of this system or other systems or
programs (whether maintained by the
Commission or another agency or entity) that
rely upon the compromised information; and (3)
the disclosure made to such agencies, entities,
and persons is reasonably necessary to assist in
connection with the Commission’s efforts to
respond to the suspected or confirmed
compromise and prevent, minimize, or remedy
such harm; and
6. Government-wide Program Management and
Oversight – to the National Archives and
Records Administration for use in its records
management inspections; to the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) for oversight
purposes; to DOJ in order to obtain that
department’s advice regarding disclosure
obligations under the Freedom of Information
Act; or to the Office of Management and Budget
in order to obtain that office’s advice regarding
obligations under the Privacy Act;
8. Non-Federal Personnel – to disclose information
to contractors performing or working on a
contract for the Federal Government.
7. Breach Notification – to appropriate agencies,
entities, and persons when (1) the Commission
suspects or has confirmed that the security or
confidentiality of information in the system of
records has been compromised; (2) the
Commission has determined that as a result of
the suspected or confirmed compromise there is
a risk of harm to economic or property interests,
THE FOREGOING NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY
THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995,
P.L. 104-13, OCTOBER 1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507 AND
THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974, PUBLIC LAW 93579, DECEMBER 31, 1974, 5 U.S.C. SECTION
552A(E)(3).
18
Ownership Report for Commercial
Broadcast Stations (FCC Form 323)
Approved by OMB
3060-0010
Estimated time per response: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Section I – General Information
1. Respondent
FRN
Name
[FRN]
[respondent name]
City (and Country
if non-U.S.
address)
Street Address
[street address 1]
[street address 2]
2. Contact
Representative
Phone
Email
[state]
[zip]
[phone]
[email]
Organization
[name]
[organization]
[street address 1]
[street address 2]
City (and Country
if non-U.S. address)
State (“NA”
if non-U.S.
address)
Zip
Code
Phone
Email
[city]
[state]
[zip]
[phone]
[email]
Question
Response
Is this application being submitted
without a filing fee?
Yes
If this application is being submitted
without a filing fee, Indicate reason for
fee exemption.
4. Respondent
and Report
Information
Zip
Code
Name
Street Address
3. Application
Filing Fee
[city]
State (“NA”
if non-U.S.
address)
No
Governmental Entity
Other Provide explnation:
Fee-exempt Report
[explanation]
(a) Provide the following information about the Respondent:
Relationship
to stations/
permits
Licensee
Permittee (non-biennial reports only)
Entity required to file a Form 2100, Schedule 323 because it holds an attributable
interest in one or more Licensees or, in the case of a non-biennial report, Permittees
FCC Form 323
April 2019
Nature of
Respondent
Sole proprietorship
For-profit corporation
Not-for-profit corporation
General partnership
Limited partnership
Limited liability company
Other Submit an Exhibit describing the nature of the Respondent.
(b) Provide the following information about this report:
Purpose
(1) Biennial
(2) Validation and resubmission of a previously filed biennial report (certifying no
change from previous report) Provide file number of report that is being validated and
resubmitted:
[file number]
(3) Transfer of control or assignment of license/permit
(4) Report by Permittee filing within 30 days after the grant of a construction permit
for a new commercial AM, FM, or full power television broadcast station
(5) Report filed by Permittee conjunction with Permittee’s application for a station
license
(6) Certification of accuracy of an initial or post-consummation ownership report filed
by Permittee in conjunction with Permittee’s application for a station license
Provide file number of report being certified:
[file number]
(7) Amendment to a previously filed ownership report Submit an Exhibit listing, by
Section and Question Number, the portions of the previous report that are being revised.
“As of” date
All of the information furnished in this report is accurate as of the following date
(mm/dd/yyyy): [date]
When filing a biennial ownership report or validating and resubmitting a prior biennial
ownership report, this date must be Oct. 1 of the year in which this report is filed.
5. Licensee(s)/
Permittee(s)
and Stations(s)/
Permit(s)
FCC Form 323 (Page 2)
Respondent is filing this report to cover the following Licensee(s)/Permittee(s) and license(s)/permit(s):
Licensee/Permittee Name
FRN
[licensee name]
[FRN]
Fac. ID No.
Call Sign
City
State
Service
[Fac. ID No.]
[call sign]
[city]
[state]
[service]
Section II-A – Non-Biennial Ownership Information
1. 47 C.F.R.
Section
73.3613 and
Other
Documents
Licensee/Permittee Respondents should list all contracts and other instruments set forth in
47 C.F.R. Section 73.3613(a) through (c) for the facility or facilities listed on this report. In
addition, attributable Local Marketing Agreements (LMAs) and attributable Joint Sales
Agreements (JSAs) must be disclosed by the licensee of the brokering station on its
ownership report. If the agreement is an attributable LMA, an attributable JSA, or a network
affiliation agreement, check the appropriate box. Otherwise, select “Other.” NonLicensee/Permittee Respondents should select “Not Applicable” in response to this question.
Not
Applicable
Document Information
Description of contract or instrument
[description of contract or instrument]
Parties to contract or instrument
[parties to contract or instrument]
Date of execution (mm/yyyy)
[date of execution]
Date of expiration (mm/yyyy)
Agreement type (check all that apply)
[date of expiration]
Attributable LMA
No expiration date
Attributable JSA
Network Affiliation Agreement
Other
2. Ownership
Interests
Indicate agreement type:
[agreement type]
(a) Ownership Interests. This Question requires Respondents to enter detailed information about
ownership interests by generating a series of subforms. Answer each question on each subform. The first
subform listing should be for the Respondent itself. If the Respondent is not a natural person, also list each
of the officers, directors, stockholders, non-insulated partners, non-insulated members, and any other
persons or entities with a direct attributable interest in the Respondent pursuant to the standards set forth
in 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555. (A “direct” interest is one that is not held through any intervening companies
or entities.) List each interest holder with a direct attributable interest in the Respondent separately.
Leave the percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) field blank for an interest holder unless that interest
holder has an attributable interest in the Respondent solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt
Plus attribution standard, 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555, Note 2(i).
In the case of vertical or indirect ownership structures, list only those interests in the Respondent that also
represent an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) or Permittee(s) for which the report is being submitted.
Entities that are part of an organizational structure that includes holding companies or other forms of
indirect ownership must file separate ownership reports. In such a structure do not report, or file a
separate report for, any interest holder that does not have an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) or
Permittee(s) for which the report is being submitted.
Please see the Instructions for further detail concerning interests that must be reported in response to this
question.
The Respondent must provide an FCC Registration Number for each interest holder reported in response to
this question. Please see the Instructions for detailed information and guidance concerning this
requirement.
FCC Form 323 (Page 3)
Ownership Information
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Address
Street 1
[street 1]
Street 2
[street 2]
City
[city]
State (“NA” if non-U.S. address)
[state]
Zip/Postal Code
[zip]
Country (if non-U.S. address)
[country]
Listing Type
Positional Interests
(check all that apply)
Respondent
Other interest holder
Officer
Director
General Partner
Limited Partner
LC/LLC/PLLC Member
Owner
Stockholder
Attributable Investor
Attributable Creditor
Attributable LMA
Attributable JSA
Other Specify interest type:
Interest Percentages
(enter percentage values
from 0.0 to 100.0)
Voting
[voting]
Total assets
(Equity Debt Plus)
[total assets]
Does interest holder have an attributable interest in one or
more broadcast stations that do not appear on this report?
[interest type]
Jointly Held?
Yes
Yes
No
No
(b) Respondent certifies that any interests, including equity, financial, or voting interests, not
reported in response to Question 2(a) are non-attributable.
Yes
If “No,” submit as an exhibit an explanation.
No
(c) Does the Respondent or any interest holder reported in response to Question 2(a) hold an
attributable interest in any newspaper entities in the same market as any station for which
this report is filed, as defined in 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555?
Yes
If “Yes,” provide information describing the interest(s), using EITHER the subform OR the
spreadsheet option below. Respondents with a large number (50 or more) of entries to submit
should use the spreadsheet option.
NOTE: Spreadsheets must be submitted in a special XML Spreadsheet format with the
appropriate structure that is specified in the documentation. For instructions on how to use the
FCC Form 323 (Page 4)
No
spreadsheet option to complete this question (including templates to start with), please Click
Here.
If using the subform, leave the percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) field blank for an
interest holder unless that interest holder has an attributable interest in the newspaper entity
solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard, 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3555, Note 2(i). If using an XML Spreadsheet, enter “NA” into the percentage of total assets
(Equity Debt Plus) field for an interest holder unless that interest holder has an attributable
interest in the newspaper entity solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard.
The Respondent must provide an FCC Registration Number for each interest holder reported in
response to this question. Please see the Instructions for detailed information and guidance
concerning this requirement.
Other Newspaper Interests
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Name of Newspaper
[newspaper]
Location of Newspaper
City
[city]
State
[state]
Positional Interests
(check all that apply)
Officer
Director
Limited Partner
LC/LLC/PLLC Member
Owner
Stockholder
Other
Interest Percentages
(enter percentage values
from 0.0 to 100.0)
Specify interest type:
General Partner
[interest type]
Voting
[voting]
Total assets
(Equity Debt Plus)
[total assets]
(d) Are any of the individuals listed in response to Question 2(a) married to each other or
related to each other as parent-child or as siblings?
Yes
If “Yes,” provide the following information for each such the relationship.
No
Family Relationships
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Relationship
FCC Form 323 (Page 5)
Attributable Entity
Spouses
Parent/Child
Siblings
(e) Is Respondent seeking an attribution exemption for any officer or director with duties
wholly unrelated to the Licensee(s) or Permittee(s)?
Yes
No
If “Yes,” complete the information in the required fields and submit an Exhibit fully describing
that individual’s duties and responsibilities, and explaining why that individual should not be
attributed an interest.
Attribution Exemptions
Name
[name]
Title
[title]
Section II-B – Biennial Ownership Information
1. 47 C.F.R.
Section
73.3613 and
Other
Documents
Licensee Respondents that hold authorizations for one or more full power television, AM,
and/or FM stations should list all contracts and other instruments set forth in 47 C.F.R.
Section 73.3613(a) through (c) for the facility or facilities listed on this report. In addition,
attributable Local Marketing Agreements (LMAs) and attributable Joint Sales Agreements
(JSAs) must be disclosed by the licensee of the brokering station on its ownership report. If
the agreement is an attributable LMA, an attributable JSA, or a network affiliation
agreement, check the appropriate box. Otherwise, select “Other.” Non-Licensee
Respondents, as well as Licensee Respondents that only hold authorizations for Class A
television and/or low power television stations, should select “Not Applicable” in response to
this question.
Not
Applicable
Document Information
Description of contract or instrument
[description of contract or instrument]
Parties to contract or instrument
[parties to contract or instrument]
Date of execution (mm/yyyy)
[date of execution]
Date of expiration (mm/yyyy)
Agreement type (check all that apply)
[date of expiration]
Attributable LMA
No expiration date
Attributable JSA
Network Affiliation Agreement
Other
2. Ownership
Interests
Indicate agreement type:
[agreement type]
(a) This Question requires Respondents to enter detailed information about ownership interests by
generating a series of subforms. Answer each question on each subform. The first subform listing should
be for the Respondent itself. If the Respondent is not a natural person, also list each of the officers,
directors, stockholders, non-insulated partners, non-insulated members, and any other persons or entities
with a direct attributable interest in the Respondent pursuant to the standards set forth in 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3555. (A “direct” interest is one that is not held through any intervening companies or entities.) List
each interest holder with a direct attributable interest in the Respondent separately.
Leave the percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) field blank for an interest holder unless that interest
holder has an attributable interest in the Respondent solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt
Plus attribution standard, 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555, Note 2(i).
FCC Form 323 (Page 6)
In the case of vertical or indirect ownership structures, list only those interests in the Respondent that also
represent an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) for which the report is being submitted.
Entities that are part of an organizational structure that includes holding companies or other forms of
indirect ownership must file separate ownership reports. In such a structure do not report, or file a
separate report for, any interest holder that does not have an attributable interest in the Licensee(s) for
which the report is being submitted.
Please see the Instructions for further detail concerning interests that must be reported in response to this
question.
The Respondent must provide an FCC Registration Number for each interest holder reported in response to
this question. Please see the Instructions for detailed information and guidance concerning this
requirement.
Ownership Information
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Address
Street 1
[street 1]
Street 2
[street 2]
City
[city]
State (“NA” if non-U.S.
address)
[state]
Zip/Postal Code
[zip]
Country (if non-U.S.
address)
[country]
Listing Type
Positional Interests
(check all that apply)
Respondent
Other interest holder
Officer
Director
General Partner
Limited Partner
LC/LLC/PLLC Member
Owner
Stockholder
Attributable Investor
Attributable Creditor
Attributable LMA
Attributable JSA
Other Specify interest type:
Citizenship, Gender,
Ethnicity, and Race
Information (Natural
Persons Only)
N/A (entity)
Citizenship
Gender
FCC Form 323 (Page 7)
[interest type]
[citizenship]
Male
Female
Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino
Race (Check all categories
that apply to the individual
being reported)
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Tribal Nation or Tribal
Entity
Interest Percentages
(enter percentage values
from 0.0 to 100.0)
Yes
Voting
[voting]
Equity
[equity]
Total assets
(Equity Debt Plus)
[total assets]
Does interest holder have an attributable interest in one or
more broadcast stations that do not appear on this report?
Jointly Held?
Yes
Yes
No
No
(b) Respondent certifies that any interests, including equity, financial, or voting interests, not
reported in response to Question 2(a) are non-attributable.
Yes
If “No,” submit as an exhibit an explanation.
No
(c) Does the Respondent or any interest holder reported in response to Question 2(a) hold an
attributable interest in any newspaper entities in the same market as any station for which
this report is filed, as defined in 47 C.F.R. Section 73.3555?
Yes
If “Yes,” provide information describing the interest(s), using EITHER the subform OR the
spreadsheet option below. Respondents with a large number (50 or more) of entries to submit
should use the spreadsheet option.
NOTE: Spreadsheets must be submitted in a special XML Spreadsheet format with the
appropriate structure that is specified in the documentation. For instructions on how to use the
spreadsheet option to complete this question (including templates to start with), please Click
Here.
If using the subform, leave the percentage of total assets (Equity Debt Plus) field blank for an
interest holder unless that interest holder has an attributable interest in the newspaper entity
solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus attribution standard, 47 C.F.R. Section
73.3555, Note 2(i). If using an XML Spreadsheet, enter “NA” into the percentage of total assets
(Equity Debt Plus) field for an interest holder unless that interest holder has an attributable
interest in the newspaper entity solely on the basis of the Commission’s Equity Debt Plus
attribution standard.
The Respondent must provide an FCC Registration Number for each interest holder reported in
response to this question. Please see the Instructions for detailed information and guidance
concerning this requirement.
FCC Form 323 (Page 8)
No
Other Newspaper Interests
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Name of Newspaper
[newspaper]
Location of Newspaper
City
[city]
State
[state]
Positional Interests
(check all that apply)
Officer
Director
Limited Partner
LC/LLC/PLLC Member
Owner
Stockholder
Other
Interest Percentages
(enter percentage values
from 0.0 to 100.0)
Specify interest type:
General Partner
Attributable Entity
[interest type]
Voting
[voting]
Equity
[equity]
Total assets
(Equity Debt Plus)
[total assets]
(d) Are any of the individuals listed in response to Question 2(a) married to each other or
related to each other as parent-child or as siblings?
Yes
If “Yes,” provide the following information for each such the relationship.
No
Family Relationships
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
FRN
[FRN]
Name
[name]
Relationship
Spouses
Parent/Child
Siblings
(e) Is Respondent seeking an attribution exemption for any officer or director with duties
wholly unrelated to the Licensee(s)?
If “Yes,” complete the information in the required fields and submit an Exhibit fully describing
that individual’s duties and responsibilities, and explaining why that individual should not be
attributed an interest.
Attribution Exemptions
Name
FCC Form 323 (Page 9)
[name]
Title
[title]
Yes
No
3. Organizational
Chart (Licensees
Only)
Attach a flowchart or similar document showing the Licensee’s vertical ownership structure
including the Licensee and all entities that have attributable interests in the Licensee.
Licensees with a single parent entity may provide a brief explanatory textual Exhibit in lieu of a
flowchart or similar document. Licensees without parent entities should so indicate in a
textual Exhibit.
Not
Applicable
Non-Licensee Respondents should select “N/A” in response to this question.
Section III – Certification
I certify that I am
[title]
(official title)
of
[respondent]
(exact legal title or name of Respondent)
and that I have examined this report and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, all statements in this report are true,
correct and complete.
Signature
[signature]
Date (mm/dd/yyyy) (When filing a biennial ownership report, date of
signature below must be no earlier than Oct. 1 of the filing year.)
[date]
Telephone Number (Include area code)
[telephone number]
WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS ON THIS FORM ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND/OR IMPRISONMENT (U.S. CODE, TITLE 18, SECTION 1001), AND/OR REVOCATION OF ANY
STATION LICENSE OR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (U.S. CODE, TITLE 47, SECTION 312(a)(1)), AND/OR FORFEITURE (U.S. CODE, TITLE 47, SECTION 503).
FCC Form 323 (Page 10)
File Type | application/pdf |
File Title | Microsoft Word - FCC Form 323 - 3060-0010 Nonsubstantive Change Request (April 2019) |
Author | Christopher.Clark |
File Modified | 2019-04-12 |
File Created | 2019-04-12 |