Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files

On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment of Section 73.3580 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Public Notice of the Filing of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative; Revision of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 73.3580, Second Report and Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 2020). The Commission adopted new, streamlined procedures for stations to provide public notice of the filing of certain applications. Stations, including stations filing for new construction permits or major modifications to facilities, that were previously required to post public notice in a local newspaper, must now post notice online, either on the station website or a website affiliated with the station, its licensee, or its parent entity, or else must post notice on a publicly accessible, locally targeted website, for 30 continuous days following acceptance of the application for filing. Stations that are required to make on-air announcements of the filing of certain applications, must continue to do so, but the announcements are shorter and direct viewers and listeners to the application as filed and displayed in either the station’s Online Public Inspection File or another Commission database. A total of six on-air announcements are required, at least one per week and no more than one per day or two per week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, beginning after the application is accepted for filing. This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The modified information collection requirements, revising rules 47 CFR 73.3526(e)(13) and 47 CFR 73.3527(e)(10) covering local public notice announcements, are as follows: 47 CFR 73.3526(e)(13) - Local public notice announcements. Each applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements required pursuant to §73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the period specified in §73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application to which it refers). 47 CFR 73.3527(e)(10) - Local public notice announcements. Each applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements required pursuant to §73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the period specified in §73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application to which it refers).

The latest form for Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files expires 2023-10-31 and can be found here.

Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files

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