October, 2015

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Working for an Unethical Attorney? Run. Like. Hell.

The Paralegal Society

By: Jamie Collins “If you’re going through hell, keep going.

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Moving FM Translators 250 Miles to Rebroadcast an AM Station – What the FCC is Considering as Part of Its AM Revitalization Proceeding

Broadcast Law Blog

A proposal to allow AM station licensees to buy FM translators located as far as 250 miles away from the AM station and move them to an area where they can rebroadcast the AM station was the talk of the NAB Radio Show last week. With battling news releases from FCC Commissioners ( one from Commissioner Pai supporting an immediate translator window during which AM licensees would have an exclusive right to file for new FM translators, and a subsequent one from Commissioner Clyburn where she ind

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November Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Incentive Auction and Biennial Ownership Report Preparation, Reg Fee Comments, Music Issues, Text to Speech Emergency Information and More

Broadcast Law Blog

November is another of those months with no regular filing obligations – no EEO public file and Mid-Term reports, no noncommercial ownership reports, and no quarterly issues programs lists or children’s television reports. EEO public file reports and noncommercial station ownership reports, being tied to renewal dates, will be back in December. See our Broadcaster’s Calendar , here , for information about the states where stations have such obligations.

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The Care and Feeding of the Broadcast Public Inspection File – Requirements and Retention Periods, A Presentation on the Issues

Broadcast Law Blog

The FCC requires each full-power broadcast station, commercial and noncommercial, to maintain a public inspection file. Even though this is a longstanding FCC requirement, there are always questions about what goes into the file, and how long those materials must be retained. The week before last, I conducted a webinar for about 20 state broadcast associations on the FCC’s public file requirements for broadcast stations.

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Trial Prep: What Attorneys Really Want (And How to Deliver It)

Speaker: Joe Stephens, J.D., Attorney and Law Professor

Get ready to uncover what attorneys really need from you when it comes to trial prep in this new webinar! Attorney and law professor, Joe Stephens, J.D., will share proven techniques for anticipating attorney needs, organizing critical documents, and transforming complex information into compelling case presentations. Key Learning Objectives: Organization That Makes Sense 🎯 Learn how to structure and organize case materials in ways that align with how attorneys actually work and think.

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Dueling Letters about SESAC Radio Station Royalties – What’s A Station to Do?

Broadcast Law Blog

This week, many radio stations received a letter from SESAC, asking the stations to renew their last SESAC agreement for three years at a rate 5% lower than the rate at which they are currently paying. Sounds like a deal? But is there a catch? The SESAC letter makes clear that, by renewing the current agreement and accepting the discount, the station is agreeing that it will not be a part of any attempt by the Radio Music License Committee (“RMLC”) to negotiate a rate with SESAC.

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The Incentive Auction Moves Forward – FCC Decisions Further Defining Channel Sharing, and Order Setting When Wireless Users “Commence Operations” Ending LPTV Operations

Broadcast Law Blog

The FCC seems to almost daily be issuing orders in the incentive auction proceeding , looking to the filing of applications in December by TV stations ready to give up their spectrum to the FCC so that it can be repackaged and resold to wireless users. In the last two days, the Commission has issued orders further clarifying the channel sharing rules and defining when a wireless user of the newly repackaged spectrum “commences operations” requiring that LPTV stations and TV translators operatin

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New Accessibility Compliance Deadlines for TV Stations Coming Very Soon

Broadcast Law Blog

TV stations have in the past few years been hit with many requirements for making their programming – especially emergency information – accessible to all people within their service areas. Two deadlines loom in the very short term that stations need to remember – the requirements for converting text based emergency information aired on their stations outside of news and EAS alerts (usually crawls dealing with issues such as severe weather alerts) into speech for airing on their SAP channe

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A Presentation to Explain the FCC’s EEO Rules, and Another EEO Audit

Broadcast Law Blog

Last week, I conducted a webinar on the FCC’s EEO rules for 19 state broadcast associations, explaining the issues that broadcasters need to keep in mind to comply with those rules. The slides from my presentation are available here. On the same day, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing another of their random EEO audits – this one limited to MVPD, principally cable systems, not broadcasters.

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Broadcast Incentive Auction Moves Forward – Specific Auction Procedures and Opening Bids Released, Applications to Participate Due By December 18

Broadcast Law Blog

At the end of last week, the FCC took the expected steps of releasing its public notice setting out the specific procedures for broadcasters interested in participating in the incentive auction by selling their spectrum back to the FCC to be repurposed for wireless broadband, and a notice setting out the specific opening prices that each full-power and Class A TV station will be offered in the auction.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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The Limits on FCC Leniency on Fines for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations

Broadcast Law Blog

In a decision released last Friday , the FCC made clear how far it is willing to go in extending to noncommercial stations leniency for fines for violations of its rules. As we have written before , the FCC changed its policy in a case in which we were involved so as to mitigate harsh penalties for first-time paperwork violations when those violations were by student-run college radio stations.

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FCC Issues Clarification of Incentive Auction Quiet Period – How Will It Affect Television Station Sales, and What Other Restrictions are Imposed on Broadcasters’ Communications About the Auction?

Broadcast Law Blog

The FCC this week issued a document called “Guidance Regarding Prohibition of Certain Communications During the Incentive Auction, Auction 1000.” That mouthful of a title identifies a document which clarifies the restrictions which apply during the incentive auction on communications by and between broadcasters (and wireless companies) that could influence the bidding in the auction.

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Contest Rule Revisions Published in the Federal Register for Paperwork Reduction Act Review – Effective Date Not Until at Least December

Broadcast Law Blog

Today, the FCC published notice in the Federal Register of the adoption of the new simplified rules for publicizing the material rules for contests conducted by broadcasters. This publication was for purposes of review by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act, a review necessary before any new rules requiring any recordkeeping or other paperwork become effective.

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Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Moves to New Offices – Update Your Address Book

Broadcast Law Blog

As most readers of this blog know, I practice law with Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP in Washington DC. This past weekend, the firm moved its offices a few blocks down the road, and is now operating in a great new space at the following address: 1800 M Street NW, Suite 800N, Washington, DC, 20036. So if you send us any physical deliveries, or stop in to say hello, make sure that you use the new address.

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Paralegal Power Move: Your Guide to Getting the Tech Tools That Maximize Your Time

Your time is valuable—and you know the right technology could help you do even more. From document management to client communication, modern tools can transform how you track deadlines, manage cases, and support your legal team. This practical playbook shows you how to: Compare and evaluate technology vendors Understand all costs and ROI potential Build a compelling presentation Handle common objections Pitch your solution like a pro Created by legal technology experts who understand how pivota

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Dates Set for Comments on Good Faith Negotiation of Retransmission Consent Agreements – What is the FCC Asking?

Broadcast Law Blog

A month ago, the FCC released its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking looking to reassess the requirement that broadcasters and MVPDs (cable and satellite television) engage in “good faith” negotiations over the retransmission consent necessary for the MVPD to rebroadcast the signal of a broadcast television station, triggering numerous questions throughout the industry (and among financial analysts who follow the television industry) as to what that release meant.