Broadcasters’ 2022 FCC Annual Regulatory Fees Due by Sept. 28

posted on 9.12.2022

- TAB, NAB Secure Substantial Reduction from Original Plan

The FCC has announced a Sept. 28 deadline for payment of broadcasters’ Annual Regulatory Fees.

Fee payments must be received by the FCC no later than 11:59 PM, EDT, on Sept. 28.

“Thanks to efforts by TAB, other state broadcast associations and the NAB to make the broadcast industry’s case, the FCC decreased its proposed 2022 annual regulatory fee hike from 13-14 percent to 7-8 percent,” said TAB President Oscar Rodriguez. 

It is the second consecutive year broadcasters have succeeded in pushing back on proposed FCC fee hikes. 

“While the commission again refused to change its basic methodology in calculating the annual regulatory fees, it did acknowledge that broadcasters should not have to pay for personnel involved in the administration of the broadband-related Universal Service Fund,” said TAB’s FCC legal counsel, Scott Flick, with the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman law firm.

Flick noted that the FCC has agreed, at broadcasters’ request, to issue a Notice of Inquiry by which the commission will take comments on proposals to change its regulatory fee setting process going forward to ensure broadcasters aren’t required to pay more than they should.

Stations can read Pillsbury’s post on this year’s annual regulatory fees here. The advisory covers the fees associated with various types of broadcast licenses from stations to other  broadcast services such as translators.

To make an FY 2022 annual regulatory fee payment, broadcasters must use the FCC’s Commission Registration System (CORES). Since its 2021 unveiling, broadcasters have reported various issues and quirks with CORES use. As such, TAB urges broadcasters not to wait until the last few hours to make their annual regulatory fee payment and avoid any last-minutes issues that could result in a 25 percent late fee penalty. 

The FCC has an annual regulatory fee page and a 2022 Regulatory Fee Information Site that allows stations to check their annual fee information, exempt status, as well as additional information on digital LP, Class A and TV translators and boosters.   

Non-Comm Radio Station Warning

Non-commercial stations are typically exempt from FCC annual regulatory fees.

But David Oxenford, an attorney with TAB Associate member law firm Wilkinson Barker Knauer, warns “that the FCC’s fee look-up database for radio does not reflect the exempt status of some noncommercial stations – particularly those that do not operate in the reserved FM band.” 

He cautions “noncommercial licensees with stations that do not show their exempt status should discuss 
with their FCC counsel how to correct that information to properly reflect their exempt status.” 

Questions? Contact TAB’s Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.
 

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