FCC Extends Deadline for Some, but Not All, April Reports Required of Texas Broadcasters

posted on 3.30.2020

The FCC issued a Public Notice late last week that extends the deadline for two major reports required of broadcasters, but a third required report is still due on April 1.

Delayed Reports – KidVid, Quarterly Issues/Programs

The first annual Children's Television Programming Report (FCC Form 2100, Schedule H), which had been due March 30, will now be due by July 10, 2020. 

Additionally, Texas Radio and TV stations now have until July 10 to file their first quarter issues/programs lists into the station’s online Public Inspection File.

“With station staffs already stretched thin and many working remotely, the FCC’s announcement will be welcome news,” said TAB’s FCC legal counsel Scott Flick of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. 

“While the FCC’s announcements in the initial days of the epidemic focused primarily on the telecommunications industry and broadband access, it’s good to see the FCC acknowledge the challenges broadcasters are also facing during this unprecedented time.”

The issues/programs lists had been due April 10.

The FCC’s move means the first and second quarter issues/programs lists must now be filed by the same July 10 date.

Required Reports Still Due

Texas stations with five or more full-time employees are still obligated to upload the annual EEO Public Inspection file report by April 1 to the station’s online Public Inspection File. It must also be placed on the station’s website.

This report documents hiring from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.

Fletcher Heald Hildreth’s Davina Sashkin said Class A TV stations must also upload their quarterly certificates of compliance with Class A obligations.

Sashkin said the FCC’s Video Division has indicated it will grant extensions of time requests by individual stations that are unable to complete the filing by April 1.

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

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