Bulletin Categories: Enforcement Actions

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Nearly $3.4 Million in Fines for Children’s Commercial Time Limits Violations; FCC Signals Possible Change in Calculation of Future Fines December 22, 2022

The FCC made clear that children’s programming issues are still top-of-mind for enforcement purposes, particularly in a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (“NAL”) proposing fines against more than 100...

Large Radio Group Faces Likely $400,000 Settlement in Response to FTC and State Complaints of Deceptive On-Air Endorsements December 15, 2022

According to a recent FTC press release, a large media ownership group (the “Radio Group”) and large technology company (the “Advertiser,” and together with the Radio Group, the “Parties”) are...

Global Music Rights Sues Three Radio Groups for Copyright Infringement October 18, 2022

In recent weeks, performing rights organization (“PRO”) Global Music Rights (“GMR”) filed lawsuits against three radio groups, claiming the groups have infringed on copyrights administered by GMR by playing music...

Failed Station Sale Draws $1,500 Penalty Due to Unauthorized Transfer of Control July 25, 2022

A recent Memorandum Opinion and Order and Consent Decree (the “Opinion and Order”) serves as a cautionary reminder of the requirement to apply for and receive FCC consent prior to...

FM Station Licensee Agrees to Pay $4K For Unauthorized Transfer of Control, Failure to File Biennial Ownership Reports May 6, 2022

A recent Order and Consent Decree (the “Consent Decree”)—and a $4,000 penalty for the licensee subject thereto—serve as a salient reminder to broadcasters of the importance of seeking (and receiving!) FCC approval...

FCC Issues $20,000 Fine for EAS Tones from Paid Programming December 17, 2021

The FCC recently issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (the “Notice”)—inclusive of a proposed $20,000 fine—against a large radio broadcaster after one of its stations transmitted false or...

FCC Issues Two Notices of Violation Regarding FM Translators’ Apparent Violations of FCC Technical Rules August 18, 2021

An FM translator licensee (the “Licensee”) was the recent recipient of two Notices of Violation (the “NOVs”) (1, 2) relating to two of its California translators. According to the NOVs,...

FCC Admonishment Order Addresses Level of Licensee Diligence Expected When Facing Technical Issues with FCC Filing Systems August 18, 2021

Broadcasters should take note of a recent FCC Order (the “Order”) addressing the amount of diligence the FCC expects a licensee to demonstrate when faced with a persistent technical issue...

Unauthorized EAS Tone Transmission Could Cost Programmer $20,000 August 18, 2021

A national programmer (the “Programmer”) is facing a proposed $20,000 fine (the “NAL”) for its unauthorized 1.83-second transmission of the EAS tones as part of a sports documentary program. The...

Failure to Timely Upload Issues/Programs Lists Costing Some TV Licensees $9,000 and Up (Plus a Few Non-Monetary Admonishments) August 18, 2021

A collection of recent FCC Media Bureau releases have run the gamut from simply admonishing several stations (admonishments: 1, 2, 3) to proposing fines ranging from $9,000, to $15,000, to...