Bulletin Categories: Enforcement Actions

Broadcaster to Pay $100,000 to Commission for Violating Retrans Consent “Good Faith” Provisions May 7, 2020

A broadcaster has admitted that it did not negotiate retransmission consent in “good faith,” agreed to pay a $100,000 civil penalty, and agreed to implement a three-year compliance plan to...

FCC Issues $48 Million Civil Penalty Against Sinclair, Settles Investigations May 7, 2020

The FCC announced yesterday the entry of a Consent Decree with Sinclair Broadcasting Group requiring payment of a $48 million civil penalty and adherence to a compliance plan to resolve...

$20,000 Fine Proposed for Station’s Unauthorized One-Second Use of EAS Tone April 13, 2020

A Notice of Apparent Liability (the “Notice”) released last week serves as a reminder of the FCC’s emphasis on the proper use of Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) tones, even amidst...

FCC Declines to Investigate or Adopt Enforcement Policies Regarding the Broadcast of Allegedly Incorrect COVID-19 Information April 8, 2020

In a strongly worded letter ruling (the “Order”) issued this week by the FCC’s Office of General Counsel and Media Bureau, the Commission rejected an emergency petition (the “Petition”) recently...

NCE Licensee Admits Violating FCC’s Underwriting Rules; Agrees to Pay $76,000 January 28, 2020

Commercial broadcasters aren’t the only ones who the Enforcement Bureau has targeted lately. A licensee of two noncommercial educational broadcast stations (“NCEs”) in Arkansas recently agreed to pay $76,000 and...

Station Loses License Over Failure to Pay Regulatory Fees January 28, 2020

As broadcasters know, holding an FCC license is a privilege, not a right. It’s a reminder made plain thanks to a recent Commission Revocation Order (the “Order”), in which a...

Broadcaster Agrees to Pay Seven-Figure Penalty to Settle Allegations of Violations of FCC’s Antenna Safety Rules January 28, 2020

A broadcaster agreed to pay more than a million dollars as part of a Consent Decree (the “Consent Decree”) entered into earlier this month to resolve multiple alleged violations of...

FCC Staff Keeping Eye on Broadcasters’ Online Public Inspection Files; Poised to Ratchet Up Enforcement Actions January 6, 2020

We’ve recently gotten word that Commission Staff are in the process of carefully reviewing broadcasters’ online public inspection files (“OPIF”) and are on the lookout for: stations that still lack...

FCC Admonishes Stations for Alleged Political File Deficiencies December 12, 2019

It appears that the FCC is serious about cracking down on broadcast licensees who have, in the Commission’s eyes, violated its recently “clarified” political file rules. In an Order released...

Media Bureau Proposes $15,000 Fine for Radio Station’s Failure to Prepare and File Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists October 11, 2019

We have further evidence (as if we needed it!) that the FCC is taking a close look at stations’ quarterly Issues/Programs lists: it appears another fine is on the way...