FCC Proposes to End Paper Filing Requirement for Broadcast Station Docs

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that tentatively concludes that the Commission should eliminate the decades-old requirement that broadcasters routinely file paper copies of station contracts and certain other documents with the Commission.

Since the late 1930s, the Commission has required broadcasters to submit copies of certain contracts and documents relating to ownership and operation of broadcast stations. Typically, stations either mail or hand deliver paper copies of these documents to the Commission. The documents are then made available to FCC staff and the public via the Commission’s public reference room. Jan 30’s Notice tentatively concludes that the Commission should eliminate the paper filing requirement for these documents, relying instead on the FCC’s existing public file rules. The public file rules require licensees and permittees to make these documents available for public inspection by either (i) retaining copies of these documents in their public files or (ii) maintaining an up-to-date list of such documents in their public files and providing copies to a requesting party within seven days. For international broadcast stations, which do not have public file obligations, the Notice proposes to eliminate the paper filing requirement but retain the Commission’s ability to obtain the documents upon request.