RTDNA Needs Vital Member Input On FCC’s Standard Reporting Requirement

RTDNA is asking its members for help compiling in providing the Federal Communications Commission about new disclosure/reporting requirements.

To complete a proposed form, RTDNA says, television stations would need to use knowledgeable staff (presumably news staff) to content code programming using the proposed categories. Since programs or program segments may be reported in only one category, the coding task necessarily will involve certain judgment calls. In addition, the FCC’s requirement that stations break multi-segment newscasts, talk shows, and other programs down into program segments and report extensive information about each of these segments would involve considerable time and effort. The FCC is considering notifying stations of the selected dates for the sample or composite week at the end of the quarter, which would require stations to continuously code programming or hold onto tapes or other records of programming after they air. RTDNA Executive Director Mike Cavender urges members to look at the FCC’s proposed form, and to take just a few minutes of time to complete the questionnaire, so that RTDNA can inform the FCC about the potential significant consequences this reporting requirement will have for broadcast news.

“Your news staffs already are doing more with less,” the authors warn. “If this reporting requirement change is implemented as it stands, even more work unrelated to news-gathering and reporting will be required.”