Around the Water Cooler

FCC rule-making headlines

A three-judge panel with the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has given the Federal Communications Commission 30 days to respond to a petition it has ignored since last November. That’s when a coalition of former FCC chairs, commissioners and senior staff, together with the Radio Television Digital News Association, petitioned the FCC to formally rescind its news distortion policy. Inside Radio has more details.

The FCC Media Bureau issued a public notice asking for comment on whether the Disney/ABC television show, The View, should be subject to the equal time rule. According to reporting from Ars Technica, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is driving the probe, agreeing with the president that the agency is no longer independent, but subject to the political winds currently in power.

More than 40 civil and human rights organizations filed comments opposing content ratings for LGBTQ characters on television.

The FCC submitted its semi-annual report on foreign-based media to Congress, as required by law, stating that no such outlets have registered with the FCC. More information about this regulation and report at Broadcast Law Blog.

The FCC released a Report and Order streamlining Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) filing obligations, which are voluntary for broadcasters. The FCC instead adopted a “one-click” filing option to reduce all DIRS participants’ filing burdens.

Medical marijuana is off Schedule I but it’s probably still unwise to allow cannabis retailers to underwrite your station.

According to Fox News in Las Vegas, shark attack alerts could become part of FCC-eligible emergency notifications.

Communications Act of 1934, Sect. 326.

Nothing in this Act shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the radio communications or signals transmitted by any radio station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication.