April FCC Television License Pre-Filing Reminder: DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
April 1, 2020: First Pre-Filing Announcements Should Begin in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
Television stations licensed to the District of Columbia (DC), Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia will be filing their license renewal applications on June 1, 2020. As part of the license renewal process, these stations must air the first of four renewal pre-filing announcements on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, and continue such announcements for a two month period. Follow-up announcements should be aired on April 16, 2020; May 1, 2020; and May 16, 2020.
For more information about the license renewal process, please consult the Wiley Television Station Renewal Primer. Further details about pre-filing announcements, including required time slots can be found in Section II of the Primer. For a sample pre-filing announcement template for full-power stations and Class A stations, please consult Attachment B. For a sample pre-filing announcement for low power television stations originating programming, please consult Attachment C. No pre-filing announcements are required for television translator stations or low power television stations not originating local programming. Note that stations must use visuals with the licensee’s and the FCC’s addresses when pre-filing information is being presented by the announcer orally. Stations should maintain a record of the timing of these announcements, along with a copy of the transcript used to air them. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) requires this information as part of its post-announcement certification process.
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If you have any questions regarding the license renewal application or the renewal process, or concerns about your previous FCC filings or record keeping obligations, please contact the Wiley attorney who regularly handles your station matters, or an attorney listed on this alert.
