Federal Communications Commission DA 17-813
Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of
Promoting Diversification in the Broadcasting 
Services
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MB Docket No. 07-294
ORDER
Adopted:  September 1, 2017 Released: September 1, 2017
By the Chief, Media Bureau:
1. By this Order, the Media Bureau (Bureau), on its own motion, postpones the opening of 
the 2017 biennial filing window for the submission of broadcast ownership reports on FCC Forms 323 
and 323-E until December 1, 2017, and extends the filing deadline to March 2, 2018.
2. Pursuant to the Commission’s rules, licensees of commercial AM, FM, TV, Class A, and 
Low Power Television (LPTV) stations and entities with attributable interests in such stations are 
required to file biennial ownership reports on Form 323 in all odd-numbered years.
1
  Previously, licensees 
of noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast stations and entities with attributable interests in NCE 
stations were required to submit biennial ownership reports on Form 323-E in accordance with a schedule 
of rolling filing deadlines tied to each station’s renewal anniversary date.
2
  In January 2016, the 
Commission revised Form 323-E to require that NCE stations file biennial ownership reports by 
December 1 in all odd-numbered years and that such reports provide information that is current as of 
October 1 of the year in which the ownership report is filed, consistent with the filing obligations 
applicable to commercial stations.
3
  The Commission also adopted other significant revisions to Forms 
323 and 323-E that streamlined the reporting requirements, reduced the filing burden on licensees, and 
improved the comprehensiveness and reliability of the data collected on the forms.
4
  
                                                     
1
47 CFR §§ 73.3615(a), 73.6026, 74.797.
2
See Promoting Diversification in the Broadcasting Services, Order, 31 FCC Rcd 13263 (MB 2016) (323-E 
Suspension Order).  On December 20, 2016, the Bureau suspended the biennial filing requirement for NCE 
licensees and entities that would otherwise be required to file biennial ownership reports on Form 323-E between 
December 20, 2016, and December 1, 2017.  Id.
3
Promoting Diversification in the Broadcasting Services, Report and Order, Second Report and Order, and Order on 
Reconsideration, 31 FCC Rcd 398, 432-33, paras. 64-67 (2016) (323 and 323-E Order).
4
See generally 323 and 323-E Order.  The Commission released drafts of the revised forms in Appendices D and E 
of the 323 and 323-E Order; the revised forms have been approved by OMB. See Office of Management and 
Budget, Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action, ICR Reference No. 201609-3060-005, OMB Control 
No. 3060-0010 (Nov. 25, 2016), https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201609-3060-005#
(select the “Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)” hyperlink); Office of Management and Budget, Notice of Office of 
Management and Budget Action, ICR Reference No. 201705-3060-013, OMB Control No. 3060-0084 (May 31, 
2017), https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201705-3060-013# (select the “Retrieve Notice 
of Action (NOA)” hyperlink).  The effective date of the new forms—and the associated rule sections—will be 
announced by a subsequent public notice once the form is online.
Federal Communications Commission DA 17-813
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3. On our own motion, we hereby postpone the opening of the 2017 biennial filing window 
to December 1, 2017, and extend the filing deadline to March 2, 2018.
5
  We are postponing the start of the 
filing window to provide sufficient time to properly implement the electronic versions of the revised 
Forms 323 and 323-E in the Licensing and Management System (LMS).  Furthermore, given the 
intervening holidays, extending the window will ensure that filers have sufficient time to complete and 
submit their reports.  Filers are encouraged to complete and submit their Form 323 and Form 323-E 
filings as early as possible during the window and well in advance of the extended deadline.
6
  As stated 
above, this extension applies only to the 2017 biennial filing.
7
  Note:  This Order only impacts the 
timing and duration of the 2017 biennial ownership report filing window, not the “as-of” date of the 
data contained on the reports.  Information contained on the reports will continue to be required to 
be current as of October 1, 2017.
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4. Filers seeking advice on how to complete the forms should consult the draft forms and 
instructions in Appendices D and E of the 323 and 323-E Order.
9
  In addition, in order to ease the 
transition to the use of the revised forms, the Bureau plans to update its Form 323 website, 
https://www.fcc.gov/media/ownership-report-commercial-broadcast-station-form-323, to reflect the 
revised filing requirements for Forms 323 and 323-E once the forms are available in LMS.  Filers are 
encouraged to review the website and check for updates.  For additional advice on completing Forms 323
and 323-E, please contact the Bureau via e-mail at Form323@fcc.gov.
5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, that pursuant to authority under Sections 4(i) and 303(r) 
of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 154 and 303(r), and pursuant to authority 
delegated to the Media Bureau in Sections 0.204 and 0.283 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 
0.204, 0.283, the 2017 biennial filing window IS POSTPONED and the filing deadline IS EXTENDED as 
described above, sua sponte. 
                                                     
5
On July 19, 2017, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) filed a letter suggesting that the Bureau 
suspend the December 1, 2017, biennial filing deadline, potentially indefinitely.  Letter from Rick Kaplan, General 
Counsel and Executive Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, NAB, to Michelle Carey, Chief, Media 
Bureau, FCC, MB Docket No. 07-194 et al. (filed July 19, 2017) (NAB Letter).  As discussed above, we are 
postponing the filing window and extending the filing deadline sua sponte.  The extension of time we grant today 
addresses NAB’s primary concerns that the rollout of the revised forms in LMS goes smoothly and that broadcasters 
have sufficient time to familiarize themselves with and test the new forms. Thus, our action today essentially 
implements NAB’s suggestion that we postpone the 2017 biennial filing window to ensure the successful 
implementation of the revised forms. We see no reason or justification, however, to hold the filing of Forms 323 
and 323-E in abeyance indefinitely pending consideration of the recent suggestions, made by NAB and others, that 
the Commission radically overhaul the broadcast ownership reporting rules.  See NAB Letter.   
6
The Commission’s rules require that biennial ownership reports on Forms 323 and 323-E provide all information 
required by, and comply with all requirements set forth in, the version of Form 2100, Schedule 323 and Form 2100, 
Schedule 323-E that is current on October 1 of the year in which the ownership report is filed.  47 CFR § 
73.3615(a), (d).  We will deem the LMS versions of Forms 323 and 323-E as the current versions required by the 
rule.
7
As discussed above, the Bureau previously suspended the biennial filing requirement for NCE licensees and 
entities that would otherwise be required to file biennial ownership reports on Form 323-E between December 20, 
2016, and December 1, 2017.  Because we are delaying the filing deadline for the revised Form 323-E, we hereby 
suspend the existing biennial filing requirement for NCE licensees and entities that would otherwise be required to 
file biennial ownership reports on Form 323-E on December 1, 2017, and February 1, 2018.  See 323-E Suspension 
Order, 31 FCC Rcd 13263.
8
Thus, in cases where a broadcast station is assigned or transferred after October 1, 2017, a biennial ownership 
report for the station must be filed by the individual or entity that held the station’s license on October 1, 2017, as 
well as any entity that held an attributable interest in the station’s licensee on October 1, 2017, even if they no longer 
own the station at the time the biennial ownership report is filed.    
9
323 and 323-E Order, Appendices D & E.
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6. For further information, please contact Christopher Clark, Industry Analysis Division at 
202-418-2609.  
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Michelle M. Carey
Chief
Media Bureau