Federal Communications Commission	DA 19-1116



DA 19-1116
Released:  October 30, 2019

MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES OPENING OF FILING WINDOW FOR 2019 BIENNIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTS ON FCC FORMS 323 AND 323-E AND AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL FILING FUNCTIONALITIES IN LMS 
Filing Window:  November 1, 2019 – January 31, 2020

	By this notice, the Media Bureau (Bureau) reminds commercial and noncommercial broadcasters of their obligation to file a 2019 biennial ownership report and announces the opening of the filing window. See 47 CFR §§ 73.3615(a), (d), 73.6026, 74.797.
  Pursuant to the Order released by the Bureau on September 17, 2019, the filing window for submitting 2019 biennial broadcast ownership reports on FCC Forms 323 and 323-E opens November 1, 2019, and will close January 31, 2020. Promoting Diversification in the Broadcasting Services, MB Docket No. 07-294, Order, DA 19-919 (MB Sept. 17, 2019) (2019 Biennial Form 323/323-E Extension Order) (postponing the opening of the 2019 biennial Form 323/323-E filing window from October 1, 2019, to November 1, 2019, and extending the filing deadline from December 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020).
  Accordingly, all licensees of commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, TV, LPTV, and Class A television stations, as well as all entities with attributable interests in such stations, are required to file a biennial ownership report on either Form 323 (commercial stations) or Form 323-E (noncommercial stations) on or before January 31, 2020. Id.
  These biennial Form 323/323-E filings must provide information reflecting ownership interests existing as of October 1, 2019. 47 CFR §§ 73.3615(a), (d), 73.6026, 74.797; 2019 Biennial Form 323/323-E Extension Order.
  Forms 323 and 323-E must be filed electronically using the Bureau’s Licensing and Management System (LMS), https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/ login.html.  Paper submissions will not be accepted.

	Several additional functionalities will be available to filers in LMS this year that should expedite the filing and preparation of the forms.  For the first time in LMS, filers will be able to validate and resubmit a previously filed Form 323/323-E biennial ownership report if the previous biennial report both remains accurate and was filed in LMS using the current version of Form 323/323-E. See 47 CFR 73.3615(a), (d), 73.6026, 74.797.
  Similarly, filers with an existing biennial or non-biennial Form 323/323-E ownership report filed in LMS will be able to copy information from that prior filing into a new Form 323/323-E ownership report simply by entering the existing file number in the General Information section of the new report.  In addition, to facilitate preparation of the reports, the Bureau has implemented a specialized ownership report search within LMS that enables filers and other interested persons to search LMS for Form 323/323-E filings using multiple criteria, including call sign, facility ID number, name, and/or FCC Registration Number (FRN), among other things.  The specialized ownership report search is available via the LMS public search webpage, https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicSearchLanding.html.  

Filers seeking advice on how to complete Form 323/323-E biennial ownership reports should consult the information available on the Bureau’s Form 323/323-E website, https://www.fcc.gov/media/ ownership-report-commercial-broadcast-station-form-323.  Filers are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and other materials posted on the Form 323/323-E website and to monitor the website for updates to the filing advice.  During the filing window, filers who have questions about basic filing requirements or who need assistance logging into LMS or accessing Form 323/323-E should contact the FCC Licensing Hotline at (877) 480-3201 (Option 2), Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm ET, or submit a request online at https://esupport.fcc.gov/request.htm.  In addition, the FCC Licensing Hotline is also available to assist with questions in connection with standard CORES FCC Registration Number (FRN) and/or Restricted Use FRN registration.  Filers may call the hotline at the phone number provided above or submit a request online via the e-support link provided above.  For all other Form 323/323-E biennial ownership report inquiries, please e-mail Bureau staff at Form323@fcc.gov.  Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165.

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