Federal Communications Commission	DA 19-70



DA 19-70
Released:  February 11, 2019

MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES EFFECTIVE DATE OF CHANGES TO FILING REQUIREMENTS FOR BROADCAST STATION DOCUMENTS
MB Docket No. 18-4

On October 23, 2018, the Commission adopted a Report and Order (Order) eliminating the requirement that licensees and permittees of commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, television, and international broadcast stations routinely file with the Commission paper copies of the station documents specified in Section 73.3613 of the Commission’s rules. Amendment of Section 73.3613 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Filing of Contracts et al., MB Docket No. 18-4 et al., Report and Order, FCC 18-145 (Oct. 23, 2018) (Order).
  As discussed in the Order, commercial and noncommercial AM, FM, and television stations must continue to either (i) upload the documents directly to the online public inspection file (OPIF) or (ii) maintain an up-to-date list of the documents in the OPIF and provide copies to requesting parties within seven days. Id. at 2-6, paras. 2-7.
  The Order explicitly retained the Commission’s ability to obtain Section 73.3613 documents from licensees and permittees upon request, as needed. Id. at 2-3, 9, paras. 2, 13-14 & n.16. 
  In addition to eliminating the routine paper filing requirement for Section 73.3613 documents, the Order also removed a redundant disclosure requirement pertaining to certain Section 73.3613 documents and expanded an existing redaction allowance for confidential or proprietary information in Section 73.3613 documents. Id. at 6-8, paras. 8-12.
  

The rule amendments adopted by the item became effective on January 22, 2019, as stated in the Federal Register summary of the Order. Filing of Contracts, 83 Fed. Reg. 65551 (Dec. 21, 2018).  The Order stated that the rule amendments would become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, except for those changes involving Paperwork Reduction Act burdens, which would become effective on the date stated in the Federal Register notice announcing that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the requirements.  On December 21, 2018, the Federal Register published a summary of the Order, announcing an effective date of January 22, 2019.  Filing of Contracts, 83 Fed. Reg. at 65551.  A subsequent Federal Register notice announced that OMB had approved the relevant requirements and that they would take effect as stated in the summary.  Due to the federal government shutdown, the publication of this notice was delayed until February 2019.  See Information Collections Approved by the Office of Management and Budget, 84 Fed. Reg. 1728 (Feb. 5, 2019).
  Accordingly, as of January 22, 2019, stations were no longer required to file paper copies of Section 73.3613 documents routinely with the Commission.  As discussed in the Order, stations must continue to make the documents available to the Commission and the public via the OPIF. See supra note 2 and accompanying text.  In addition, as noted above, stations must continue to provide the Commission with unredacted copies of the documents upon request.  See supra note 3 and accompanying text.
  
  
For additional information, contact Chris Clark, Media Bureau, at (202) 418-2609 or christopher.clark@fcc.gov.  For press inquiries, contact Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165 or janice.wise@fcc.gov. 

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