Federal Communications Commission	"FCC/DA  XX-XXX"



DA 23-610
Released:  July 17, 2023


MEDIA BUREAU REMINDS BROADCASTERS OF THE OBLIGATION TO FILE BIENNIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTS 

By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) reminds broadcast licensees of the importance of filing their biennial ownership reports on FCC Form 323 or 323-E, as required by the Commission’s rules.  

Pursuant to the Commission’s rules, licensees of commercial and non-commercial full power television, Class A television, low power television, AM radio, and FM radio stations must file biennial ownership reports with the Commission in odd-numbered years. See 47 C.F.R. §§ 73.3615(a), (d); 73.6026; 74.797.  Biennial ownership reports must contain information that is current as of October 1 of the filing year.  Id. §§ 73.3615(a), (d); 74.797.  In addition, reports must provide all information required by, and comply with all requirements set forth in, the current version of the relevant broadcast ownership report form (FCC Form 323 or 323-E).  Id. §§ 73.3615(a), (d); 74.797.  
  Accordingly, the next filing window for biennial ownership reports currently is scheduled to open October 2nd of this year.  Reporting such information has long been a fundamental obligation of broadcast licensees. We note further that a licensee must maintain its current ownership report in the station’s Online Public Inspection File, which is intended to “encourage a continuing dialogue between broadcasters and the public to ensure stations meet their obligations and remain responsive to the needs of the local community.”  Media Bureau, FCC, The Public and Broadcasting 28 (2021).
  The accurate, and timely, filing of ownership information is critical to ensuring that the public knows who owns, operates, and controls broadcast stations.  Additionally, accurate and timely ownership information is crucial to an understanding of the broadcast industry as a whole, including an understanding of the diversity and multiplicity of owners.

Given the importance of the biennial ownership reporting requirement, both to inform the Commission and the public as to the station’s current ownership, and to support the Commission’s policy-making efforts with comprehensive, reliable data reflecting the race, gender, and ethnicity of attributable interest holders in broadcast stations, we encourage licensees to prepare in advance for the upcoming October 2, 2023 biennial filing window.  
 

– FCC –

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