Federal Communications Commission FCC 18-8
STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL O’RIELLY
Re:    Amendment of Section 73.3613 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the Filing of Contracts, MB 
Docket No. 18-4; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, MB Docket No. 17-105
Today, the Commission launches a rulemaking to consider eliminating the requirement that 
broadcasters file at the Commission certain contracts and other documents (“Section 73.3613 
documents”) that they already make available in their public files.  This is common sense and fits nicely 
with efforts I have pushed over the last few years to remove unnecessary requirements imposed on 
American broadcasters.  Perhaps these rules at one time served a purpose, but as of last year only about 
500 people – or an average of less than 1.4 people per day – visited the Commission’s Reference 
Information Center where all Section 73.3613 documents are made available, and that figure includes 
both FCC staff and people viewing other available files.  The fact is, as broadcaster’s public files have 
gone online, this is nothing more than an outdated burden resulting in duplicative information.  
I look forward to quickly concluding this and the other media modernization items the 
Commission teed up last year.