President Biden Renominates Sohn to FCC

After a drawn-out Senate battle last year which resulted in no confirmation, President Joe Biden has once again nominated Gigi Sohn for the fifth FCC Commissioner seat.

FCC Online Public File Woes

As many of you are aware – especially those subject to the looming January 10th issues/programs list upload deadline – the FCC’s online public file system has been painfully slow or nonfunctional since the beginning of this year. 

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy New Year from FHH!

January 10, 2023
Issues/Programs Lists – For all commercial and noncommercial radio, television, and Class A television stations, listings of each station’s most significant treatment of community issues during the fourth quarter of 2022 (October,

Next Phase-in of Audio Description Rules Begins January 1, 2023

The Federal Communications Commission released a reminder that as of January 1, 2023, the audio description rules adopted in the Commission’s 2020 Audio Description Order will go into effect in the following designated market areas (“DMAs”):

  • Madison
  • Waco-Temple-Bryan
  • Harlingen-Welasco-Brownsville-McAllen
  • Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg
  • Colorado Springs-Pueblo
  • Shreveport
  • Syracuse
  • Champaign and Springfield-Decatur
  • Savannah
  • Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City and Dubuque

The Audio Description Order expanded the number of DMAs required to install equipment for audio description.

More Emergency Alert System Proposed Changes and Reporting Requirements

To accompany its recently adopted modifications to the requirements for the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”), the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) to address the FCC’s ongoing concerns about operational readiness and the security of the EAS system from being acted or otherwise misused by bad actors.

Emergency Alert System Required Changes

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) recently adopted modifications to the requirements for the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”), and the new rules will go into effect on December 12,