Television online public file deadline approaching

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FCCThe FCC has sent out a reminder that full power and Class A television stations should have been populating their public files with material since 8/2/12, not necessarily including political material, and that the online files should be fully populated, with the same possible political exception, by 2/4/13.


The political requirement only applies to Big Four affiliates in the top 50 DMAs, although other stations may voluntarily include the contents of their political file online if they so desire.

As for other matters, the FCC reminded the affected stations that all file-pertinent material that came into existence since the 8/2/12 birth of the online filing system should be there already, and that all earlier material in the file should be included by 2/4/13. For example, the issues/program lists for Q3 2012, due in early in October, should be in, and all others should be added by the February deadline.

As for political, no station need go any further into the past than 8/2/12. And the thus-far exempt stations have quite a while before they have to worry about it – they do not have to begin online posting of political until 7/1/14.