Higher FCC fines for a variety of violations have now gone into effect. That’s because federal agencies need to keep up with inflation.
The immediate impact on broadcast owners will be felt in the budget.
With one exception, the maximum penalty for violating the FCC’s rules or the Communications Act has risen nearly $10,000 from $37,500 to $47,340 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation, and from $400,000 to $473,402 for a continuing violation, according to Wileyonmedia.
The statutory maximum penalties for violating the indecency laws have always been higher than the general maximums, and have increased accordingly. After July 1, a broadcaster can be fined $383,038 for any single indecent broadcast (up from $350,000), up to a maximum of $3,535,740 for a continuing violation of the indecency laws (up from $3,300,000).
The new penalties went into effect July 1.
