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AGENCY:
Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION:
Compliance date deadline.
SUMMARY:
The Media Bureau reminds television stations not affiliated with the top four national networks and those licensed to markets below the top 50 that they must begin to comply with the online political file rules on July 1, 2014.
DATES:
Effective April 29, 2014. Deadline for compliance is July 1, 2014.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kim Matthews, Media Bureau, Policy Division, 202-418-2154, or email at kim.matthews@fcc.gov.
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This is a summary of the Media Bureau's document in MM Docket No. 00-168, DA 14-464, released on April 4, 2014. The full text of this document is available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. This document will also be available via ECFS at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Documents will be available electronically in ASCII, Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe Acrobat. Alternative formats are available for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) by sending an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or calling the Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
1. In the Second Report and Order in MM Docket Nos. 00-168 and 00-44, 77 FR 27631 (May 11, 2012),[]
the Commission required broadcast television stations to post their public files online in a Commission-hosted database rather than maintaining the files locally at their main studios.[]
With respect to political file documents that must be maintained in the public file, stations affiliated with the top four national networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox) licensed to serve communities in the top 50 Designated Market Areas (DMAs) were required to post political file documents online beginning August 2, 2012, but all other stations were exempted from posting their political file documents to their online public file until July 1, 2014.[]
2. This document is a reminder to television stations not affiliated with the top four national networks and those licensed to markets below the top 50 that they must begin to comply on July 1, 2014.[]
As noted above, on that date stations that are currently exempt must start uploading new political file material on a going-forward basis.[]
These stations are not required to upload political files placed in their public file prior to July 1, 2014; however, they are required to retain those documents at the station until the end of the two-year retention period.[]
Given that these television stations have already been required to use the online public file for documents other than the political file since August 2, 2012, we do not expect them to have difficulty determining how to upload new political file documents to the online file.
3. Members of the public and broadcasters will find answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Start Printed Page 23921the FCC's Web site (https://stations.fcc.gov/) if they have questions. For further information, you can contact the Licensing Support Hotline at (877) 480-3201 option 2, (717) 338-2888, or (717) 338-2824 (TTY). The Hotline is available to assist with questions Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. You may also submit requests and report any errors or problems with the online sites at https://esupport.fcc.gov/request.htm. In order to provide better service, all calls to the Hotline are recorded.
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Federal Communications Commission.
William T. Lake,
Chief, Media Bureau.
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[FR Doc. 2014-09761 Filed 4-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P