David O'Connor

[Commentary] A briefing on the legal and regulatory proceedings affecting broadcasters covers the following topics: Aereo, CALM Act (meant to end loud TV commercials), Class A TV, closed captioning, equal employment opportunity rules, emergency information, FCC commissioners, filing freeze, foreign investment in broadcasting, incentive auction, indecency, joint sales agreements, license renewals, LPTV stations, online public inspection files, ownership limits, ownership reporting, political broadcasting, public interest programming disclosure, retransmission consent/must carry, sponsorship id, sports blackout rules, tower and antenna issues, UHF discount, video descriptions, white spaces.

With so many new regulations and challenges facing television broadcasters, it’s hard to keep track of all the changes. So how can stations, while tending to their own businesses, keep up with it all? With FCC Watch, an exclusive briefing on some of the major issues at the Federal Communications Commission prepared by David Oxenford and David O'Connor, attorneys in the Washington law offices of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP.

In alphabetical order, from Aereo to White Spaces/Unlicensed Devices. Some highlights in between include new closed captioning standards for TV and IP content, emergency information, incentive auction/repacking, joint sales agreements, political broadcasting, retransmission consent/must-carry, and regulations on sports blackouts.