FCC Eliminates Paper Filing for Broadcast Station Contracts

The Federal Communications Commission eliminated the nearly 80-year-old requirement that broadcasters routinely file paper copies of station contracts and certain other documents. Broadcasters have the option of either uploading these documents directly to their online public inspection file or maintaining an up-to-date list in of these documents in their online file and providing copies of the documents to requesting parties within seven days. Thus, the routine paper filing requirement is redundant and unnecessary. Eliminating these paper filings, and instead relying on the online public file rules, will reduce burdens on broadcasters while preserving transparency and ease of access to station documents for both the FCC and the public.