At its February 14th meeting, the FCC gave a rather significant Valentine’s Day gift to broadcasters, eliminating the requirement that larger radio and television stations submit the EEO Mid-Term Report. Why the change? Most of the information required for an EEO mid-term review is already available in a broadcaster’s Online Public Inspection File. The change in rules will be effective on May 1, 2019.

As of February 8, broadcasters no longer need to physically post and maintain copies of their licenses and other related information in their buildings. It was back in late 2018 that the Federal Communications Commission adopted the policy that eliminated the requirement to post broadcast licenses at a physical location. At the time, the commission said that the goal was to remove unnecessary regulatory burdens. Earlier rules also required all LPTV, translator and booster stations to post certain information at the transmitter site. In its ruling, the commission said it found “no continued need for broadcasters to separately identify a local representative or a custodian of station records and display such information.”