(December 8, 2017) – Today the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) formal rulemaking repealing the main studio rule was published in the Federal Register. Now the clock is ticking toward actual elimination of the rule on January 8, 2018.
This action does away with a long-standing requirement that AM, FM, and television broadcast stations had to maintain a main studio in or near their communities of license. The FCC also eliminates existing requirements associated with the rule, including the requirement that the main studio have full-time management and staff present during normal business hours, and that it have program origination capability.
In June 2017 the FCC first proposed eliminating the rule via a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Two provisions of the old rule will continue, though. Broadcasters must maintain a local or toll-free telephone number and maintain any portion of their public file that is not part of the online public file at a publicly accessible location within the station’s community of license.
For further information you can contact Diana Sokolow of the Policy Division, Media Bureau, (202) 418-2120.