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Collection of documents that broadcast stations must maintain

A public file (or public inspection file) is a collection of documents required past a broadcasting authority to be maintained by all broadcast stations under its jurisdiction.

Such a file is required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States, and by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Committee (CRTC). The public inspection file must be maintained at the station'south main studio and it must be accessible to anyone during business hours. Stations are required to provide copies at the requester'southward expense, or if the facility is outside of the community of license, provide copies via mail at their own expense. Every bit of November 2007, the FCC required public inspection files must also be maintained on the station'south website,^[1] ^[2] ^[three] and are optionally distributed to public libraries in the station's circulate area for the sake of convenience. In these cases, public correspondence from viewers and political reports are usually left out due to cost concerns or misuse of the information provided. The FCC itself began to maintain a site in 2014 where a station can upload their public file components, assuasive the public full admission to the materials contained within without the restrictions of business organisation hours or a studio visit. The latter move to website access allowed stations to easily close their studios to public admission during the COVID-19 pandemic to forestall possible cross-contamination to station employees unknowingly from the public.

All or part of the file may be maintained in digital format equally long as it is attainable at the fourth dimension of inspection.

FCC-required contents [edit]

U.Due south. stations must keep the post-obit materials in their public inspection file:

[edit]

The musical instrument of authorization shows the station'southward frequency, call letters, operating power, transmitter location, etc., as well as whatever special weather condition imposed by the FCC on the station'south operation. The license also shows when it was issued and when it will elapse.

Applications and related materials [edit]

The public file must contain copies of all applications filed with the FCC that are all the same awaiting before either the FCC or the courts. These include applications to sell the station or to alter its facilities (for example, to increase ability, change the antenna system, or alter the transmitter location). Too, the station must proceed copies of any construction or sales application whose grant required us^{[ who? ]} to waive our^{[ who? ]} rules.

Citizen agreements [edit]

Stations must keep a copy of any written agreements they make with local viewers or listeners. These "denizen agreements" deal with programming, employment, or other issues of customs concern. The station must go along these agreements in the public file for every bit long as they are in event.

Contour maps [edit]

The public file must contain copies of any service contour maps or other information submitted with whatsoever application filed with the FCC that reflects the station's service contours and/or its chief studio and transmitter location, if in that location are any, equally not all stations are required to have contour maps.

Political file [edit]

Per Section 73.1943 [1], licensees are required to document each political candidate'due south broadcasts.

Material relating to an FCC investigation or a complaint [edit]

Stations must go along material relating to whatsoever matter that is the subject of an FCC investigation or complaint.

Equal employment opportunity file [edit]

Per Section 73.2080 [2], licensees are required to keep records related to equal opportunity employment (EEO).

The Public and Broadcasting [edit]

The FCC has a publication entitled The Public and Broadcasting, which must be kept in the file.

Letters and email from the public [edit]

All correspondence from the public must be filed.

Issues and programs listing [edit]

All broadcast facilities must continue a listing of plan material aired for the betterment of the local community. Television receiver stations must take records concerning commercial limits and children's programming, forth with their compliance with the E/I rule.

Local public discover announcements [edit]

Upon filing for license renewal, section 73.3580 [3] states broadcast facilities must brand public announcements of their intention to continue broadcasting and notify the community that they may annotate on the functioning of the licensee. Dates and times of these broadcasts must be maintained in the public file.

Time brokerage agreements [edit]

For commercial facilities, a copy of every contract or agreement for brokered time must be available. Local marketing agreements (LMAs) are also included.

Must-bear or retransmission consent election [edit]

Class A television stations are required to certificate any agreements regarding must-carry or retransmission consent which they accept with local cable TV systems.

Ownership reports and related fabric [edit]

The public file must contain a copy of the most contempo, consummate Buying Study filed for the station. This report has the names of the owners of the station and their ownership interests, lists any contracts related to the station that are required to be filed with the FCC, and identifies whatever interest held by the station licensee in other broadcast stations.

Listing of contracts required to be filed with the FCC [edit]

Stations have to keep either a copy of all the contracts or an up-to-appointment list identifying all such contracts they have on file with the FCC.

Articulation sales agreements [edit]

For commercial facilities, any joint sales betwixt the two must exist documented.

Class A TV continuing eligibility [edit]

Per Section 73.6001 [4], course A tv set stations must keep copies of their continued eligibility.

CRTC-required contents [edit]

Canadian stations must keep the post-obit materials in their public inspection file:

This department needs expansion. You tin can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

Notes [edit]

The official rules from the FCC are contained in Title 47 CFR Part 73:

Commercial broadcast services (73.3526)
Non-commercial/educational broadcast services (73.3527)

Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527 are not applicative to low-power FM and TV stations and applicants.

References [edit]

^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-205A1.pdf^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
^ enhanced disclosure, From 355, television set station, public file, programming obligations, airtight caption, video description, public interest, multicasting, localism, PSA, public service announcements, news programming, public affairs programming Broad... Archived 2008-04-20 at the Wayback Auto
^ West Virginia Broadcasters Association - Serving Westward Virginia Broadcasters for nearly 60 Years. . . - FCC Adopts Rules Requiring Television receiver Stations to Keep Public File on Website - and Adopts New Requirements

External links [edit]

FCC Public Inspection Files Database
Radio and Television Circulate Rules - Title 47 CFR Part 73 (Official)

chenstioned91.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_file