Broadcasters disagreed on loosening local ownership rules for radio and targeted MVPDs and public interest groups, in replies posted in docket 18-349 through Monday. Allen Media opposed United Church of Christ and Free Press calls for FCC studies of demographic data. “Absent concrete Commission action, not further study, the number of broadcast stations owned by racial minorities will remain disproportionately small,” Allen Media said. “The time for Commission action is now -- not another decade.” There’s “an urgent need” for the FCC “to improve its data collection by analyzing and publicly releasing data in a more timely fashion (closer to real time),” said the National Hispanic Media Coalition. The FCC “has no authority to skip the 2018 review and roll that quadrennial into the upcoming 2022 review” to provide more time for studies, NAB said. IHeartMedia said the FCC should try to do no harm to broadcasters, and eliminating AM subcaps and preserving FM caps would be in the public interest. “Deregulation of the existing ownership rule could very well cause further setbacks in AM radio,” said Salem Media. “Local radio simply cannot compete effectively in today’s market without the ability to expand locally to offer a broader array of formats and services,” said Alpha Media. Midsized radio firms including Connoisseur and Townsquare said jointly that relaxing the caps would aid diversity. “If an industry promises declining revenues as global giants suck revenue out of the market, new entrants (and their investors) will turn to other industries to invest their time and financial resources,” said the radio companies. Nexstar and Gray Television urged eliminating local TV ownership limits and the top four prohibition. “Repealing the Duopoly Rule -- or at least the Top 4 Restriction -- will free broadcasters to do what they do best,” said Gray. All four broadcast network affiliate associations agreed and urged the agency to retain the dual network rule. “It protects against an unfair and counterproductive tilt in favor of the national broadcast networks,” said those groups. The American Television Alliance urged closing “loopholes” -- such as using multicasting to control multiple top four feeds -- that let stations own duopolies. Gray called ATVA’s arguments “deeply misleading.”

The filing window for 2021 biennial broadcast ownership reports is open until Dec. 1, said an FCC Media Bureau reminder public notice. The bureau holds an online public information session on the process Tuesday at 2 p.m., Friday's PN said.

The FCC should have timed release of Form 323 broadcast ownership data to coincide with its call for refreshing the record of the 2018 quadrennial review, said the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in replies posted in docket 18-349 Friday. The FCC “instead waited until the middle of the comment cycle to produce two-year-old data,” said the filing. “Given the current low numbers, the FCC must not take any action that will harm race and gender ownership diversity.” Radio ownership caps are a “hindrance” to agency goals and should be eliminated, said broadcaster Summit Media. “Market sub-caps do not promote localism or diversity in broadcast ownership.” If the FCC doesn’t eliminate ownership caps, at a minimum take up NAB’s proposal to reduce limits on FM stations and do away with AM caps, Summit said. Merge 2018's QR into 2022's and take the time to gather data, reiterated (see 2108270047) University of Minnesota assistant professor-media law Christopher Terry and Seattle University associate professor-communication Caitlin Ring Carlson. They offered up a new study of 1990 to 2010 radio content as evidence of declining diversity. Large radio combinations don’t lead to increased programming diversity, the filing said. “Black and women’s specialty programming both decreased.” Add two “Public Interest Commissioners,” said Sue Wilson, director of Media Action Center. Wilson urged the FCC to do empirical studies, and to tighten radio subcaps.

Comments are due Nov. 1, replies Nov. 15, on two Gray Television channel substitution requests, says Friday’s Federal Register. Filings are due in docket 21-126 for KNOE-TV Monroe, Louisiana, and its requested shift from Channel 8 to 24, and in docket 21-125 for WYMT-TV Hazard, Kentucky, and its request to switch from 12 to 20.

Comments are due Nov. 1, replies Nov. 15, on a request for a new channel allotment at Fort Bragg, California, from One Ministries, says Thursday’s Federal Register. One Ministries wants Channel *4, which would be the community’s first local noncommercial educational service, the FR said. It's docket 21-123.

The FCC Media Bureau agreed to a $500 settlement over late filings by Montana State University-Northern’s student-run KNMC(FM) Havre, said a consent decree Wednesday. The license renewal application was due Dec. 1 and filed March 31. The station must implement a plan to ensure future compliance with online public file rules and renewal deadlines.

The FCC Media Bureau proposed a $3,000 forfeiture for Carlos Lopez over late-filed renewal applications for Texas FM translator K240FC Conroe, Texas, and another translator listed as K287BP, said a notice of apparent liability Tuesday: K287BP doesn't appear to be a station listed in the FCC's consolidated database system. The Media Bureau declined to comment on the call letters, but the NAL said K287BP is in South Padre Island, Texas. The applications were due April 1 but weren’t filed until May 20. “The licensee does not provide an explanation for its failure to timely file the applications,” the NAL said.

The FCC Media Bureau proposed a $9,000 fine for Nexstar’s WDHN Dothan, Alabama, for apparent violations of FCC public file requirements, said a notice of apparent liability Tuesday. WDHN uploaded TV issues/programs lists late and “did not provide any explanation for its failure,” the NAL said. The station “uploaded 5 lists more than one year late, 4 lists between one month and one year late, and 5 lists between one day and one month late,” the NAL said. The violations came to light during the station’s license renewal process, and the NAL said the renewal will be granted when the forfeiture proceeding is complete.

The FCC Media Bureau proposed $3,000 forfeitures for two stations that violated public file rules, said notices of apparent liability Monday. WBEC-TV Boca Raton, Florida -- owned by the Broward County School Board -- and Nexstar’s WYCW Asheville, North Carolina, apparently failed to timely file their quarterly issues/program lists. WBEC uploaded one list “more than one year late, 6 lists between one month and one year late, and 2 lists between one day and one month late,” its NAL said. WYCW uploaded “four lists more than one year late and three lists between one month and one year late,” its NAL said. Both stations said they will prevent future late filings, and the NALs said their renewal applications will be granted after the enforcement proceedings.

Most political advertising rules apply to state and local races, Wilkinson Barker broadcast attorney David Oxenford blogged Monday. “Most broadcast stations don’t think much about the FCC’s political broadcasting rules in odd-numbered years,” but nonfederal races “trigger most of the same FCC obligations,” Oxenford said. The only difference is federal elections come with a requirement that stations sell candidates “a reasonable amount of advertising during the various classes of advertising time,” Oxenford said.