The Commission has released its order imposing regulatory fees for 2024. As in past years, the amount of the broadcast regulatory fees owed will depend on the population covered by the stations.
The Commission’s regulatory fees are based for the most part on the number of full-time FCC employees devoted to regulating the business. NYSBA and other state broadcast associations have long argued that broadcasters are bearing an unfair burden of these fees.
This year we argued that the FCC should shift some of the costs associated with regulating broadcasting to other businesses such as broadband and other services. Unfortunately, the Commission declined to make a complete shift in its cost analysis. Nonetheless, our efforts have resulted in lower fees for stations over the past few years.
It is worth noting that the FCC is making some changes in its approach. First, beginning in 2025, they will no longer presumptively waive regulatory fees for “dark” or “silent” stations. The Commission stated that a dark or silent station does not necessarily mean the entity is in financial distress. Thus, starting next year, these stations may have to pay regulatory fees. Also, the FCC has eliminated some of the waiver approaches it adopted during the COVID crisis.
We expect the FCC to issue a Public Notice outlining the process and deadline for payment. Payment is due no later than 11:59 PM on September 26th.
The regulatory fees for television Appear in Appendix G on page 70 of the FCC’s order. Fees for radio stations can be found in Appendix C on page 58.
You can access the FCC’s Regulatory Fee Order here.
The FCC’s Public Notice outlining payment procedures and due dates can be found here.
An explanation of the payment process can be found on the FCC website here.
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