Summary of FCCs Public Notice, MB Docket No. 24-148
From the Desk of Davina Sashkin, July 10, 2026
Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP
Today, the FCC’s Media Bureau (the “Bureau”) released a Public Notice which: (1) announced that July 9, 2026 was the effective date of certain rules that the FCC adopted in its December 2025 Report and Order, which revised the FCC’s rules applicable to LPTV Service stations (i.e., Class A TV, LPTV, and TV translator stations); and (2) provided guidance regarding filing new and major change applications for LPTV and TV translator stations.
Our summary of the Public Notice is provided below.
A. Effective Date of LPTV Service Rules
The Bureau announced that the following rule amendments and additions adopted in the Report and Order—which required approval of the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) under the Paperwork Reduction Act prior to becoming effective—are now effective as of July 9, 2026:
The Bureau also noted that certain other rule amendments adopted in the Report and Order required changes to the FCC’s forms—meaning that they needed OMB approval before becoming effective, including:
47 CFR § 73.6001(d) (Class A to LPTV status change applications for stations no longer eligible for Class A status);
47 CFR § 73.6002(a)(2) (updating Class A license application form reference from “FCC Form 302-CA” to “FCC Form 2100 Schedule F”);
47 CFR § 73.6002(b)(2) (Class A station community of license change applications for Class A stations);
47 CFR § 74.787(a)(1)(ii) (LPTV and TV translator community of license
change applications); and
47 CFR § 74.787(a)(2)(ii) (LPTV to TV translator status change applications
As OMB approval remains pending for those rules, the Bureau stated that it will issue a separate Public Notice announcing when those rule amendments will take effect.
B. Guidance Concerning the Ongoing LPTV Filing Opportunity
The Bureau provided guidance for applicants completing the FCC Form 2100 – Schedule C in filing for new LPTV and TV translator stations. Specifically, for the “Attributable Interest – Other Authorizations” section of the application, which asks “Does the applicant or any party to the application have an attributable interest in any other broadcast station(s),” the Bureau clarified that the question may be answered by applicants as follows:
“Yes” – Applicants must include an exhibit listing the applicant’s attributable interests in other broadcast station(s)
“No” – Applicants without interests in any other broadcast station must provide this answer
“N/A” – Although the Bureau did not previously accept applications with an “N/A” response, the Bureau stated that applications would not be rejected solely on the basis of providing such a response and any pending applications providing an “N/A” response do not need to be amended
The Bureau also stated that it will be issuing a separate Public Notice regarding the treatment of mutually exclusive (“MX”) new and major change LPTV and TV translator applications (group of applications that cannot all be granted together pursuant to the FCC’s technical rules), and will also provide further guidance for resolving MX applications through settlement or engineering amendment—which may be submitted either before or during a settlement window.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Davina Sashkin | dsashkin@wbklaw.com
Partner
Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP