Broadcasters Seek Stay of Foreign Content ID
The FCC should stay its foreign-sponsored content order until the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit resolves the legal challenge (see 2108130074) from NAB, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and the National Association of Black Owned…
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Broadcasters, said those groups in a stay petition in FCC docket 20-299 Friday. Broadcast network affiliate groups have also sought a clarification of the order at the FCC (see 2107190053). Broadcasters will suffer “irreparable harm” from the order’s requirements that stations must determine whether entities leasing time on-air are agents of foreign governments, the petitions said. The order will require broadcasters “to spend tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire and train employees” plus “engage counsel to review their lease agreements,” the stay petition said. A stay falls within the public interest because sponsorship identification rules already exist and the possible negative effects outweigh the benefits, the broadcasters argued. “The vast majority” of broadcast lease agreements “have no possible connection to foreign governmental entities,” the stay request said. The agency didn’t comment Monday.