FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              News Media Contact:
April 21, 2000                     Rosemary Kimball at (202)418-0500



FCC ISSUES NEW BROADCAST AND CABLE INITIAL ELECTION STATEMENT

Washington, D.C.    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today
issued a new Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) form, the Broadcast and Cable
Initial Election Statement (Statement).  

The FCC will mail the Statement with an explanatory cover letter to all
broadcasters and cable entities. 

 Broadcast station employment units with five or more full-time employees, and
cable employment units with six or more full-time employees, must submit the form to
the FCC to specify which recruitment and outreach program they will utilize for a two-
year period.  Entities will indicate whether they will use the EEO supplemental
recruitment measures, or the alternative recruitment option, as described in the new
broadcast and cable EEO rules which became effective April 17, 2000.  See Review of
the Commission's Broadcast and Cable Equal Employment Opportunity Rules and
Policies and Termination of the EEO Streamlining Proceeding, Report and Order, MM
Docket Nos. 96-16, 98-204, FCC 00-20, 15 FCC Rcd 2329, 2364-5 (2000). 

 Broadcast station employment units with fewer than five full-time employees,
and cable employment units with fewer than six full-time employees, are not required to
file the Statement.  

Broadcasters and cable entities must file two copies of the Statement with the
FCC by June 2, 2000, and place another copy in their public files.  A broadcaster does
not have to choose the same recruitment option for all of its employment units.  

Mass Media Bureau contact:  EEO Staff (202)418-1450