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FCC's Requirements

The Commission's rule regarding broadcast of telephone conversations is set forth at Section 73.1206 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 73.1206.

Pursuant to this rule, before recording a telephone conversation for broadcast, or broadcasting such a conversation simultaneously with its occurrence, a licensee shall inform any party to the call of the licensee's intention to broadcast the conversation, except where such party is aware, or may be presumed to be aware from the circumstances of the conversation that it is being or likely will be broadcast. Such awareness is presumed to exist only when the other party to the call is associated with the station (such as an employee or part-time reporter), or where the other party originates the call and it is obvious that it is in connection with a program in which the station customarily broadcasts telephone conversations.

Recent Enforcement Actions

11-28-2014 Newport Television, LLC (ORDER & CONSENT DECREE)
08-23-2012 Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc. (ERRATUM)
08-22-2012 WSKQ Licensing, Inc. (FORFEITURE ORDER)
08-22-2012 Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc. (FORFEITURE ORDER)
05-21-2012 Nassau Broadcasting III, LLC (ERRATUM)
05-17-2012 Nassau Broadcasting III, LLC (NAL)
06-03-2011 AMFM Radio Licenses, L.L.C., WHTZ(FM), Newark, New Jersey (ORDER & CONSENT DECREE)
02-16-2011 Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company, Inc., WZNT(FM), San Juan, Puerto Rico (NAL)
02-02-2011 REJOYNETWORK, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina (PFR Order)
04-23-2010 WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami Beach, Florida (FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-05-2010 Tidewater Communications LLC (ORDER ON REVIEW)
02-04-2010 WSKQ Licensing, Inc., WSKQ-FM, New York, New York (NAL)
02-04-2010 REJOYNETWORK, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina (FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-17-2009 Cumulus Licensing LLC, WTWR-FM, Luna Pier, MI (NAL)
02-17-2009 RCK 1 Group, LLC, WKKX(AM), Wheeling, West Virginia (FORFEITURE ORDER)
10-17-2008 WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami Beach, FL; WSKQ Licensing, Inc., WSKQ(FM), New York, New York (NAL)
10-16-2008 Rejoynetwork, LLC, WAAW(FM), Williston, South Carolina (NAL)
07-07-2008 Capstar TX Limited Partnership (NAL)
06-09-2008 ProActive Communications, Inc., KQQB-FM, Newport, Washington (NAL)
03-07-2008 WMGO Broadcasting Corp., Inc., WMGO(AM), Canton, Mississippi (FORFEITURE ORDER)
02-20-2008 Courier Communications Corp., WNOV(AM), Milwaukee, Wisconsin (NAL)
12-17-2007 3 Point Media - Salt Lake City, LLC, KHTB(FM), Provo, Utah (NAL)
05-24-2007 Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York (ORDER ON REVIEW)
03-06-2007 RCK 1 Group, LLC, WKKX(AM), Wheeling, West Virginia (NAL)
03-02-2007 WMGO Broadcasting Corp., Inc., WMGO(AM), Canton, Mississippi (NAL)
01-30-2007 Citicasters Licenses, L.P., WFLZ-FM, Tampa, Florida (NAL)
05-02-2006 Saga Communications of New England, Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts (ORDER)
11-15-2005 KOFI, Inc., KZMN(FM), Kalispell, Montana (FORFEITURE ORDER)
07-18-2005 Noe Corp., L.L.C., Monroe, Louisiana (FORFEITURE ORDER)
03-17-2005 KOFI, Inc., KZMN(FM), Kalispell, Montana (NAL)
03-02-2005 Saga Communications of New England, Inc., WLZX(FM), Northampton, Massachusetts (ORDER ON
RECON.)
02-24-2005 Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York (ORDER ON
RECON.)
01-13-2005 Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, Ohio (NAL)
01-13-2005 NOE Corp. LLC, KNOE-TV, Monroe, Louisiana (NAL)
01-12-2005 Univision Radio License Corporation; Tichenor License Corporation (NAL)
12-21-2004 AMFM Radio Licenses, LLC, WKQI(FM), Detroit, Michigan (NAL)
11-24-2004 Mid-Missouri Broadcasting, Inc., KOQL(FM), Ashland, Missouri (NAL)
11-24-2004 WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami, Florida (FORFEITURE ORDER)
10-15-2004 Saga Communications of New England, Inc., Northampton, Massachusetts (FORFEITURE ORDER)
04-23-2004 WXDJ Licensing, Inc., WXDJ(FM), North Miami, Florida (NAL)
02-19-2004 Saga Communications of New England, Inc., WLZX(FM), Northampton, Massachusetts; Western Mass Radio Company, WRNX(FM), Amherst, Massachusetts (NAL)
02-19-2004 Cumulus Licensing Corp., WSEA-FM, Atlantic Beach, South Carolina (NAL)
10-07-2003 Tempe Radio, Inc., KUPD(FM), Tempe, Arizona (NAL)
08-05-2003 Infinity Radio Operations, Inc., WBLK(FM), Buffalo, New York (NAL)
11-07-2002 Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA (M.O.&O.)
06-13-2002 Results Radio Licensee, LLC, KHRD(FM), Weaverville, CA (NAL)
04-11-2002 Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA (ERRATUM)
03-29-2002 Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc., WGBF (FM), Henderson, KY (NAL)
03-19-2002 AMFM Radio Licenses, LLC, WWDC-FM, Washington, DC (NAL)
02-06-2002 Entercom New Orleans License, LLC, WEZB-FM, New Orleans, LA (NAL)
11-13-2001 Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C. (M.O.&O.)
08-14-2001 EZ Sacramento, Inc., KHTK(AM), Sacramento, CA; Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM, Manassas, VA (M.O.&O.)
02-20-2001 EZ Sacramento, Inc., KHTK(AM), Sacramento, CA; Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM, Manassas, VA (M.O.&O.)
02-20-2001 El Mundo Broadcasting Corporation, WKAQ(AM), WUKQ(AM) (FORFEITURE ORDER)
11-30-2000 Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc., WINZ(AM), Miami, FL (NAL)
10-24-2000 El Mundo Broadcasting Corporation, WKAQ-AM, WUKQ-AM, Ponce, Puerto Rico (NAL)
09-21-2000 EZ Sacramento, Inc., Sacramento, CA, Infinity Broadcasting Corp. of Washington, D.C., Manassas, VA (M.O.&O.)
05-08-2000 WCMQ Licensing, Inc., WCMQ-FM, Hialeah, Florida (NAL)
03-09-2000 Noble Broadcast Licensees, Inc., WVKS(FM) (NAL )
03-08-2000 Infinity Broadcasting Corporation of Washington, D.C., WJFK-FM (NAL)
02-28-2000 Long Nine, Inc., WQLZ(FM) (FORFEITURE ORDER )



Complaints

To file a complaint of violation of this rule, the complainant generally should include the following information: (1) the call letters of the station; (2) the city and state where the station is located; (3) the time and date of the specific conversation in question; (4) the time and date the conversation was broadcast; (5) the name of the station personnel involved in the conversation; and (6) a description of the circumstances of the conversation.

Complaints of broadcast of telephone conversations in violation of the FCC's rules generally should include a statement of a party with first hand knowledge or information regarding the subject conversation.

Complaints should be sent to: Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, Investigations & Hearing Division, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.

last reviewed/updated on Mon Jul 13 17:20:22 EDT 2015


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