Stations Must Add Carriage Election Contacts to Online Public Files by July 31, 2020

In July 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) modernized its carriage election notice rules by permitting broadcasters to post their carriage elections online, and to send notices to covered multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) by email only when changing their carriage election status. The approach replaces the requirement to send a paper notice via certified mail to MVPDs every three years. A key element of the new system is the requirement for stations to establish a contact email address and phone number for any carriage-related questions from MVPDs and to post that contact information in their public files. To facilitate the revised carriage election procedures, the FCC has updated the OPIF system to allow broadcasters to upload carriage-related contact information. The information may be uploaded by signing into OPIF, accessing the "Profile" tab, and completing the "Carriage Election Contact Information" fields. Broadcasters must upload their carriage election contact information by July 31, 2020. Elections for the 2021-2023 carriage cycle must be made no later than October 1, 2020. For further information, see the Media Bureau's Public Notice.