This past Monday (7/17). the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a public notice reminding all U.S. broadcast licensees of the importance of filing their biennial ownership reports. Doing so requires the use of FCC Form 323 or 323-E, per Commission rules.

As such, licensees of commercial and non-commercial full power television, Class A television, low power television, AM radio, and FM radio stations must file biennial ownership reports with the Commission; it is something done in odd-numbered years.

Accordingly, the next filing window for biennial ownership reports currently is scheduled to open on October 2, 2023.  The Ownership Reports detail a company’s ownership and control as of October 1, 2023 (and can be filed any time after that date through December 1).

“Reporting such information has long been a fundamental obligation of broadcast licensees,” the Media Bureau notes. “The accurate, and timely, filing of ownership information is critical to ensuring that the public knows who owns, operates, and controls broadcast stations. Additionally, accurate and timely ownership information is crucial to an understanding of the broadcast industry as a whole, including an understanding of the diversity and multiplicity of owners.”

And, the Media Bureau adds, “Given the importance of the biennial ownership reporting requirement, both to inform the Commission and the public as to the station’s current ownership, and to support the Commission’s policy-making efforts with comprehensive, reliable data reflecting the race, gender, and ethnicity of attributable interest holders in broadcast stations, we encourage licensees to prepare in advance for the upcoming October 2, 2023 biennial filing window.”

See the public notice here.