All low-power TV and TV translators must terminate their analog operations by July 13, regardless of whether their digital facilities are operational, the FCC Media Bureau said in a reminder public notice Thursday. Stations that haven’t built a digital facility have to go silent by the deadline and stay that way until they have digital facilities, said the PN. “If a station goes silent prior to completing construction of its digital facility, it may file a request for silent authority.” Stations can ask for a 180-day extension of their digital construction permits but must file the request by March 15. Those requests must demonstrate circumstances beyond the licensee’s control, the PN said. Stations are required to notify viewers of the transition, the PN said.

The FCC Media Bureau is seeking comment on several channel substitution requests, said public notices posted Thursday. KHQA Licensee wants to move its KHQA-TV Hannibal, Missouri, from channel 7 to 22. Dominion Broadcasting wants to swap WLMB Toledo from channel 5 to 35. WLUK Licensee wants to move WLUK-TV Green Bay, Wisconsin, from channel 12 to 18. WFXL Licensee wants to swap WFXL Albany, Georgia, from channel 12 to 29. Federal Register publication will determine deadlines

New sponsorship identification requirements for foreign-sponsored content should apply to “long form foreign government-provided programming aired pursuant to leasing arrangements,” said Fox in a call with FCC Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey Monday, per a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-299. It would be “appropriate” to require stations carrying such programming to check the Foreign Agents Registration Act registration list and base disclosure rules on the list, Fox said. Fox’s KICU-TV San Jose airs programming from the China Government Television Network and began running a continuous disclosure of the content’s source after learning in 2020 that CGTN was designated a foreign mission: “CGTN did not notify the station it was registered under FARA or as a foreign mission,” Fox said. “Although not required by the current FCC sponsorship identification rules, given the designation, we felt the disclosure was necessary for full transparency.”

Comments are due March 17, replies March 29 in docket 21–59 on Scripps' FCC petition to move KRIS-TV Corpus Christi, Texas, from channel 13 to 26, said Tuesday's Federal Register. It said the deadline for comments in docket 21-61 on Gray Television's request to shift KCBD Lubbock, Texas, from channel 11 to 36 and KHGI Licensee's request in docket 21-55 to swap KHGI-TV Kearney, Nebraska, from channel 13 to 18 is April 1, replies April 16.

E.W. Scripps Q4 sales rose 40% to $591 million over Q4 2019, the company reported Friday. It's “a full-scale television company and the largest holder of broadcast spectrum in the country," following its acquisition of Ion, said CEO Adam Symson.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau mailed the first batch of equal employment opportunity audit letters for 2021 Thursday, said a public notice. Each year, about 5% of all stations are selected for EEO audits.

U.S. Bank in St. Louis will stop processing manual FCC Media Bureau filing fee payments made to P.O. Box 979089 effective May 25, said Wednesday's Federal Register. The post office box closure and switch to mandatory electronic payments was approved in December (see 2012100057).

The FCC broadcast internet proceeding clarifying rules for datacasting with ATSC 3.0 takes effect March 25, said Tuesday's Federal Register. The order, which affects how broadcaster ancillary fees are calculated, was approved 5-0 in December (see 2012100071).

NAB spoke with FCC Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey Thursday on “the appropriate scope” of possible foreign-sponsored content disclosure rules, said a filing posted in docket 20-199 Tuesday. The group discussed “tightening the focus of any such requirements” and “the standard of reasonable diligence that broadcasters may be required to meet.”

The FCC Media Bureau Video Division seeks comment on Gray Television’s request to shift KSNB-TV Superior, Nebraska, to channel 24 in York, Nebraska, said a Monday public notice. “Because Gray’s proposal that the Division allot channel 24 to York is not mutually exclusive with its existing channel 4 allotment at Superior, and would result in removal of Superior’s sole local transmission outlet,” the request would require a waiver, the PN said. Another PN sought comments, also with forthcoming deadlines, on Gray's request to swap the channel of KCBD Lubbock, Texas, from 11 to 36.