Comment Deadline Extended for Broadcast Station Mandated Emergency Operational Outages Reporting

Comments can now be filed through May 13th in the FCC’s rulemaking proposing to change from optional to mandatory broadcast station operational status reporting during emergencies.  Currently, stations have the option of reporting status during disasters using the FCC’s Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).  If adopted, the new rule would require stations affected during or within a certain range of disasters to file reports in both DIRS and in the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS).

The new requirements would improve government reporting on disaster impacts as well as the funneling of government assistance to affected stations.  The reply comment deadline was also extended, and is June 12.