FCC LMS and Online Public File Systems Unreliable in Recent Filing Deadlines

At numerous points during the month of January, the FCC’s online license management system (LMS) used in the filing and granting of applications and reports by broadcasters was either unavailable or operated with large latencies.  As of this writing, the FCC had not extended any filing deadlines.  The FCC’s online public file (OPIF) system was also slow or unavailable. While slower functioning is usually experienced at peak times, the periodic unavailability of LMS and OPIF for multiple periods each day were very unusual.

All commercial TV stations had to draft and file annual children’s television reports in LMS and upload annual children’s television commercial limits certifications/documentation by January 30.  Poor LMS and OPIF system performance directly hampered those efforts.

We learned for the first time in trying to obtain FCC action on pending applications that the FCC staff experiences these same interruptions in service.  So, delays in application grants were also an outcome of these latest system glitches.

We’ve long said that the FCC should not make compliance more difficult or time-consuming.  Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in January.

If not addressed in the short- or long-term, broadcasters should continue to expect serious interruptions in LMS and OPIF when many stations face the same deadlines. Planning for and filing well ahead of deadlines is always recommended.