TVs, MVPDs Need to Update FCC ID Info

Potentially auction-winning broadcasters who want to get paid their millions, or hundreds of millions, of dollars, and all broadcasters and cable operators who want to get paid for moving expanses in the post-broadcast incentive auction TV station repack, will need to update their info at the FCC.

The Incentive Auction Task Force Dec. 18 teamed with the Office of Managing Director and the Media Bureau to release a tutorial Monday, which has been uploaded to YouTube, on how to make sure they are eligible to get paid.

The FCC has updated its version of the Commission Registration System (CORES) and full-power and Class A low power TV stations and MVPDs who could be winning bidders or who will be moving afterwards will need to update their information as well.

The CORES updates were mean to boost security of the records, usability of the system, and some statues governing debt collections and personal information.

All entities who do business with the FCC, which includes any media outlets getting money related to the broadcast incentive auction, have to update their info.

The following are the key updates:"(1) designating specific FCC Usernames to access FCC Registration Numbers (FRNs) and related records (multiple usernames for each FRN with different levels of access are permitted); (2) valid email addresses for online access to the system; and (3) establishing password-recovery security questions specific to each Username."

The incentive auction could be over as early as late January. The FCC Monday boosted the bidding in stage four of the reverse auction--TV stations bidding to give up spectrum--from two rounds per day to three.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.