WASHINGTON: The deadline is looming for kidvid filings. Full-power and Class A low-power TV stations must fill FCC Form 398 reports by April 10. Public inspection file documentation must also be available on that date.
Electronic filing is available for Form 398, which asks for station identification data as well as analog and digital core programming information. Details for digital core programming include the number of hours per week of children’s programming, whether the content was the same as that provided on the analog stream (if still transmitting), and the number of hours transmitted on digital multicast streams.
Core programming is defined as being at least 30 minutes, between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., appearing at least weekly. Certain limits apply to advertising and sponsorship in qualifying programming, which must comprise at least three hours of a station’s total weekly schedule.
Some of the shows listed in the FCC’s kidvid core program guide include “Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures,” “Doug,” “Animal Rescue,” “Veggie Tales” and “Bibleman.”
Univision ran afoul of the FCC’s kidvid rules two years ago and was levied with a $24 million fine over what it was defining as kid’s programming. It was the largest-ever fine levied for kidvid violations. – Deborah D. McAdams
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