Media Bureau Expands Electronic Filing

The FCC’s Media Bureau has added a new feature to the Consolidated DataBase System (CDBS). Parties may now file the following pleadings electronically:

• Informal Objections
• Petitions to Deny
• Petitions for Reconsideration
• Applications for Review
• Replies
• Oppositions
• Supplements

The bureau said this feature “will make electronically filed pleadings promptly available to licensees, interested parties and the general public, thereby increasing the transparency of the broadcast licensing processes.”

The majority of the bureau’s official broadcast forms must be filed electronically. The bureau also permits applicants and licensees to submit certain non-form filings electronically. These include change of address, consummation notice, silent notification, special temporary authority, digital notification, notification of suspension, silent STA and DTV transition notification. The new filing feature expands permissive electronic filing to include the listed pleadings.

To access the pleadings submission form in the electronic filing system, log into a CDBS account at this site: http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts, and click on “additional non-form filings” at the bottom of the list of available electronic forms.

From the Informal Filings menu on the next screen, select “Informal Objection/Petition to Deny/Petition for Reconsideration/Application for Review/Opposition/Reply/Supplement.” The link will open the CDBS Pre-form for “Informal Objection/Petition to Deny/Petition for Reconsideration/Application for Review/Opposition/Reply/Supplement” where you select the type of pleading to be filed and enter the application file number to which the pleading pertains.

Upon completion of the Pre-form, click on “Enter.” The link will open the “Informal Objection/Petition to Deny/Petition for Reconsideration/Application for Review/Opposition/Reply/Supplement” Form.

Pleadings filed electronically shall be treated as properly transmitted to the commission as of the date of receipt.         

Please note that CDBS can be used only to file pleadings pertaining to broadcast applications, and cannot be used for pleadings relating to docketed proceedings (that is, proceedings that have a Docket Number, e.g., MB Docket No. 12-001). To file comments or pleadings in docketed proceedings, go to the Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS): http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs

Electronically filed pleadings will generally be available in CDBS Public Access the first business day after filing. Pleadings may be accessed via the Application Search screen in CDBS:  http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_sear.htm. Once locating an application on the Application Search Results screen, click on the “Info” link for that application. On the next screen, click on the “View Legal Actions” link to view any pleadings filed regarding that particular application. 

For more information about electronic submission of pleadings, see the CDBS Informal Filings FAQ page:  http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/faq_informal.htm.