Davis Wright Tremaine LLP: Advisory Bulletin, June 27, 2008-- By July 10, 2008, all full-power television stations must electronically file an FCC Form 388 “DTV Quarterly Activity Station Report” with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) detailing the station's efforts to educate viewers about the digital television (DTV) transition.

Consistent with the Commission's mandate, broadcast stations must provide viewers with information about the upcoming DTV transition by airing information about the transition including public service announcements (PSAs), crawls, tickers, and longer-format programs.

As part of Form 388 filed for the first quarter of 2008, commercial stations elected to follow one of two compliance options, while non-commercial stations selected from three options. Consistent with the option chosen, stations should have been airing and logging PSAs, crawls, tickers, etc., during the preceding three months designed to educate and inform consumers about the DTV transition in general, and the station's DTV transition plans in particular.

Details about the requirements can be found in an article on our blog. As set forth in these documents, the Form 388 DTV Quarterly Activity Station Report will summarize both the mandatory and voluntary consumer education activities undertaken by a station in the Second Quarter of 2008, from April 1, 2008 through and including June 30, 2008.