Important Dates for Filers

All television stations have transitioned their political file material to the online file as of July 1, 2014.

Commercial radio stations in the top 50 radio markets as defined by Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) that have 5 or more full-time employees must begin to begin uploading their public and political files to the Commission’s online public file on [insert pertinent date].  These stations will have an additional six months in which to upload their existing public files, with the exception of the political file which radio broadcasters may, but are not required, to upload to the online public file.

All other radio stations will have until March 1, 2018 to begin uploading new public and political file material to the Commission’s online file.  On that date, these stations must begin uploading new public and political files to the online public file on a going-forward basis.  In addition, on that date these stations must have completed uploading their existing public file material to the online public file, with the exception of the existing political file which stations are permitted, but not required, to upload to the online public file.  Existing political file material not uploaded to the Commission’s online file must continue to be retained in the station’s local public file until the end of the two-year retention period.

Radio stations not required to transition to the online public file until March 1, 2018 may elect voluntarily to transition to online filing early.   Any station that voluntarily elects to commence using the online file early must ensure that the online file contains all new public file material on a going-forward basis, including all new political file material.  That is, all new public and political file material must be uploaded to the online file on a going-forward basis commencing on the date the entity elects to transition to the online file.

Sign In to Manage Public Inspection File

To obtain passcodes for TV, FM and AM facilities, please login to the Owner Dashboard using your CORES FRN and password combination. To obtain passcodes for cable system PSIDs, please login to the Owner Dashboard using your COALS ID and password combination. SDARS and DBS facilities can login using their CORES FRN and Password on Entity Login page.

Cable systems with 5,000 or more subscribers are required to begin using the online political file on March 1, 2016.  On this date these system must begin uploading new political file materials to the Commission’s online public file database.  Cable systems with between 1,000 and 5,000 subscribers are not required to commence uploading political file material to the online file, however, until March 1, 2018.  Cable systems must retain any existing political files (those in existence prior to the date the system commences uploading new political file documents to the online public file) for the period required under the FCC’s rules.  Systems are permitted to upload existing political file documents to the online file, but are not required to do so.

DBS providers and SDARS licensees are required to begin using the online public file on March 1, 2016.  On this date, these entities must begin uploading new public and political file materials to the Commission’s online public file database. These entities must retain any existing political files (those in existence prior to March 1, 2016) for the period required under the FCC’s rules.  These entities are permitted to upload existing political file documents to the online file, but are not required to do so.