Released:  April 28, 2000


             INITIAL FILING DATES CONFIRMED FOR EEO FORM 397
                                    
The Commission's broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Rule requires broadcasters to file
statements of compliance on FCC Form 397 every second, fourth and sixth year of the license term on the
anniversary date of a broadcaster's last renewal application filing.  See Review of the Commission's Broadcast
and Cable Equal Employment Opportunity Rules and Policies and Termination of the EEO Streamlining
Proceeding, Report and Order, MM Docket Nos. 96-16, 98-204, FCC 00-20, 15 FCC Rcd 2329 (2000).  

Television broadcast stations licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia must
file their initial FCC Form 397 by June 1, 2000.  Television broadcast stations licensed in North Carolina and
South Carolina will file their initial FCC Form 397 by August 1, 2000.  Television broadcast stations licensed in
Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands must file their initial FCC Form 397 by October 1, 2000.  Television
broadcast stations licensed in Alabama and Georgia will file their initial FCC Form 397 by December 1, 2000.  

No other broadcasters are required to file for this year.  The Commission will announce the filing deadlines for
these other broadcasters at a later date. 

FCC Form 397 is available via the Internet by accessing the FCC Web site at http://www.fcc.gov and
clicking on the Forms link.  Printed copies of the form may be obtained early next month by
writing to the FCC's Form Distribution Center, 9300 E. Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights,
Maryland, 20743, or by calling (202)418-FORM or 1-800-418-FORM and leaving your request
on the answering machine provided for this purpose.  

For further information, please contact Jackie Swank at (202)418-2621 or the EEO Staff at
(202)418-1450.

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