445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 202/418-2555
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 1999 |
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: David Fiske at (202) 418-0513 |
Questions have been raised about FCC licensing of localized television broadcasting of automobile drag races from a race track in Ennis, Texas to its parking lot.
On Friday April 23, 1999, the FCC made a common sense decision to allow a sporting event that was already in progress and scheduled to continue through the weekend of April 24 and 25, with an estimated attendance of 100,000 people, to be broadcast to the stadium and its parking lot. This temporary authorization was for this event only.
The operator had been unaware of the need for a license for this kind of on-site transmission, and committed to FCC officials that he would obtain a license prior to future broadcasts.
He ceased operation after the weekend in question. He subsequently applied for a license to operate the racetrack television broadcasts, which was granted in August 1999.