Annual EEO Public Inspection File Due

The FCC reviews the EEO practices of broadcast stations on a regular basis. Each year, stations with five or more full-time employees must upload an Annual EEO Public Inspection File Report (Form 396) to the FCC's database.

The report should detail each full-time job opening filled in the prior year, with information about the recruitment sources used to fill the positions, and which sources resulted in candidates who were interviewed for the open positions, as well as the recruitment source of the person who was hired.

The annual report must also include a summary of the the activities in which the station participated during the year that demonstrate the efforts that stations undertook to educate their community about the jobs available at broadcast stations and the training necessary to fill those jobs. The report should also include a summary of the training of current employees who assumed new responsibilities at the station.

Additionally, stations should include other EEO activities such as participating in internship and mentorship programs, speaking before community groups about job openings, providing scholarships for those interested in broadcasting, working with educational institutions to educate their students about broadcast jobs, setting up training programs to prepare existing employees to assume new responsibilities, EEO training for management, and similar programs. It's important to remember that the time that station employees participated in webinars and convention workshops may be eligible for this kind of EEO credit.

Depending on market size and the nature of the activity, stations need to have their employees meaningfully participate in numerous "menu options" in every two-year period, even if they have no job openings in these periods. For a review of the 3-prong FCC menu options, visit the "Helpful Hints" on the FCC's website.

The Annual EEO Public Inspection File Report must be uploaded by the anniversary of the due date for a station’s license renewal application. In New Mexico, broadcasters must upload their Annual EEO Public File Report on or before May 31 each year. If stations have a website, you must provide a link on your website to your current report.