PUBLIC NOTICE
Federal Communications Commission
445 12
th
St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
DA 13-1172
Released:  May 21, 2013
MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING COMMISSION 
APPROVAL FOR NCE STATION FUNDRAISING TO AID OKLAHOMA TORNADO
RELIEF EFFORTS
The Commission generally prohibits noncommercial educational (“NCE”) stations from 
engaging in on-air fundraising activities on behalf of any entity other than the station itself.  See 
47 C.F.R. §§ 73.503(d), 73.621(e).  See also Commission Policy Concerning the Noncommercial 
Nature of Educational Broadcast Stations, 90 FCC 2d 895, 907 (1982).  The Commission, 
however, has granted rule waivers for such fundraising appeals to support relief efforts following 
disasters of historic proportions or magnitude, such as Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, and Sandy, 
the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, the January 2005 tsunami in 
Southeast Asia, and the January 2010 Haiti earthquake.  These waivers have been issued for a 
specific fundraising program or programs, or for discrete and limited station appeals for periods 
which generally do not exceed several days.  
The Commission has already received and granted one waiver request related to relief efforts for 
the devastation caused by the May 20, 2013, tornado to and around Moore, Oklahoma.  This 
Public Notice provides further information for other NCE stations that wish to solicit funds from 
viewers or listeners for relief efforts.  Licensees may file an informal request for a Section 
73.503(d) or 73.621(e) waiver, whichever is appropriate, as follows:
1)  The licensee may submit an electronic mail request to Barbara Kreisman
(barbara.kreisman@fcc.gov), if the request involves a television station, or to Peter Doyle 
(peter.doyle@fcc.gov) and Michael Wagner (michael.wagner@fcc.gov), if the request involves a 
radio station.
2) The request should provide basic details of the fundraising activity:
a.  the nature of the fundraising effort;
b.  the proposed duration of the fundraising effort;
c.  the organization(s) to which funds will be donated; and
d. whether the fundraiser will be part of the licensee’s regularly scheduled
pledge drive or fundraising effort.
For additional information, please contact the television or radio contacts provided above.
--FCC--