Practice Areas

Broadcasting

Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC. has represented broadcasters since the firm's inception. The firm's original broadcast lawyers included the FCC's first General Counsel and an Assistant General Counsel. Eugene O. Sykes, the FCC's first Chairman, joined the firm at the expiration of his term.

Today, the firm counsels and represents over 900 broadcast stations in nearly every state and Puerto Rico.
In the field of broadcast law, we perform services that include:
• Assisting clients seeking FCC licenses and other regulatory approvals.
• Consulting with members of Congress, officials in the Executive Branch and FCC commissioners and members of their staffs.
• Working closely with licensees to ensure compliance with day-to-day regulatory requirements.
• Assisting television stations and video programmers in obtaining carriage on cable television and direct broadcast satellite systems.
• Advising clients on regulatory and legislative developments affecting their industries.
• Assisting clients in responding to FCC inquiries, investigations and enforcement actions.
• Participating in rulemaking proceedings.
• Negotiating and drafting commercial transaction documents, including asset sale and stock purchase agreements.
• Rendering legal opinions in connection with transfer, assignments and financings.
• Negotiating and drafting business structure documents, including corporate organizations, stockholders' agreements, general and limited partnership and limited liability company agreements.
• Representing clients in hearing litigation before Administrative Law Judges of the FCC.
• Negotiating and drafting loan financing and collateral security agreements.
• Negotiating and drafting programming, network affiliation and advertising representation agreements.