Media Bureau Sets Aside RUFRN Recon Order as NCE Stations Appeal

more appropriately handled at the Commission level," said an order signed by acting Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey. The previous recon order had been signed by then-Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake, who left the commission Tuesday. "On our own motion and pursuant to our existing authority under Section 1.113 of the Commission’s rules, we hereby set aside the Order on Reconsideration," Thursday's order said. "The public, in all its diversity, 'owns' our stations, and station directors serve as volunteers without remuneration or any other financial interest," said America's Public Television Stations CEO Patrick Butler in a released statement. "We applaud the new Commission majority’s understanding of this fundamental fact of public television, and we appreciate its swift action to overturn a well-intentioned but misbegotten order." The reversal came the same day the NCE stations filed an appeal of the Media Bureau's action on delegated authority, asking the FCC to reverse the decision rejecting their appeal of restricted use FCC reporting number (RUFRN) rules designed to gather ownership data on broadcast licenses. The RUFRN requires NCE governing board members to submit personal information to obtain FCC registration numbers. NCE stations have said that will discourage otherwise qualified people from sitting on NCE governing boards. Pai and Commissioner Mike O'Rielly indicated in January the Media Bureau decision could be overturned, saying, “The good news is that today’s decision need not be the final word” (see 1701040069). Legislation to revoke the rule was also introduced in Congress (see 1701170061). “The Commission should review and rescind the Bureau’s order,” the NCE stations said in Thursday's application for review.