Media Bureau Rolls Out CDBS Replacer LMS

The FCC Media Bureau rolled out phase two of its new Licensing and Management System, which is to completely replace the FCC Consolidated Database System by late 2015 or early 2016, a Media Bureau official said (see 1410060028). Phase two focuses on low-power and Class A uses of CDBS, and beginning Feb. 23 those broadcasters and TV translators will be required to use the LMS to file applications for construction permits, licenses and amendments to pending construction permit and license applications, the bureau said in public notice Friday. Phase one of replacing CDBS transferred the filing for full-power TV construction permits and licenses to LMS.

Like phase one, phase two will replace the electronic forms previously used for those low-power processes by condensing them all into a single form called Form 2100. Users customize Form 2100 -- which contains the type of basic information common to many of the processes that use CDBS – with sub-forms known as “schedules,” bureau officials told us. Using a single form means filers need to enter only information germane to their specific task, rather than having to re-enter basic line items repeatedly, a bureau official said. The system also is seen as streamlining online filing, because unlike CDBS, it uses the same FCC registration numbers that are used for many other commission processes.

For the tasks brought onto LMS with phase two, licensees will use Schedule C to obtain a construction permit for a low-power TV or TV translator station, Schedule D for a license for an LPTV or TV translator construction permit, schedule E for a construction permit for a Class A station and Schedule F to obtain a license for a Class A. Schedules A and B are used for the full-power processes that were part of phase one.

Though a Media Bureau official had told us that phase two would involve moving all Video Division uses of CDBS over to LMS, phase two as described in the PN involves only low-power functions. A Media Bureau official told us in October that phase three had been set for late 2015 or early 2016 and would involve the movement of all Audio Division forms on CDBS to LMS. “We will be adding more filing schedules on an ongoing basis to LMS," the PN said. "These new releases will be announced by subsequent public notices.”