Electronic Reading Room

Subsection (a)(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, commonly known as the FOIA, requires federal agencies to make four types of records affirmatively available for "public inspection and copying."

Agencies may satisfy this requirement by either providing the designated documents solely in an electronic Reading Room on an agency website, or in a combination of electronic and conventional Reading Rooms.

The Federal Communications Commission satisfies this requirement (Certification) through a combination of electronic and conventional Reading Rooms.

The Reference Information Center is the official Commission custodian for many of the Commission records that meet the FOIA Reading Room requirements. The Center provides a convenient, central location for members of the general public wishing to research and obtain record information on applications, formal and informal proceedings, and FCC programs and activities.

The Reference Information Center is located in Room CY-A257 at the Commission’s Headquarters. It is open to the public Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM and from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Friday.

Listed below are links that will take you directly to the four types of information required in an Electronic Reading Room. BUT, these links are just a small taste of what is available on the Commission's web site.

Because the Commission makes so much information available on its web site, you are encouraged to thoroughly review the Commission's web site before filing a FOIA request. It's highly likely that you'll find what you are looking for on the Internet. If you need help with what is available on the Commission's web site you can either use the search function found at the top of each web page or go to the index of the web site.

• "Final opinions [and] ... orders" made in the adjudication of cases;

  • The Daily Digest provides a brief synopsis of Commission orders, news releases, speeches, public notices and all other FCC documents that are released each business day.

  • EDOCS lets you search a database of Daily Digest entries for FCC documents that have been posted to the FCC web site.

  • The FCC Items on Circulation web page provides a compilation of Commission level items that have been circulated and are pending action by the full Commission. This list is updated on a weekly basis.

  • The Enforcement Bureau web pages give links to citations, notices of apparent liability, and other compliance related activities of the Commission.

  • The Office of Administrative Law Judges web pages provide links to administrative law decisions reached by that office.

• Specific agency policy statements;

  • DTV Policy Statement

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution

  • Policy statement concerning the height of radio and television antenna towers

  • Children’s TV Policy Statements

  • Minority ownership policy statement

  • Tender offer and proxy statement policy statement

  • Time brokerage policy statement

  • Character evaluation policy statement

  • Internet Policy Statement

  • Policy Statement regarding Guidance To Broadcasters Regarding Indecency Statute

  • Forfeiture Policy Statement [ 1 | 2 ]

  • Federal Communications Commission And Federal Trade Commission Joint Policy Statement On Deceptive Advertising Of Long Distance Telephone Services

  • International Settlements Policy Reform

  • Benchmarks Policy

  • Policy on Call Back Services

  • Guidance to incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) seeking to revise the deposit and payment provisions of their interstate access tariffs

  • Principles for Promoting the Efficient Use of Spectrum by Encouraging the Development of Secondary Markets

  • FCC EEO Policy Statement

  • FCC Policy Statement on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace

  • Statement of Policy on Establishing a Government-to-Government Relationship with Indian Tribes

  • Principles for Reallocation of Spectrum to Encourage the Development of Telecommunications Technologies for the New Millennium

  • Part-Time Programming

  • Policy Statement On State And Local Rights-Of-Way And Telecommunications Service Competition

  • 1980 Policy Encouraging Time Brokerage Arrangements by Broadcast Licensees

  • 1986 Policy Regarding Character Qualifications in Broadcast Licensing

  • 1990 Policy Regarding Character Qualifications in Broadcast Licensing

  • 1991 Policy Regarding Character Qualifications in Broadcast Licensing

  • 1992 Policy Regarding Character Qualifications in Broadcast Licensing

  • April 1992 Radio Rules and Policies

  • November 1992 Revision of Radio Rules and Policies

  • 1974 Children's Television Policy Statement

  • 1984 Children's Television Programming and Advertising Practices

  • April 1991 Policies and Rules Concerning Children's Television Programming

  • August 1991 Revision of Policies and Rules Concerning Children's Television Programming

• Administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff that affect a member of the public; and

  • The Office of the Secretary web pages provide links to Commission process and procedure manuals.

  • The Office of Communications Business Opportunity web pages provide links to compliance guides.

  • The Commission Registration System (CORES) explains the procedures necessary to receive a FCC Registration Number (FRN).

  • The Commission's "Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook" provides information on making reasonable accommodation/disability information requests.

  • Commission Meeting Room Usage Procedures

  • Federal Advisory Committee Management

  • Freedom of Information (FOIA) Program Management

  • Privacy Act Program Management

  • Regulatory Flexibility Act Program Management

• Records disclosed in response to a FOIA request that "the agency determines have become or are likely to become the subject of subsequent requests for substantially the same records."

  • Radio, television, cable, satellite, or marine operator licensing.

  • Applications filed with the Commission.

  • Cell tower/antenna locations.

  • Spectrum auctions.

  • Paying fees.

  • Consumer complaints.

  • Equipment authorizations.

  • Forms.

  • Electronic filing options.

  • Commission reports.

  • EB FOIA.

  • Other Frequently Requested Information.

• Records Excluded from the Reading Room

  Records which are published and offered for sale by the Commission are excluded from the definition of Reading Room records. These records are described at 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.411, 0.413, 0.415, 0.416, 0.420, and 0.431. Similarly, records published under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(1) – the Federal Register requirement for publishing basic information about the organization of the agency – are excluded from the definition of Reading Room records. These records are described at 47 C.F.R. Part 0, Subpart A (Organization -- §§ 0.1 – 0.191); Subpart B (Delegations of Authority -- §§ 0.201 – 0.392); and §§ 0.401 and 0.402 (location of Commission offices and office hours).