Reading a broadcaster’s public file

If you want to know how a station covered an issue, start with its quarterly issues and programs list. On May 28, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission reminded broadcast licensees that the list should tell readers what the issue was and identify the programs that addressed it. The agency said a one-word issue label falls short. ^[1]

The file matters even when a station’s studio is out of reach. In 2017, the FCC voted to end its requirement that covered stations keep a main studio in or near their licensed communities. The order pointed to the move from files kept at stations to public files people could consult online. ^[2]

In its third-quarter 2026 filing, WITF-TV of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, lists a July 15 NOVA episode on black hole science. WITF calls the list a sample, so an omission cannot establish that an issue went uncovered. ^[3]

Search the FCC’s public inspection site by call sign, then open More Public Inspection Files and look for Issues and Programs Lists. WITF-TV’s profile puts political files in a separate tab, so readers looking for program coverage can start with the quarterly lists. ^[4]

The FCC returned to the paperwork behind these files in September. A Federal Register notice sought an extension of the existing information collection and gave commenters until October 22, 2026. That deadline has passed. The notice described the existing disclosure rules and was about continuing the paperwork collection. ^[5]

About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.