CBT Quality Assurance & Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A TV station fails to air the required EAS Required Monthly Test (RMT). What is the most appropriate corrective action?
- Immediately air a makeup RMT at the next opportunity and document the reason for the missed test (Correct answer)
- File a complaint with FEMA and await instructions
- Ignore the missed test since it was not an actual emergency
- Shut down operations until the FCC grants a waiver
Correct answer: Immediately air a makeup RMT at the next opportunity and document the reason for the missed test
Stations should air a makeup RMT as soon as possible and thoroughly document the circumstances of the missed test for their EAS records.
Question 2: What is the FCC's 'main studio rule' requirement for broadcast stations?
- All stations must maintain a staffed studio within the city of license
- Stations must have a main studio located within or reasonably near the principal community they serve (Correct answer)
- Every studio must have a licensed Chief Operator on duty 24/7
- Main studios must be co-located with the transmitter site
Correct answer: Stations must have a main studio located within or reasonably near the principal community they serve
The FCC's main studio rule historically required a studio within or near the community of license, though this rule was eliminated in 2017, replacing it with a public file requirement.
Question 3: What does 'closed captioning' compliance require of broadcast television stations?
- Only live news programs require closed captions
- Stations must caption a specified percentage of their programming per FCC rules (Correct answer)
- Captions are optional for stations with fewer than 50,000 viewers
- Only primetime programming requires closed captions
Correct answer: Stations must caption a specified percentage of their programming per FCC rules
FCC rules require TV stations to provide closed captions on a defined percentage of programming hours, with increasing requirements over time for different programming categories.
Question 4: Which FCC form is used by commercial broadcast television stations to file their license renewal application?
- FCC Form 303-S (Correct answer)
- FCC Form 396
- FCC Form 387
- FCC Form 323
Correct answer: FCC Form 303-S
FCC Form 303-S is the Application for Renewal of License for Commercial and Noncommercial AM, FM, TV, and other broadcast stations.
Question 5: In broadcast quality control, what is a 'black burst' or 'house sync' signal used for?
- To generate emergency color bars for on-air use
- To synchronize all video equipment in a facility to a common timing reference (Correct answer)
- To test the RF output of the transmitter
- To calibrate audio levels at the transmitter input
Correct answer: To synchronize all video equipment in a facility to a common timing reference
Black burst (composite sync) or tri-level sync provides a common reference signal that synchronizes all video equipment in a broadcast facility.
Question 6: What is the significance of the 'must-carry' rule in broadcast compliance?
- Broadcast stations must carry all network programming without preemption
- Cable systems must carry local broadcast signals in their basic tier upon a station's request (Correct answer)
- Broadcast stations must carry at least 3 hours of children's programming weekly
- Satellite providers must carry all broadcast stations nationwide
Correct answer: Cable systems must carry local broadcast signals in their basic tier upon a station's request
The must-carry rule requires cable operators to carry the signals of local commercial broadcast TV stations in their market upon the station's election.
Question 7: What type of interference is a broadcast station most responsible for reporting and correcting under FCC rules?
- Interference caused by consumer electronics to the station's own receivers
- Harmful interference the station's transmitter causes to other licensed services (Correct answer)
- Interference from natural sources such as lightning to studio equipment
- Interference caused by competitor stations to the station's own signal
Correct answer: Harmful interference the station's transmitter causes to other licensed services
Under FCC rules, licensees are responsible for ensuring their transmission does not cause harmful interference to other licensed radio communications services.
CBT Quality Assurance & Compliance 3
A TV station fails to air the required EAS Required Monthly Test (RMT).
What is the most appropriate corrective action?