The Consolidated Database System (CDBS) was the system used by the Federal Communications Commission for the period from September 23, 1999 to 2023 to manage applications for radio, television and prior to the service's transition to the International Bureau, international broadcast stations. CDBS was the successor to the Broadcast Application Processing System (BAPS), a VMS mainframe database system that was used between 1978 and 1998. Broadcast applications would start a slow transition to the License Management System (LMS) for television in 2014, FM radio in 2019 and AM radio in 2023.
When CDBS was first released, applications were still filed on paper and submitted to the FCC. Application data was entered into the database by FCC staff. By 2001, the FCC started to make availability for broadcast applications to be electronically filed. Online filers used a web interface that simulated the paper form. CDBS also provided a "public view" interface for retrieval of applications and application exhibits. CDBS provided a frequently updated raw database of all activity, usually (but not always) updated every business day. CDBS would eventually be able to support the filing of pleadings such as Informal Objections and Petitions to Deny and "non-form" notifications such as changes of address. On the back-end, FCC staff would access applications and change status and other information using a java-based applet.
CDBS history through FCC News Releases
| 02/28/2000 | Mass Media Bureau Implements CDBS Public Access | FCC makes access to broadcast applications in CDBS available for the first tine including full details of Forms 301, 314, 315 and 316. |
| 04/28/2000 | Mass Media Bureau Implements CDBS Electronic Filing | FCC makes available, for the first time, electronic filing of Forms 301, 302-FM, 314, 315, 316 and 347. While paper filings were still accepted, electronic filing of these forms became mandatory on October 27, 2000. |
| 05/24/2000 | Mass Media Bureau Implements Electronic Filing of the Broadcast and Cable Initial Election Statement Form | FCC accepts Broadcast and Cable Initial Election Statements through CDBS until June 2, 2000. Paper forms can also be filed. |
| 11/.29/2000 | Mass Media Bureau Implements CDBS | CDBS expanded to allow for filing of Equal Employment Opportunity Report Forms 396, 396-A and 397. |
| 01/17/2003 | New Broadcast Auxiliary Interface between the ULS and the CDBS Available January 22, 2003 | The new link between the Universal Licensing System (ULS) and CDBS allows for renewals, cancellations and administrative updates made in CDBS to flow through to the station's ULS records for broadcast auxiliary services (such as studio to transmitter links and remote pickup units). |
| 02/28/2006 | Media Bureau Announces New Features in CDBS | FCC makes improvements to the electronic filing interface; new forms for address changes, consummation notices, silent notifications and STAs; and add new features to improve security related to FRNs. |
| 06/25/2008 | Customer Education Quarterly Activity Report Now Available to be Filed in the CDBS | FCC Form 388, which was used for quarterly reports by television stations on their education efforts to the public regarding the digital television conversion can be electronically filed in CDBS. |
| 07/06/2012 | Media Bureau to Permit Electronic Filing of Pleadings | Petitions to Deny, Informal Objections, Petitions for Reconsideration and other pleadings can now be filed electronically in CDBS. |
| 05/29/2013 | OET and Media Bureau Announces the Special Webpage Facility for CDBS | CDBS makes special database files available showing the detail of television facilities to accommodate white space devices. |
| 09/29/2014 | MB Announces 1st Phase of LMS for Full Power TV Stations | FCC transitions Forms 301 and 302-DT for full-service TV station construction permits and licenses from CDBS to LMS. |
| 02/09/2016 | All Childrens TV Programming Must Be Filed Using LMS | FCC requires Childrens Television Reports to be filed in LMS. |
| 11/16/2017 | Media Bureau Announces Retirement of CDBS Versions of Forms 323 and 323-E | Television Ownership Reports move from CDBS to LMS. |
| 04/15/2019 | LMS Electronic Filing of Radio License Renewals and EEO Reports | The first radio use of LMS was for broadcast renewal applications (form 303-S) and EEO reports (form 396) starting on May 1, 2019, replacing CDBS filing. |
| 09/10/2019 | Additional Radio Station Applications Available in LMS System | FM radio's (including LPFM, translators and boosters) use of FCC Forms 301, 302, 318, 319, 340, 349 and 350 transition from CDBS to LMS on September 25, 2019. |
| 11/03/2020 | Broadcast Assignment and Transfer Applications Available in LMS | FCC transitions assignment and transfer forms 314, 315, 316 and 345 on November 18, 2020. |
| 01/11/2022 | Media Bureau Announces New Filing Procedures | Citing technical issues, the FCC closes down the electronic filing interface for CDBS starting on January 12, 2022. The remaining types of applications that were still supported by CDBS at the time (AM engineering, STAs, address changes of CDBS data, digital notifications, as well as amendments and pleadings to CDBS-era applications) must be submitted to staff by email. |
| 05/02/2022 | Additional Radio Station Applications Available in LMS | Starting May 17, 2022, electronic filing resumes in LMS for STAs, silent notifications and resumptions and digital notifications. LMS provides new functionality never available in CDBS for AM MDCL notifications, change of primary station notifications, tolling notifications, reduced power notifications and the ability to withdraw a pending application. |
| 06/08/2022 | Transition of Callsign Reservation Filings to LMS Announced | On June 22, 2022, LMS started to take call sign requests. This was not functionality originally in CDBS. Instead, the FCC had a standalone call sign reservation tool which derived data from CDBS. |
| 07/12/2023 | New Media Bureau Filings Available in LMS | The remaining broadcast service application types that were once handled by CDBS have been fully transitioned to LMS starting on July 26, 2023. This included AM engineering applications, applications for new Alaska Class D stations, as well as new forms for Equipment Test Authority, Program Test Authority and Restoration of Licensed Operation. Form 318 for new LPFM stations in the 2023 filing window was also introduced. |
| 09/20/2023 | Media Bureau Terminates CDBS Public Notices | With all broadcast services now transitioned over to LMS, the FCC will no longer issue separate daily public notices for both CDBS and LMS. |
| 12/16/2024 | CDBS Public Access to Sunset January 2, 2025 | FCC removes the Public Access interface on January 2, 2025 effectively retiring the entire CDBS system. |
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