Fcc Looks To Scrap 98 Broadcast Related Rules Radio World

Many date back at least 40 years and mean little for radio stations today The next round of regulations up for deletion by the Federal Communications Commission include a horde of AM- and FM-related regulations. Their present-day aspect is rather minor. Many are from the 1970s and ’80s and govern aspects like transmitting power measurements, stereo broadcast measurements and affirming that 24-hour broadcasting is, indeed, legal. But as the FCC continues to pledge to rid its rulebook of those that are “obsolete” and “unnecessary,” there are 98 rules it deems as such up for deletion at its August open meeting... In its July meeting, it moved to remove 11 of its rules, but none was specific to radio.

The Federal Communications Commission voted at its August 7 open meeting to eliminate 98 broadcast rules and requirements identified as “obsolete, outdated or unnecessary,” continuing an aggressive deregulation effort that has removed hundreds of... The action removes broadcast service regulations spanning nearly five decades, including 1970s-era requirements for specific radio station testing equipment and procedures for defunct technologies like analog television services and obsolete TV subscription systems. “We take aim today at the broadcast service rules portion of our regulations and remove those provisions that are outdated or otherwise no longer serving the public interest,” Chairman Brendan Carr said during the... “Specifically, today’s action will remove 71 rule provisions, including 98 rules and requirements, 12 pages, and over 5,000 words from the FCC’s rule books.” The Commission used a direct final rule procedure that allows regulation removal without traditional notice-and-comment rulemaking, provided no significant adverse comments are received during a public comment period. This streamlined approach enabled rapid elimination of rules but has drawn procedural concerns from Commissioner Anna Gomez.

“The procedures implemented last month and used again today to erase rules adopted pursuant to notice and comment were put in place without seeking public comment on appropriate processes and guardrails,” Gomez wrote in... “I cannot support the elimination of substantive rules pursuant to these procedures.” Next iteration of ‘Delete’ initiative targets outdated broadcast policies WASHINGTON, August 7, 2025 – The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday repealed 98 rules and requirements, part of its ongoing effort to clean out regulations deemed ‘obsolete’ from the agency’s rulebooks. “Today's action will remove 71 rule provisions, including 98 rules and requirements, 12 pages and over 5000 words from the FCC rule books,” Chairman Brendan Carr said at the FCC’s August Open Meeting. “We take aim today at broadcast service rules… that are outdated or otherwise no longer serving the public interest.”

Many of the eliminated rules predate digital broadcasting and were rooted in the analog era, no longer reflecting how broadcasters transmit, monitor, or report today. Still, Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez concurred in part and dissented in part, citing concerns with the process used to eliminate the rules. There's a whole community behind your FREE membership... The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to abolish 71 broadcast rule provisions covering what it says are 98 regulatory burdens that no longer serve the public interest. Some are outdated and obsolete because they do not reflect current industry practices, while others are for analog technology no longer in use. It is part of FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s ongoing Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding.

“We’re identifying rules and regulations that can be improved, simplified or even eliminated altogether,” Carr said. “Specifically, we take aim today at the broadcast service rules portion of our regulations and remove those provisions that are outdated or otherwise no longer serving the public interest.” The targeted regulations will remove 5,117 words, or about 12 pages, from the FCC rulebook. Among those slated for repeal are instrumentation mandates for broadcast stations, authorization rules for stereo transmission, and outdated international broadcast terms. The Commission also voted to scrap more than two-dozen rules that merely reference now-outdated policy statements or court decisions. They include rules that require radio stations to be equipped with specified types of indicating instruments, while others are designed for FM stereo broadcasts.

Another outdated rule specifies that a broadcast station may operate 24 hours per day. But with 24/7 broadcasting now routine and transmission standard changes handled differently, the FCC says keeping such rules on the books is unnecessary. Other rules reflect reference-only citations to legacy policy statements on topics such as payola, plugola, political broadcasting, children’s television, and cigarette advertising. The policies aren’t changing, but according to the FCC, these references are outdated, potentially confusing, and duplicative of existing rules found elsewhere in the Code of Federal Regulations. Other deletions are for rules that never were written. The FCC plans to remove four sections that are currently blank “reserved” provisions with no content.

“Legacy regulations often remain on the books long after their relevance has faded,” said Commissioner Olivia Trusty. “These particular rules are low in both impact and visibility, but clearing them from the books clears the path for innovation.” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has repealed 98 broadcast-related rules and requirements deemed obsolete or unnecessary, as part of its ongoing effort to reduce regulatory burdens under the "In re: Delete, Delete, Delete" docket. The rules eliminated in today's action date back as far as the 1970s and include provisions governing outdated technologies such as legacy radio testing equipment. The FCC said the repealed rules no longer serve the public interest, are no longer used in practice by broadcasters or the Commission, or have been surpassed by technological advances in the media marketplace. "This decision reflects our commitment to modernizing the FCC's regulatory framework and clearing away legal clutter that no longer has any practical relevance," the Commission stated.

The repeals were enacted through a streamlined "Direct Final Rule" process, which allows the Commission to eliminate obsolete rules without undergoing years of legal proceedings. At its July meeting, the FCC used the same process to repeal rules related to telegraph services, rabbit-ear TV antennas, and phone booths. The initiative has drawn significant public comment, which the FCC said is helping to inform not only the Delete docket but other rulemaking efforts as well. The Federal Communications Commission took action to repeal 98 broadcast rules and requirements that have been identified as obsolete, outdated, or unnecessary, including rules dating back nearly 50 years ago for technologies that have... This marks the latest action in the Commission’s “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete” docket, which seeks public input on identifying FCC rules for the purpose of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens. This action repeals rule provisions identified primarily in the broadcast services section of the regulations that plainly do not serve the public interest any longer because they govern obsolete technology, rules no longer used...

The item repeals rules related to old technology that is no longer used, such as 1970s-era regulations dictating the kind of testing equipment radio stations are required to purchase. Benton Institute for Broadband & Society 1041 Ridge Rd, Unit 214 Wilmette, IL 60091 © 1994-2025 Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. All Rights Reserved. 69 Republicans and 4 Democrats signed a letter saying outdated ownership rules hinder broadcasters nationwide A large group of 73 members of the U.S.

House of Representatives, led by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC), has sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission calling for immediate action to update what the lawmakers are calling “outdated ownership regulations” that hurt local TV and radio stations. The House members backing the letter emphasized the need for rules that reflect today’s competitive media landscape, where local broadcasters face unprecedented challenges competing with less-regulated Big Tech platforms. The letter was signed by members of both parties, but signatories were heavily skewed towards Republicans, with 69 Republican members of the House and only 4 Democratic Party members signing the letter. The letter argued that existing broadcast ownership regulations that originated in the 1940s are badly in need of being modernized. The Federal Communications Commission just delivered what might be the most significant deregulation win we've seen in years.

On August 7th, the agency eliminated 98 broadcast rules in a single vote - the kind of regulatory housecleaning I've been hoping to see across multiple sectors. This wasn't just paperwork shuffling. The FCC wiped out 71 rule provisions, slashing over 5,000 words from its rulebooks and targeting regulations that have been gathering dust since the 1970s. I've been pounding the table about the potential of deregulation for a little while now, and this radio industry cleanup shows what's possible when agencies actually commit to cutting red tape. The story here is about more than just outdated technical requirements for radio station testing equipment - it's about a fundamental shift in how government approaches industry oversight. The Commission's reasoning was straightforward.

These rules had become "obsolete, outdated or unnecessary". More importantly, the FCC specifically focused on eliminating regulations that burden small businesses and create barriers to market entry. That's exactly the kind of targeted approach that could spark real economic growth if applied more broadly. What really caught my attention was the "Delete, Delete, Delete" docket that preceded this action. The initiative drew over 910 filings as of mid-April, making it one of the most popular items on the agency's website. When you see that level of industry engagement, it tells you there's genuine appetite for regulatory reform - and genuine frustration with the status quo.

The ripple effects could extend well beyond technical compliance. Broadcasters are already eyeing relief from local ownership restrictions that have limited expansion opportunities for decades. If this regulatory momentum continues, we might be looking at the most significant transformation of radio industry rules since the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

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