Fcc Officially Opens Door To Mass Broadcast Deregulation

As previewed by Commissioner Nathan Simington at the NAB State Leadership Conference, the FCC is opening the floodgates to mass deregulation of the broadcasting industry under the mantra of “Delete, Delete, Delete.” The FCC has opened a public comment period as part of a broad effort aimed at identifying and eliminating what it describes as unnecessary or outdated regulations within the communications industry. The initiative aligns with a series of executive orders issued by President Trump, directing administrative agencies to reassess their regulatory frameworks and promote economic growth by reducing burdens on businesses. The FCC’s notice invites public feedback on specific rules that may no longer serve their intended purpose or may be hindering technological advancements, competition, or investment in communications infrastructure. The Commission is particularly interested in hearing from industry stakeholders about rules that disproportionately impact small businesses, create barriers to market entry, or have become obsolete due to changes in technology and the media... “The Commission possesses a duty to evaluate its policies over time to ascertain whether they work – that is, whether they actually produce the benefits the Commission originally predicted they would,” the FCC stated...

The agency has outlined several key areas for review, including: 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Commission voted at its August 7 open meeting to eliminate 98 broadcast rules and requirements identified as “obsolete, outdated or unnecessary,” continuing an aggressive deregulation effort that has removed hundreds of...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 “We take aim today at the broadcast service rules portion of our regulations and remove those provisions that are outdated or otherwise no longer serving the public interest,” Chairman Brendan Carr said during the...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.” By Lee Allen Miller, ATBA Executive Director The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Chairman Brendan Carr, has initiated a comprehensive deregulation effort titled “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete” (GN Docket No. 25-133).

This sweeping initiative aims to review and potentially eliminate numerous existing regulations, significantly impacting broadcasters, including the Low Power Television (LPTV) community represented by the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance (ATBA). FCC Chairman Carr emphasized that the deregulation drive responds directly to President Trump’s Executive Orders aimed at promoting economic prosperity by reducing regulatory burdens. “For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired,” Carr stated. This deregulatory initiative encourages broadcasters, particularly LPTV stations and ATBA stakeholders, to actively participate by identifying FCC rules that have become unnecessary, overly burdensome, or outdated in light of current technology and market realities. For LPTV station owners and operators, this represents a critical opportunity. Regulations under consideration for modification or elimination could potentially include broadcast ownership caps, regulatory filings, and technical standards, which often impose substantial compliance costs disproportionately affecting smaller operators.

The broadcast media industry’s key leaders have been asking for it. Soon, they’ll likely get it. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday announced that the agency has launched what he calls “a massive, new deregulatory initiative.” Specifically, the Commission has opened a new docket, titled “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” in which the agency seeks comment “on every rule, regulation, or guidance document that the FCC should eliminate for the... This action likely opens the floodgates for the NAB, its members, and pro-MVPD groups such as the American Television Alliance and ACA Connects to share their views on why deregulation is essential … or... Carr’s decision to move forward with what is formally “GN Docket No.

25-133” is based on what the Republican leadership of the Commission calls the Trump Administration’s decision “to usher in prosperity through deregulation.” In particular, this new proceeding, Carr says, “will assist the FCC in carrying out the policies that President Trump included in certain Executive Orders,” including Executive Order 14192 (“Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation”) and Executive... The broadcast television industry knows it needs to consolidate. It's just struggling with how to do it. In August, Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of broadcast stations in the U.S., announced a proposed $6.2 billion deal to buy Tegna — a combination that would bring together more than 260 stations... Last week, Sinclair, the owner of 179 local TV affiliates, made a hostile offer to acquire its smaller peer E.W.

Scripps after buying up nearly 10% of the company on the open market. Both potential deals remain in limbo, and executives are getting antsy. Companies like Sinclair and Nexstar run the affiliate stations of the major networks across the U.S. known for local news, sports and other broadcast content. They face the same headwinds as their cable and content studio counterparts — the shrinking number of pay-TV customers due to the rise of streaming and tech options. As previewed by Commissioner Nathan Simington at the NAB State Leadership Conference, the FCC is opening the floodgates to mass deregulation of the broadcasting industry under the mantra of Delete, Delete, Delete.

Amateur Radio Operators MUST pay attention to this deregulation effort. Any general regulatory changes could negatively impact our hobby by favoring commercial interests over Amateur Radio. Hams are strongly encouraged to closely follow this proceeding and submit their own substantive comments when warranted. The FCC has opened a public comment period as part of a broad effort aimed at identifying and eliminating what it describes as unnecessary or outdated regulations within the communications industry. The initiative aligns with a series of executive orders issued by President Trump, directing administrative agencies to reassess their regulatory frameworks and promote economic growth by reducing burdens on businesses. What to watch for if the commission relaxes ownership rules

Media brokers, attorneys and other commission watchers say Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Olivia Trusty — the 2–1 Republican majority on the FCC — are poised to overhaul local broadcast ownership caps. At present, in each of the largest U.S. radio markets, a licensee can own up to eight commercial radio stations, and a subcap limits a licensee to owning no more than five on each band (FM/AM) in the market. The caps shrink as market size decreases. If those limits are relaxed or removed, brokers expect rapid consolidation through mergers, acquisitions or station swaps, not just in large markets but also medium and smaller ones. The FCC in September decided that as part of its quadrennial rule review, it will consider relaxing or eliminating these limits, though as of press time, the ongoing government shutdown had delayed the comment...

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