FCC Launches New Review of Local Broadcast Ownership Rules
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially initiated a new review of local broadcast ownership rules, known as the Quadrennial Review. This process, mandated by Congress every four years, aims to evaluate the relevance of existing regulations in the rapidly evolving media landscape.
Chairman Brendan Carr, who has previously criticized the 2018 review, is expected to use this process to relax market caps. The FCC seeks public comment on whether to retain, modify, or eliminate existing ownership rules. The review will consider the impact of various audio sources and social media on broadcast radio, potentially leading to significant changes in radio market caps and more ownership consolidation.
The review process was previously disrupted by protestors calling for the removal of Chairman Carr. The current review, officially launched with the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (MB Docket No. 22-459), follows the FCC's tradition of assessing broadcast ownership rules every four years. The last fully completed Quadrennial Review was in 2018, with final decisions published in the Federal Register in October 2017.
The FCC's new Quadrennial Review is set to evaluate the relevance of current broadcast ownership rules in the face of changing media consumption habits. With Chairman Carr's deregulatory stance and the potential for significant changes in radio market caps, the outcome of this review could significantly reshape the broadcasting landscape.
