Washington, D.C. – A bipartisan group of 73 members of the U.S. House of Representatives led by Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09) today sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for immediate action to update outdated ownership regulations that hurt local TV and radio stations. The lawmakers emphasized the need for rules that reflect today’s competitive media landscape, where local broadcasters face unprecedented challenges competing with unregulated Big Tech platforms.
“America’s local TV and radio stations are facing a radically transformed media landscape where global tech giants operate without restriction while local stations remain shackled by decades-old rules,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
“NAB is grateful to Rep. Hudson and his bipartisan colleagues for urging the FCC to bring its ownership regulations into the modern era. Quickly updating these rules is essential to preserving local journalism, strengthening public safety and ensuring that broadcasters can continue to serve the communities that rely on them every day.”
The letter reads, in part:
“Reforming outdated ownership rules is essential to ensuring that broadcasters remain viable, competitive, and capable of fulfilling their essential role in American democracy. By modernizing these regulations, the FCC can empower broadcasters to better serve their communities, promote local journalism, and compete in the modern media marketplace. Updating these rules is not just an urgent economic necessity, it is a public service imperative.
“We urge the FCC to act swiftly in eliminating antiquated ownership restrictions and to embrace a broadcast regulatory framework that reflects the realities of today’s dynamic media ecosystem.”
Click here to read the letter in its entirety.
Background:
NAB’s recently launched Modernize the Rules campaign is urging the FCC to overhaul broadcast ownership regulations that unfairly limit broadcasters’ ability to grow, invest in local journalism and compete for talent, content and advertising revenue.
Local TV and radio stations are cornerstones of public safety and trusted information, but outdated FCC regulations hold them back, giving Big Tech companies an unfair competitive advantage. NAB is calling for a level playing field that allows local broadcasters to fairly compete and better serve their communities.