FCC Chairman Ajit Pai gave the radio industry an update on long-standing rules radio has to follow that are outdated and need to be changed or eliminated. Pai spoke about several specific rules that are on their way out and gave an indication on when they might be gone.
At the FCC’s September meeting, a vote is set on an order that would relax certain technical rules applicable to AM broadcasters operating directional antenna arrays in order to ease the regulatory and financial burdens faced by these broadcasters. It’s very technical but Pai says because of the new transparency he’s brought to the FCC, broadcasters will be able read the draft order on Thursday.
Regarding the Main Studio Rule, Pai says he’s reviewed it and reached the conclusion that it is time for the rule to go. This fall he plans to to ask the full Commission to vote on an order to repeal it.
Regarding the review of media regulations, Pai says the goal is simple: modernize the rules to match the realities of today’s marketplace. “For the foreseeable future, I will therefore be sharing with my fellow Commissioners each and every month at least one Notice of Proposed Rulemaking teeing up outdated or unnecessary media regulations that should be eliminated or modified. And even though the deadline for public input only passed a few weeks ago, our September Commission meeting will feature the first action item to come out of this effort. Under the FCC’s rules, certain broadcast and cable entities are required to maintain physical copies of Commission rules in their offices. I’m talking about actual volumes of the Code of Federal Regulations. Now, in the grand scheme of things, I understand that this is hardly the biggest deal. But it offers a pretty vivid example of how there are outdated regulations that are still on the books that no longer make any sense. And in this case, the rule in question actually involves books of regulations! That’s why I circulated to Commissioners today a proposal to get rid of this requirement. In the digital age, when anyone can easily access the FCC’s rules online, this rule isn’t necessary anymore.”
By the way, in case you did not know, there are about 1,000 pages of media rules at the FCC and Pai says it’s time for the Commission to get to work on those.
“Load the guns, boys, you’ve still got some feet left.”
The Main Studio rule wasn’t meant as a jobs creation rule. It was meant for public access. Do you really want more public access to your local radio studios? From what I can see, radio companies don’t have local offices because of an FCC rule, but because they need that presence to make sales. Lots of radio stations carry nationally syndicated programming even with the main studio rule. So obviously this rule isn’t about programming.
“Regarding the Main Studio Rule, Pai says he’s reviewed it and reached the conclusion that it is time for the rule to go. This fall he plans to to ask the full Commission to vote on an order to repeal it.”
Ok then. We can fire that last person, close the office and sell the furniture. Now ALL large radio companies can be like Educational Media Foundation, with a satellite receiver at the transmitter, and that’s it.
Load the guns, boys, you’ve still got some feet left.