It’s Time To Lift Ownership Caps

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That’s the conclusion of 8 radio companies who have filed comments with The FCC, including Townsquare, Connoisseur, MidWest Communications, Mid-West Family, Forever Media, Frandsen Family Stations, Neuhoff Communications and Eagle Communications.

The comments include data from Gordon Borrell and Larry Rosin at Edison Research to back their position that bigger media companies are sucking all the revenue out of the local markets and their companies need to own more stations to be able to compete. They say that as Amazon, Facebook, Google and other big tech firms pull revenue from radio, their stations are unable to provide the services the community needs.

For years The NAB has also been pushing the Commission to relax the rules. Every 4 years by law the FCC must examine ownership rules to see if what they have on the books matches up with an evolving media marketplace. While the FCC has repeatedly announced it’s looking into the rules, there have been no significant adjustments to the regulations for decades.

The 8 broadcasters state that The FCC cannot wait to act. “Changes must be made now to preserve radio as an important local voice in the media marketplace. The Joint Commenters respectfully request that the Commission recognize the reality of today’s marketplace and relax those regulatory burdens now.”

By no means is lifting ownership caps unanimous in the broadcast industry. Some believe the deregulation of the 90’s ruined local radio and do not want to see any further deregulation.

Read the filing by these 8 broadcast companies HERE.

 

 

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