FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, alongside Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9) and 26 other members of Congress, has made a strong call for the reinstatement of the FCC’s collection of broadcast workforce diversity data.
The group, including Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Ben Ray Luján, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Diaz Barragán, stresses the importance of diversity in media. They highlight how understanding the composition of broadcast workforces is crucial for providing programming that meets the local and diverse needs of communities.
In a letter addressed to the FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel, the signatories urge the Commission to set rules for broadcasters to submit workforce diversity data annually, as initially intended by Congress. The full letter reads as follows:
“Dear Chair Rosenworcel,
We write to urge the Federal Communications Commission to finish its work to reinstate the collection of broadcast workforce diversity data. The FCC is required by law to collect this information, and without it, the Commission and Congress are deprived of a key tool to assess the makeup of the media workforce. In 2021, after nearly 20 years, the FCC took the important step of soliciting comment on how to recommence this important data collection using Form 395-B. It is now time for the Commission to follow through, and set forth rules for broadcasters to submit workforce diversity data on an annual basis, as Congress intended.
As Congresswoman Clarke and Commissioner Starks expressed earlier this week, representation matters. Congress and the Commission have charged broadcasters with providing programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of their community of license. It is simple – a station is best placed to do so when its employees reflect the diversity of that community.
When Congress codified the Form 395-B collection, our hope was that this data would provide valuable insights regarding diversity in broadcasting. The importance of these objectives has only increased in the intervening years. We urge you to act swiftly to put Form 395-B back into use.”
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford added his thoughts, saying, “The collection of broadcast workforce diversity data is critical for transparency and accountability in the industry. This data is an imperative tool to ensure the media ecosystem continues to diversity in a way that reflects the American people. I look forward to the Federal Communications Commission’s continued collection of this data and I applaud Congresswoman Clarke and Commissioner Starks for their continued advocacy of diversity in the media sector.”
Rep. Clarke commented, “There’s no doubt that information is power, and the collection of data on workforce composition, race and gender at the FCC has been in limbo for over two decades. I believe it’s time we reinvigorate the simple notion that America’s diversity is its greatest strength.”
