Radio broadcasters are getting their first sweeping regulatory reprieve under “Delete, Delete, Delete” this week as the FCC announced a suspension of its biennial ownership report filing requirement until 2027, ticking a box on the NAB’s deregulatory wish list.
The Media Bureau’s July 29 Public Notice waives the odd-numbered-year requirement for both commercial and noncommercial AM and FM stations to file Form 323 or 323-E, detailing and updating information about all attributable persons or entities with a direct or indirect controlling interest in a station.
The next window was set to open in October and close on December 1.
While broadcasters must still file ownership reports after new construction permits, license grants, or ownership transfers, the next biennial ownership reports will now be due no sooner than June 1, 2027, or until further notice. The decision gives broadcasters a temporary break from what many have argued is an outdated, resource-draining obligation.
In its comments in the matter of “Delete, Delete, Delete,” the National Association of Broadcasters urged the FCC to eliminate or largely reform the requirement, calling it costly, duplicative, and ineffective in advancing diversity goals. NAB argued that despite years of data collection, the reports have not led to actionable policy outcomes and impose undue burdens, especially on smaller broadcasters.
The association also questioned whether the ownership data, as currently structured, offers meaningful insights given changes in modern media and the complexity of ownership structures.
They were joined in those sentiments in filings from State Broadcasters Associations, PBS, and a number of commercial broadcast groups in both radio and television.
The FCC’s most recent ownership report, published earlier this year, underscored just how little has changed in broadcast ownership diversity. Black and Hispanic ownership saw only marginal gains, while female majority ownership stayed in the low double digits and white ownership remained dominant at over 90%.
While the Commission hasn’t moved to eliminate Form 323 entirely, the 18-month freeze suggests Chairman Brendan Carr is listening to broadcaster concerns. Still, given the report’s focus on race, gender, and ownership, the pause may also reflect Carr’s broader efforts to eliminate DEI-related initiatives across industries regulated by the FCC.
