The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has begun its 2025 EEO audits, randomly selecting about five percent of radio stations to review their compliance with federal Equal Employment Opportunity regulations after posting notice on August 8.
The audits come as the NAB continues its push for an end to the practice. In its recent filing as part of the FCC’s “Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative, the NAB has called for eliminating EEO audits, describing them as ineffective and unnecessarily burdensome for broadcasters.
Stations selected for the 2025 audit must submit their EEO compliance documentation to the FCC’s online public inspection file by September 22. A template of the audit letter is available on the FCC website, along with the complete EEO rules for reference.
As with recent years, the Enforcement Bureau will not issue completion letters following the audits. Instead, stations will be contacted only if additional questions arise or if further documentation is required during the review.
Failure to comply with the audit process or provide requested materials may result in FCC enforcement actions. Penalties can range from fines to license revocation or renewal denial, depending on the severity of the violation and the station’s compliance history.
In some cases, audited stations may be required to adopt new EEO policies or procedures and could be subject to increased compliance monitoring in the future.
