Busy DC Agenda: AM Radio Bill, Ownership Rules, EEO Audits

- Congress, FCC Agendas Loom Large for Stations

Broadcasters need to keep an eye on DC as Congressional and regulatory activity is ramping up on major policy issues important to local Radio and TV stations, including preserving AM Radio in cars, potential ownership deregulation and a new round of audits of stations' EEO compliance habits.

AM Radio

Two-thirds of both the House and Senate are now officially on board as co-sponsors of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, including Senate co-author Ted Cruz and a bipartisan group of 20 Texas representatives.

While TAB is still pushing for more Texans to join as co-sponsors, the primary effort now is to secure floor votes in both chambers as the calendar quickly, even as leadership struggles to keep the government open in light of ongoing funding disagreements.

Ownership Deregulation

The FCC at its September 30 open meeting is slated to consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments on three of the commission's ownership rules:

• Local Radio Rule, including whether the limit on the total number of stations that may be commonly owned in one market is still necessary, possible changes to the limits, and whether separate limits or subcaps regarding AM or FM service in a single market should be considered;
• Local Television Rule, including whether the limit on a single entity from owning more than two TV stations in the same local market is still necessary and how potential changes should be structured; and
• Dual Network Rule , including whether this rule which prohibits a merger between or among ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC remains necessary in the public interest and, if not, whether to change or repeal the rule.

The national TV ownership cap is not included in this review and will likely be advanced in a separate docket.

EEO Audit Deadline Extended - 11 Texas Stations Hit

The FCC's Enforcement Bureau announced a new deadline of October 17 for the 300 radio and TV stations identified in its 2025 EEO audit notice to upload their responses to their online public inspection files.

The group of targeted operations includes 11 Texas commercial and non-commercial Radio stations, but no TV stations.

The Bureau also clarified some matters regarding the new DEI-related questions in Section 2. The Bureau will permit respondents to protect confidential business information from public disclosure by emailing responses to the DEI questions to the Bureau, rather than posting them in a station's online public file. That does not apply to responses to the remaining questions.

The Bureau also clarified that stations do not need to include advertising contracts in their responses to the DEI questions, and that station employment units with fewer than 5 full-time employees (employees assigned to work at least 30 hours a week) are exempt from responding to these questions.

Questions? Contact Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.