NAB Files Reply Comments on FCC's Fee Proposal

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, July 19, 2022

NAB has filed reply comments with the FCC regarding the Commission's proposed regulatory fees for Fiscal Year 2022. NAB previously expressed concern with the FCC's proposal to subject local radio broadcasters to regulatory fee rates for 2022 of $381.95 million, which includes a whopping 13% increase for radio stations over the last fiscal year.

In its reply comments, NAB urged the Commission to:

• Continue to exempt broadcasters from paying for costs associated with the Commission's implementation of the Broadband DATA Act

• Exempt broadcasters from paying for the Commission's Universal Service Fund activities

• Ensure that broadcasters are not responsible for the costs associated with the 84 direct full-time employees in the Media Bureau that are tasked with pursuing a "'100 percent' Broadband Policy"

• Cap broadcasters' fee increase at 5% to mitigate the adverse impacts of a large fee increase on broadcasters' ability to serve their local communities

In addition, NAB also filed these comments with the Commission regarding an NPRM concerning various options for the use of TV channel 6 spectrum. In its comments, NAB said that the existing 13 FM6 stations should be allowed to continue operation as presently authorized.