FCC to Review Local Radio Ownership in Quadrennial Review

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 2:51pm CT

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The Federal Communications Commission will take up its long-delayed 2022 Quadrennial Regulatory Review at its September 30 Open Commission Meeting, with a focus on whether to retain, modify, or eliminate key broadcast ownership rules. Among them is the Local Radio Ownership Rule, which restricts the number of AM and FM stations a single entity can own in a given market.

The review, required every four years under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, will consider whether these limits remain "necessary in the public interest as the result of competition." The Commission is seeking comment on whether the current tiered ownership caps - which vary based on market size and include separate AM and FM subcaps - should be loosened, tightened, or eliminated altogether. It is also asking whether the definition of the "audio marketplace" should expand to include satellite radio, streaming platforms, podcasts, and other digital competitors, or continue to treat broadcast radio as a distinct market.

For local radio, potential changes could reshape ownership consolidation across markets. The Commission noted it is particularly interested in how the rules affect competition, localism, and viewpoint diversity, as well as whether they should be adjusted to provide relief for smaller or struggling stations.

The National Association of Broadcasters praised the move. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said in a statement, "We commend Chairman Carr for jump-starting the long-overdue 2022 Quadrennial Ownership Review. Outdated rules have held broadcasters back for too long. Modernizing them means stronger local journalism, more investment in communities and the live sports fans count on. Broadcasters welcome this long-awaited step forward."

The NPRM (MB Docket No. 22-459) also covers the Local Television Ownership Rule and the Dual Network Rule, but the debate over radio ownership caps is expected to draw significant attention from broadcasters facing intense competition from digital audio platforms.

Public comments will be accepted following publication in the Federal Register, with reply comments due 60 days later.