Trusty Urges FCC to Strengthen Local Broadcasting

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, July 2, 2026 | 10:11pm CT

FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty

FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty called on the Commission to modernize its policies to help local broadcasters compete in today's media marketplace while reaffirming that serving the public interest remains the foundation of every broadcast license.

Speaking at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Trusty framed her remarks around what she called the search for the "angel of the public interest," borrowing from a 1998 speech by former FCC Chairman Michael Powell. She argued that broadcasters themselves can fulfill that role by delivering trusted local news, emergency information and community service, provided the FCC creates a regulatory framework that allows them to thrive.

Trusty said the Communications Act establishes clear public interest obligations for broadcasters, including localism, political equal opportunities, emergency alerts, sponsorship identification, public inspection files and prohibitions against practices such as news distortion, payola and broadcast hoaxes. She emphasized that these responsibilities distinguish broadcasters from streaming services, podcasts and other digital platforms that do not operate under the same statutory requirements.

She said the FCC must continually review its regulations to ensure they reflect today's competitive environment, citing broadcast ownership rules, the transition to ATSC 3.0 and broader regulatory modernization as areas requiring careful attention. Trusty added that broadcasters' public interest obligations justify policies that help them remain viable in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Addressing the Commission's long-standing goals of competition, diversity of voices and localism, Trusty said the explosion of digital media has dramatically changed the competitive landscape while making local broadcasting's community focus more valuable than ever. She said local news, weather and sports remain broadcasters' competitive advantage because stations understand their communities better than national or global media platforms.

Trusty also expressed concern over the migration of sports programming to streaming services behind paywalls. She noted that more than 8,000 comments have been filed at the FCC regarding the issue, with the overwhelming majority favoring continued access to sports through free over-the-air broadcasting. She argued that sports programming not only serves the public interest by remaining universally available, but also helps generate the advertising revenue that supports local news and other community programming.

The commissioner highlighted broadcasters' role in public safety, pointing to their performance during severe weather, Emergency Alert System operations and emerging ATSC 3.0 technologies, including Broadcast Positioning System capabilities and enhanced emergency alerts. She also cited local stations' mental health awareness campaigns and community service initiatives as examples of broadcasters fulfilling their public interest mission.

Trusty acknowledged the financial pressures facing the industry, noting that more than half of local television newsrooms reportedly are unprofitable on a stand-alone basis. She said broadcasters also face growing challenges from AI-generated misinformation circulating on social media, making strong local journalism and sustainable business models increasingly important.

Concluding her remarks, Trusty said broadcasters can become the "angels of the public interest" by continuing to provide trusted information, local connection and community service, while the FCC works to ensure they can compete on a level playing field and continue meeting their longstanding obligations to the public