Chairman Pai Proposes to Improve FCC's EOE Enforcement

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, July 3, 2018

FCC

It's been fifty years since the FCC enacted its equal opportunity employment rules and national policy against discrimination in hiring by broadcast licensees. Now, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has shared with his fellow Commissioners a proposal to shift agency staff responsible for enforcing the FCC's EEO rules from the Media Bureau to the Enforcement Bureau. Earlier this year, numerous civil rights organizations, including the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, NAACP, National Urban League, LULAC, and Rainbow PUSH Coalition, recommended that the Commission take this step so that the Commission's EEO rules could be enforced more effectively.

In a statement, Chairman Pai said, "Fifty years ago today, the FCC ensured that our national policy against discrimination in hiring applied to broadcasters. And on this important anniversary, I'm pleased to propose another step toward ensuring equal employment opportunity in the communications industry. By deploying staff tasked with enforcing the Commission's EEO rules in the Enforcement Bureau, we'll be able to improve the FCC's enforcement of those rules and strengthen our commitment to fighting discrimination."

Currently, a team comprised of attorneys and other professionals responsible for EEO audits and enforcement is part of the FCC's Media Bureau. The EEO audit and enforcement team oversees the EEO compliance of radio and television and radio broadcast licensees, as well as multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and satellite radio providers. The team's work is primarily focused on periodic random audits of broadcast licensee and MVPD EEO programs, along with any necessary enforcement actions arising from those audits. The EEO team also investigates complaints and takes enforcement action based on those investigations when necessary.

Under Pai's leadership, the Commission has taken a number of steps to enhance diversity in the communications industry, including re-establishing the Diversity Advisory Committee and committing to establish an incubator program to promote diversity in the broadcast industry. To learn more about the Commission's EEO efforts, click here.