FCC Bends Rules to Rescue Failing Radio Stations Nationwide
Published Date: 9/17/2025
Rule
Summary
The FCC is updating rules about owning multiple radio and TV stations to help struggling stations stay on air. If a station has been off for months due to money problems, or a TV station is losing money and has a tiny audience, owners can ask for special permission to combine stations. These changes could help build new stations too, with no immediate extra costs but better chances for local voices to survive and grow.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Waivers for 'Failed' Off‑Air Stations
If you own a broadcast station that has been off the air for at least four consecutive months immediately before an application, or is a debtor in an involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding at the time of the application, you can ask the FCC for a waiver to permit multiple‑station ownership. The rule explicitly allows waiver requests under these conditions.
Waivers for 'Failing' TV Stations
If you own a television station with an all‑day audience share of no more than four percent, and the station has had negative cash flow for three consecutive years immediately prior to the application, you can seek an FCC waiver to consolidate—so long as the consolidation would produce tangible and verifiable public interest benefits that outweigh any harm to competition and diversity. The rule lists these three requirements together as grounds for entertaining a waiver request.
Waivers to Build Unfinished Stations
If a proposed combination would result in the construction of an unbuilt station, the FCC will entertain a waiver request if the permittee of the unbuilt station shows it made reasonable efforts to construct but was unable to do so. The rule makes this a listed basis for waiver consideration.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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