The FCC has been ordered by the DC Circuit of the US Court of Appeals to finalize its delayed 2018 quadrennial review of media ownership rules within the next 90 days. The court’s ruling comes at a time when the FCC has a Democratic 3-2 majority, after three years of waiting for the agency to decide its course of action. The FCC is also required to conduct a quadrennial review of media ownership rules in 2022. If the agency fails to complete the 2018 review within the given time, it must provide a valid reason for the delay or face the possibility of a National Association of Broadcasters petition for mandamus being granted. The NAB has been urging the FCC to complete the 2018 quadrennial review, arguing that the agency’s decades-old media ownership rules are outdated and hinder local broadcasters from competing in a transformed media marketplace. The FCC’s 2018 quadrennial review will examine the agency’s broadcast ownership rules, including the local television ownership rule, the national television ownership rule, and the radio ownership rule. The review will also examine the agency’s rules on cross-ownership and common ownership. The FCC’s decision on its 2018 quadrennial review is expected to have a significant impact on the media landscape. The agency’s decision could lead to changes in the way that media companies are owned and operated.
The Spirit of Local Broadcasting
