New Budget Plans For A Leaner FCC

The FCC has asked Congress for a smaller budget for fiscal 2027 and proposed cutting staff as part of a plan to run a leaner, more efficient agency.

In its budget submission, the commission requested $398.3 million for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2026 — about $17.8 million (4.3%) less than its current $416 million allocation. The agency says the reduction reflects efforts to trim costs primarily through workforce cuts.

The plan would cut 110 full‑time positions, lowering total staff to 1,294 from 1,404 and producing the FCC’s smallest workforce in decades (down from a peak of 2,015 in 2003). Several bureaus that affect broadcasters would see reductions: the Media Bureau would fall from 112 to 103 FTEs (saving roughly $1.4 million); the Enforcement Bureau would lose 13 positions; and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau would lose eight. Smaller cuts and fewer contract workers are planned elsewhere.

Officials said workforce savings are needed to offset rising fixed costs, including about $2.6 million for a planned 2% cost‑of‑living pay increase. At the same time, the FCC proposes $15 million in investments in artificial intelligence to boost long‑term operational efficiency and modernization.

The request matters to broadcasters because most FCC funding comes from regulatory fees paid by regulated industries, including radio and TV operators. The agency has not yet finalized annual regulatory fees for the fall; industry stakeholders are watching whether a smaller budget and workforce could translate into fee relief similar to last year’s modest reduction for radio broadcasters.