FCC Chairman Launches ‘Massive’ Deregulation Initiative

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has taken significant steps toward deregulating the radio industry, aligning with broader efforts to reduce regulatory burdens across various sectors. 

Carr has announced the launch of a sweeping deregulatory initiative at the FCC, signaling a potential shift in how radio broadcasting is governed in the United States. This initiative, formally docketed as “In re: Delete, Delete, Delete” (GN Docket No. 25-133), invites public comment on every rule, regulation, or guidance document that the FCC could eliminate to alleviate what Carr and his supporters describe as unnecessary regulatory constraints.

Carr’s push for deregulation is framed as a response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders, specifically Executive Order 14192 (“Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation”) and Executive Order 14219 (“Ensuring Lawful Governance And Implementing The President’s ‘Department Of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative”). These orders, enacted during Trump’s second term, emphasize reducing federal oversight to foster economic growth and innovation. 

Carr has stated that this initiative will “assist the FCC in carrying out the policies that President Trump included in certain Executive Orders,” aiming to eliminate outdated or overly restrictive regulations that he believes hinder broadcasters, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

For the radio industry specifically, Carr’s deregulatory stance could mean revisiting longstanding rules, such as those governing media ownership limits, which restrict how many stations a single entity can own in a given market. Carr this week expressed concern about the underinvestment in local radio and television stations interview that deregulation could allow broadcasters to “get to scale” and reinvest in local journalism. 

He remarked, “We need to let some of these broadcasters get to scale so they can hire local reporters ... people love their local TV stations, and radio too, but there’s a lot of distrust in media overall.” This indicates his belief that loosening ownership restrictions might enable larger companies to consolidate resources, potentially strengthening local stations’ ability to compete with digital media platforms like streaming services and podcasts.

Carr’s approach builds on his established reputation as a proponent of deregulation. Since joining the FCC as a commissioner in 2017 and becoming chairman in January 2025, he has consistently advocated for reducing bureaucratic red tape, a stance he detailed in his contribution to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy blueprint. His chapter on the FCC emphasized creating a “market-friendly regulatory environment” to encourage innovation and competition, a philosophy now being applied to this new initiative. 

For radio, this could translate to fewer restrictions on market consolidation, potentially allowing companies to own more AM and FM stations in local markets, which Carr has argued could help struggling AM stations survive by sharing resources with stronger FM counterparts.

However, this move is not without controversy. Critics, including consumer advocacy groups like Free Press, warn that deregulation could lead to increased media consolidation, reducing diversity in ownership and potentially limiting the variety of voices on the airwaves. Carr’s focus on deregulation also comes amid his broader agenda, which includes scrutinizing tech giants and public broadcasters like NPR and PBS, suggesting a selective approach to regulation that prioritizes industry flexibility over stringent oversight in some areas while tightening control in others perceived as politically misaligned.

The “Delete, Delete, Delete” docket is still in its early stages, with the FCC seeking input from stakeholders—such as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), radio station owners, and pro-MVPD groups like ACA Connects—on which specific rules should be targeted. For radio, this could mean revisiting caps on ownership, easing technical requirements, or modernizing rules to better align with today’s media landscape, where traditional broadcasters face fierce competition from digital platforms. Carr has also shown particular interest in revitalizing AM radio, having supported the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which suggests he might prioritize policies that bolster this segment of the industry.