NAB Urges FCC To Eliminate All Radio Ownership Caps

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is urging the FCC to immediately eliminate all local radio ownership caps and subcaps, along with other outdated broadcast restrictions, to level the playing field in a radically transformed media landscape dominated by online competitors.

In its 87-page reply comments filed on January 16 — the deadline for the FCC's 2022 Quadrennial Review — NAB reinforced its December arguments, stating that decades-old rules (some dating back nearly a century) unfairly shackle local broadcasters while exempting digital platforms, online content providers, and ad giants. These restrictions artificially limit broadcasters' scale, hindering their ability to attract investment, grow audiences, and secure advertising revenue needed to serve communities.

As first reported by RadioWorld, NAB emphasized that competition from digital sources — not intra-industry rivals — has driven the precipitous declines in radio's audience share and ad revenues over the past two decades. Retaining these asymmetric caps prevents broadcasters from seizing economic, investment, and competitive opportunities, ultimately threatening their capacity to deliver free local news, emergency information, and entertainment.

The association dismissed opposition arguments as relying on "legally untenable" claims, selectively chosen data, and repetitive, refuted positions from a handful of critics. NAB specifically refuted claims from groups like the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB), musicFIRST Coalition, and Future of Music Coalition, arguing that declining revenues for smaller and minority-owned stations stem from outdated caps themselves, not potential consolidation, and that music industry frustrations over copyright fees are irrelevant to this proceeding.

Notably, NAB highlighted support from small and mid-sized broadcasters — including owners of just one or two stations — who have called for repeal or relaxation of the caps, countering assertions that only large conglomerates favor change.

The FCC's Republican majority is widely seen as supportive of ownership reform, though the extent of potential changes remains unclear. NAB concluded by pressing the Commission to act quickly: "NAB urges the commission to conclude this proceeding quickly and finally rid the media marketplace of these artificial and competition-distorting restrictions imposed on broadcasters alone."