A busy mid-September for broadcast radio: sports rights and talent headlines, a public-media license transfer, research that still favors AM/FM in the car, and Washington items that will matter into mid-month.
Washington & Regulation
🗼The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act remains the industry’s biggest policy story. House leadership has a standalone floor vote scheduled the week of Sept. 14. Cosponsorship is large and bipartisan; NAB is pushing members to finish the job before the calendar runs out.
🗼The Supreme Court stayed a Fourth Circuit ruling that had narrowed lowest-unit political-ad rates to legally qualified candidates only. The stay restores the FCC’s broader reading for now, just as the 60-day pre-election window opened.
🗼The FCC approved WHYY’s acquisition of Penn State’s WPSU radio and TV licenses, clearing the main regulatory hurdle to keep public service in central and northern Pennsylvania. Separately, Poynter and Public Media Company launched a Future of Public Media Initiative a year after Congress rescinded more than $1 billion in future CPB funding. Recommendations are expected in early 2027.
🗼FY 2026 regulatory fees are due 11:59 p.m. ET Sept. 24 via CORES; late payers face an automatic 25% penalty...The Commission also used National Preparedness Month and the 9/11 anniversary to stress-test emergency comms plan...A Senate Commerce hearing next week will take up FCC nominees, including Danielle Thumann Severs.
🗼The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act remains the industry’s biggest policy story. House leadership has a standalone floor vote scheduled the week of Sept. 14. Cosponsorship is large and bipartisan; NAB is pushing members to finish the job before the calendar runs out.
🗼The Supreme Court stayed a Fourth Circuit ruling that had narrowed lowest-unit political-ad rates to legally qualified candidates only. The stay restores the FCC’s broader reading for now, just as the 60-day pre-election window opened.
🗼The FCC approved WHYY’s acquisition of Penn State’s WPSU radio and TV licenses, clearing the main regulatory hurdle to keep public service in central and northern Pennsylvania. Separately, Poynter and Public Media Company launched a Future of Public Media Initiative a year after Congress rescinded more than $1 billion in future CPB funding. Recommendations are expected in early 2027.
🗼FY 2026 regulatory fees are due 11:59 p.m. ET Sept. 24 via CORES; late payers face an automatic 25% penalty...The Commission also used National Preparedness Month and the 9/11 anniversary to stress-test emergency comms plan...A Senate Commerce hearing next week will take up FCC nominees, including Danielle Thumann Severs.
Sports Radio🗼iHeart Milwaukee renewed a multi-year deal keeping 95.7 Big FM (WRIT) as the Packers’ Milwaukee flagship.,,Audacy named 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) the Dallas Mavericks’ flagship and launched Inside the North...After an August layoff that drew backlash while he recovered from cancer, Greg Papa is back at Cumulus KNBR with weekday Lunch With Papa and twice-weekly 49ers updates.
Business, research & the car
🗼Edison Research again found AM/FM dominating ad-supported in-car audio; Audacy research said the most tech-forward drivers are also heavy radio users.
🗼Katz urged sellers to start holiday music and seasonal avails early.
🗼SiriusXM promoted Sean Gibbons to chief product and technology officer, with 360L, in-car product, and ad tech as priorities.
Watch Next Week:
Watch Next Week:
The House AM-radio vote Monday...FCC fee deadline countdown...and NFL week-one inventory as sports radio stays in the center of the industry conversation....A Senate Commerce hearing next week will take up FCC nominees, including Danielle Thumann Severs.