NEW YORK — What, from a regulatory and legal standpoint, are some of the biggest advocates for radio and TV looking forward to in 2025?
In a word, it is deregulation, and that’s where the energy has been with forthcoming appointments made by former and future President Trump. That’s the message shared during a Forecast 2025 panel that demonstrated excitement over what’s to come through a new Republican-led FCC.
Yet, Beasley Media Group EVP/General Counsel Chris Ornelas expressed concern that the Trump White House may not be as certain as a FCC under the predicted chairmanship of Brendan Carr.
As NAB Chief Legal Officer and EVP/Legal and Regulatory Affairs Rick Kaplan sees it, the FCC under Chairwoman Rosenworcel hasn’t “invested” in broadcasting and, as such, has let “Big Tech” continue to grow. He lamented about the reinstatement of old requirements from decades ago, and believes that whoever the new Chair of the FCC is will understand the needs of the industry.
Relaxed radio or TV rules will hopefully invite new capital to the industry, suggests Dave Donovan, President and Executive Director of the New York State Broadcasters’ Association.
With Carr’s predicted leadership of the FCC discussed, does Kaplan hope any particular deregulatory policy change comes to fruition? “We’re looking forward to things that are really necessary for our industry to thrive,” he said in response to questioning from panel moderator Seth Williams, a partner with Fletcher Heald & Hildreth in Arlington, Va. With Carr and fellow Republican Nate Simington big supporters of the ATSC 3.0 digital broadcast standard, a potential mandatory phase-out of ATSC 1.0 by a fixed date could come to fruition. Then, there is the Online Public File, something the industry may not have any use for in 2025.
Robert Folliard, the Gray Media SVP of Government Relations and Distribution, agrees with Kaplan that we have “sort of gotten used to all of these regulations” that exist for reasons that may not be consistent with today’s environment for broadcasters. The issues and programs list? “Nobody reads them, and nobody knows why they exist, so that is something that needs to be on the chopping block. Netflix doesn’t need to do it. We don’t need to do it either.”
Ornelas agreed, noting, “We are at a unique moment in time with the FCC to really press our case, going back to the beginning to say what is necessary and what isn’t.” He added a refrain heard across the industry, in that Radio doesn’t only compete against Radio and TV doesn’t only compete against broadcast television.
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