By Lee Allen Miller, ATBA Executive Director
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Chairman Brendan Carr, has initiated a comprehensive deregulation effort titled “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete” (GN Docket No. 25-133). This sweeping initiative aims to review and potentially eliminate numerous existing regulations, significantly impacting broadcasters, including the Low Power Television (LPTV) community represented by the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance (ATBA).
FCC Chairman Carr emphasized that the deregulation drive responds directly to President Trump’s Executive Orders aimed at promoting economic prosperity by reducing regulatory burdens. “For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired,” Carr stated.
This deregulatory initiative encourages broadcasters, particularly LPTV stations and ATBA stakeholders, to actively participate by identifying FCC rules that have become unnecessary, overly burdensome, or outdated in light of current technology and market realities.
For LPTV station owners and operators, this represents a critical opportunity. Regulations under consideration for modification or elimination could potentially include broadcast ownership caps, regulatory filings, and technical standards, which often impose substantial compliance costs disproportionately affecting smaller operators.
The FCC specifically invited comments detailing cost-benefit analyses, experience-based assessments, and insights into technological advancements that have rendered certain rules obsolete. The agency also seeks input on whether certain existing regulations impose unequal costs or create competitive barriers, issues particularly relevant to smaller, independently-owned LPTV stations.
Given these developments, ATBA encourages its members and stakeholders to engage actively in this process. Detailed comments should clearly identify problematic regulations, outline their adverse effects on LPTV operations, and recommend specific changes or eliminations.
Comments must be filed in GN Docket No. 25-133 by April 11, 2025, with reply comments due by April 28, 2025. The ATBA will continue monitoring this significant FCC initiative, ensuring LPTV broadcasters’ voices are heard and their interests robustly represented.
The deregulation effort signals potential relief and greater flexibility for broadcasters, enhancing the industry’s ability to innovate, compete, and better serve local communities.
