Headlines
DEI Questions Are Back As FCC Launches New EEO Audits
The Federal Communications Commission is launching another round of Equal Employment Opportunity audits, and broadcasters hoping the agency’s newly expanded scrutiny of diversity-related employment practices was a one-time exercise are out of luck.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Station Sales Week Of 8/21
After the June 2025 sale of twenty stations to Christie Tate’s E Radio Network for $1.7 million failed to close at the end of last year, Monte Spearman’s High Plains Radio Network is reselling the stations out of Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation to the Atonn Muhammad led Blacksun Private Equity for $1.75 million.
Television
ABC Local Station Move Draws FCC Scrutiny (WSJ subscription required)
When major broadcast networks decide to move their programming from one local TV station to another, it rarely attracts the attention of the federal government.
Charter/Cox Merger: More Pressure On Already Hard-Pressed Local TV?
With two major cable TV and telecommunications companies merging -- Charter and Cox -- look for some different worries from TV stations executives as those two companies combine their aging/existing video businesses.
Radio
FCC Report 8/23: Three More AMs Surrendered
Ahead of its one year deadline to return to operations, Base Communications surrendered the license of 1430 WKEX Blacksburg VA.
FCC
Court of Appeals Hears Oral Argument on FCC’s Extension of LUC to Joint Fundraising Committees and Political Party Ad Buys – While FCC Moves to Resolve Appeals of the Same Decision – Where Do These Actions Leave Broadcasters?
Two weeks ago, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit heard an oral argument on the challenge by a number of Democratic candidates to the FCC Media Bureau’s March Public Notice which purported to “remind” broadcasters of their obligations to give Lowest Unit Rates not only to ads purchased by political candidates and their own campaign committees but also to Joint Fundraising Committees and Political Party ads when those ads are authorized by a candidate.
This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters: August 17, 2026 to August 21, 2026
Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the past week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations.
Verticals
Marketers Starting Holiday Campaigns Earlier As Shopping Season Expands.
Marketers are preparing for a longer and more fragmented holiday shopping season as consumers increasingly research products and make purchasing decisions well before Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to a new report from tvScientific and Pinterest.