WASHINGTON—As a fast-paced and often controversial year for the Federal Communications Commission comes to a close, the agency’s Chair Brendan Carr has released a very long list of 75 items highlighting what he calls “the FCC’s key wins in 2025.”
Those items directly impacting broadcasters included: efforts to liberalize NextGen TV rules; investigations to hold broadcasters `accountable to their public interest obligations’; completing the approval process for the Skydance acquisition of Paramount with promises that the new owners would “root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media”; the launch of a wide-ranging FCC investigation into network affiliate relationships; the approval of 84 construction permits for TV and radio stations; and rulings that approved station deals allowing station groups to own two top four stations in a market.
“2025 was a historic year for the FCC and I am proud of all the wins we were able to achieve for the American people,” Carr said in a statement. “I want to express my thanks and appreciation to the agency’s talented staff for the great and efficient results that they delivered all year long. But this is just the beginning. The FCC is firing on all cylinders, and we will build on this momentum to deliver even more wins in 2026.”
More specifically, the FCC described some of the “key wins” that most closely touched broadcasters as follows:
- “Approved Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount CBS. As specified in the FCC’s record, Skydance made written commitments to ensure that the new company's programming embodies a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum. Skydance also adopted measures that can root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media, and committed to enhancing local news and reporting.
- “Sought public comment for the first time in more than 15 years on the relationship between the large, national programmers on the one hand and the many local broadcast television stations on the other.
- “Opened the airwaves and unleashed new voices through grant of 84 construction permits for new noncommercial TV, FM, and low power radio stations. Processed over 7600 other broadcast licensing matters, including 887 license assignments and transfers, plus 714 license renewals.
- “Approved the first new ownership combination of two full-power, top-four ranked, same-market television stations in over five years. Later approved another top-four television station ownership combination.
- “Took action to support and accelerate the nation’s ongoing transition to Next Gen TV (also known as ATSC 3.0). This new technology represents the future of broadcasting and promises to modernize the nation's free and local over-the-air television service, which serves as a vital source of local news and information for many Americans.
- “Removed 98 broadcast rules and requirements that have been identified as obsolete, outdated, or unnecessary, including rules dating back nearly 50 years ago for technologies that have been far surpassed in the media marketplace.
- “Voted to remove 11 outdated and useless rule provisions, including obsolete regulations on telegraph, rabbit-ear broadcast receivers, and telephone booths.
- “Held broadcasters accountable to their public interest obligations and empowered them to serve the interests of local communities."
The full list can be found here.
