NorthEast Radio Watch 9/30/2024: The FCC’s Mixed Messages

In this week’s issue… FCC regulatory questions vex broadcasters – Promotion for Ford – Levine back on the scene – Curry retires from Lehigh Valley’s Hawk

By SCOTT FYBUSH

Jump to: ME – NH – VT – MA – RI – CT – NY – NJ – PA – Canada

*It’s rare that the inner regulatory workings of the FCC escape from Washington into the general public’s attention, but these are rare times, and Audacy’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy has become one of those stories that’s taken on political dimensions far beyond the usual obscurity of the Commission’s processes.

The FCC approved the Audacy restructuring deal on Monday, but the approval came on a narrow partisan 3-2 majority, with Republican commissioners Nathan Simington and Brendan Carr dissenting. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel fired back in a statement criticizing Simington and Carr for claiming the plan received preferential treatment, a claim that’s been making the rounds heavily on conservative media in recent weeks.

At the heart of the dispute, of course, is the presence of financier George Soros as one of the funders behind the restructuring. To hear some conservative media outlets tell it, Soros plans to take control of the Audacy stations to push his own political agenda, and while we’re not here to take political sides, the facts are pretty clear: there’s no real evidence that Soros is in this for any reason other than to try to make some money. (It’s worth noting that, if anything, Audacy’s talk stations have been trending to the right lately – KRLD in Dallas, for instance, has been replacing news blocks with more conservative talk.)

What we’re here to do this week (since it’s otherwise a slow news week) is to offer some other observations about some FCC trends that have us raising our eyebrows. Keep reading…