The FCC is once again proposing to HIKE regulatory fees for both TV and radio stations across the country.  This year, they are asking for a 13% hike.

Over the last several years, the Arizona Broadcasters Association has joined with other state broadcasting associations to file official regulatory fee comments of complaint with the FCC.

Our comments in 2019 resulted in a 10% reduction in the fees proposed for radio, collectively saving radio stations $3,000,000.  In 2020, we won a number of forms of pandemic relief on regulatory fees, and in 2021 fee hike proposals of 10% were stopped and kept at the 2020 levels instead.

This is a long term battle, and we’re once again in fighting mode for 2022. The ABA has just filed 2022 comments to oppose more planned hikes.

Our case argues that Congress requires the FCC to collect fees from everyone who receives benefits. Thus, the FCC cannot justify the substantial increase proposed for 2022 broadcast regulatory fees when the benefits are not changing. Instead, they must spread the burden of FCC funding to all parties who benefit from its operations, including technology companies that benefit from the FCC’s efforts to make unlicensed spectrum available. We’ll keep you updated.