FCC: ‘So Long, Main Studio Rule.’

“A politically divided FCC” just voted to eliminate the 80-year-old main studio rule that required that radio and television broadcasters maintain a main studio in or near their community of license. The vote was 3-2 with the two Democrats strongly dissenting. That’s the word from Broadcasting and Cable. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the requirement had become outdated in the digital age, which allows the community to engage with stations via social media or email without having a physical studio nearby. He also said maintaining a physical address is an expense better put to other uses, like adding more local programming. Broadcasters have said that expense can range from $20,000 a year to several hundred thousand dollars. Stations are still required to have a local, toll-free telephone number, and to maintain any portion of their public files that is not online at a publicly accessible location within their community of license.

Democrat Mignon Clyburn remarked, “Today is a solemn one, in the history of television and radio broadcasting. By eliminating the main studio rule in its entirety for all broadcast stations — regardless of size or location — the FCC signals that it no longer believes, those awarded a license to use the public airwaves, should have a local presence in their community.” Clyburn also said a toll-free number didn’t cut it.

Commissioner Michael O’Rielly said they were simply getting rid of an unnecessary and burdensome rule that no longer made sense in a world of social media and the Internet. “It does not eliminate localism,” he insisted.