Doomsday for TV Localism and Community If FCC Doesn’t Change Archaic Rules

Over the past few decades, the notion of a world without the newspaper industry has gone from grimly conceivable to a foregone conclusion. Once the cornerstone of localism and community, over the past two decades, the local newspaper has become nearly extinct. History is set to repeat itself in the broadcast television space. From 2014 to 2019, the total percentage of local advertising dollars spent on broadcast television fell from 14.3% to 11.2%. By 2023, BIA Kelsey forecasts, that percentage will drop to 9.7%. These precipitous drops have already caused a significant reduction in local news and other programming. For the broadcast television industry -- and in turn the local news business – to survive, the Federal Communications Commission’s broadcast ownership restrictions must adapt or be eliminated altogether. A few strong and robust national broadcasters unfettered from today’s antiquated regulations could be bulwarks against this total market domination by wireless and tech companies, and help broadcasters avoid the newspaper death sentence. Furthermore, a larger voice for broadcasters can enhance viewpoint diversity in the modern age. If a broadcaster were able to own more than one station in a market, it could expand program offerings across its stations to serve specific communities and demographics. A broadcaster with two or three stations in a market would be able to keep up with the modern consumption demands in a world driven by consumer choice.

[Armstrong Williams is manager and sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations]