FCC Chairman Pai Proposes Broadcaster Incubator Program Requirements

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he has circulated a proposal that would establish the requirements to govern the incubator program that the FCC decided to adopt in 2017 to support the entry of new and diverse voices into the broadcast industry. The proposal, which the FCC will vote on at its August Open Meeting, outlines a program in which established broadcasters would pair with small aspiring new entrants or struggling broadcast station owners who lack access to capital and operational experience, among other things. The established broadcaster—the incubator—would help provide financial and operational support, including training and mentoring, to the new or struggling broadcaster. The program would initially apply to AM/FM full-service broadcast radio station ownership, as radio has traditionally been the most accessible entry point for new entrants and small businesses seeking to enter the broadcasting sector.