REC, Music Rights Groups Push for Return of FM Nonduplication Rule
The FCC should reinstate the FM portion of the radio nonduplication rule, said REC Networks, the Future of Music Coalition and musicFIRST Coalition in an ex parte meeting last week with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington, according to a…
filing in docket 19-310. The FCC in 2020 eliminated the rule barring AM and FM stations serving the same area from offering duplicate content, under then-Chairman Ajit Pai. At the time, current Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel was critical of the rule change, (see 2008060072) calling it “another decision that rushes ahead without doing the due diligence needed to consider the impact on localism, competition and diversity.” An order on reconsideration of the FM dupe rule was circulated to the 10th floor, according to the agency’s online circulation list. The rule change harms “intramodal competition” for FM stations and waivers were readily available before the change, the groups said. “This rule change was also entirely unnecessary,” the filing said.