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Radio Facing Outside Competition, Broadcasters Say

The FCC and Congress should consider competition from companies outside the radio industry, said numerous broadcast comments Monday in docket 18-227, responding to the FCC call for information on the state of audio competition. The Media Bureau should “root out”…

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the “increasingly dangerous myth that radio broadcasting constitutes a separate market for economic competition,” Sun Broadcasting and WBOC said. “The increasing share of local advertising revenues earned by online and mobile outlets, including the digital giants, has squeezed radio stations’ share of local ad revenues,” said NAB. “No longer are there silos, where radio stations compete only with each other for advertising revenue and listeners,” filed Connoisseur Media, Townsquare Media, Mid-West Family Broadcasting, Midwest Communications and the Frandsen family stations. MusicFIRST Coalition and the Future of Music Coalition said radio broadcasters enjoy a competitive advantage, and limits on ownership should remain. “History has made clear” relaxing ownership rules would “substantially reduce competition among AM/FM radio stations,” they said,