In the USA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering a review of the Clear Channel network, which owns over 1000 stations across the country.

Clear Channel’s dominance of some rural radio markets has caused cross-party concern according to FCC commissioner Kathleen Abernathy.

She told the New York Times: “Because of the way our markets are defined, in certain markets they’ve
clearly acquired more power than we would have wanted. Everyone
agrees this is something we have to fix.”

As part of its overhaul of US media regulations, the FCC plans to
reconfigure the nation’s radio markets, and may force Clear Channel to offload some of its portfolio.

Commissioners are due to vote on the reforms on June 2.

The USA is reviewing its overall media legislation because of new developments in media delivery, in the same was as Australia is currently doing. There may be other changes that come out of that review besides this current focus on Clear Channel.