Former FCC Chairs Back Reinstatement of Tax Breaks for Diversity Ownership

By George Winslow, TVTech, and TMI Staff, 9-7-21

Nine former chairs of the FCC – including Richard E. Wiley, Chairman of the Board of The Media Institute – have come out in favor of legislation that would reinstate a tax certificate program to encourage investment in TV and radio broadcast station ownership for women and people of color.

Their statement offers support for H.R. 4871, the Expanding Broadcast Opportunities Act of 2021 introduced by Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1) and Steven Horsford (D-NV-4), and S. 2456, the Broadcast VOICES Act introduced by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

The bills would authorize the Federal Communications Commission to reestablish a Diversity Tax Certificate Program, which would provide a tax incentive to those who sold their majority interest in a radio or television station to underrepresented broadcasters.  » Read More