Review of Foreign Ownership Policies for Broadcast, Common Carrier and Aeronautical Radio Licensees

Document 2026-06866 is a Final Rule published by the Federal Communications Commission in the Federal Register on April 9, 2026, with an effective date of May 11, 2026. In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopted a Report and Order to update foreign ownership rules for common carrier and broadcast licensees to clarify the Commission's review under section 310(b) of the Communications Act of 1934. With regard to common carrier licensees, the Report and Order adopted rules to codify existing policy regarding which entity is the controlling U.S. parent; codify the Commission's advance approval policy regarding certain deemed voting interests; require identification of trusts and trustees; extend the remedial procedures and methodology to privately held companies; add requirements regarding the contents of remedial petitions; require the filing of amendments as a complete restatement to petitions for declaratory ruling; and clarify U.S. residency requirements. For broadcast licensees only, the Report and Order covers: how the Commission should process applications filed by a broadcast licensee during the pendency of a remedial petition for declaratory ruling under section 310(b)(4); and other foreign ownership considerations related to processing applications for NCE and LPFM stations. Regarding broadcast licensees only, the Report and Order directs the Media Bureau to issue processing guidelines detailing how the Commission would process applications filed by a broadcast licensee during the pendency of a remedial section 310(b)(4) petition; and clarifies other foreign ownership considerations related to processing applications for noncommercial educational (NCE) and low power FM (LPFM) stations. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/09/2026-06866/review-of-foreign-ownership-policies-for-broadcast-common-carrier-and-aeronautical-radio-licensees.

No. Document 2026-06866 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.