STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER JESSICA ROSENWORCEL
Re: Review of Foreign Ownership Policies for Broadcast, Common Carrier and Aeronautical Radio
Licensees under Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as Amended, GN Docket 
No. 15-236.
Broadcasting has a storied history.  For decades, it has been where we turn for local news and 
entertainment in communities all across the country.  But change is in the air.  Spectrum used by
broadcast stations is now in demand by other services, a new broadcast standard is in the works, and new 
media platforms are multiplying.  To ensure the future of broadcasting is bright, investment is key.
But the laws that govern broadcast investment can get in the way.  That’s because they have a 
distinctly vintage quality.  In fact, they were put in place to prevent foreign powers from disrupting ship-
to-shore governmental communications during warfare.  But just as horses and bayonets are not the tools 
of modern warfare, the cyber threats we face today are not especially well-guarded by these prohibitions.  
Moreover, these policies can create artificial constraints that make it tough for broadcasters to access 
funding on a global scale.  This is not right—and not fair.  
So today we update our policies by extending to broadcast licensees the same streamlined rules 
and procedures applicable to common carrier licensees under the law.  We clarify our rules for foreign 
investment across the board.  We also improve our method for counting foreign ownership in both 
common carriers and broadcasters.  These actions remove barriers for investment and provide clarity for 
broadcasters seeking support for new technologies and new ways to reach the communities they serve.  
This effort has my full support.