FCC Main Studio Rule's Days May Be Numbered

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In today's era of telecom deregulation, will the day ever come where the FCC's so-called main studio rule—requiring most radio and TV stations to have a working, main studio in or near the city of their license—ever be repealed?

Perhaps to the surprise of many, Womble Carlyle Telecom attorney John Garziglia says that day might be coming.

"My prediction is that the FCC will do away with the main studio rule. It is an easy target for regulation elimination, and there is absolutely no public constituency for it (unlike net neutrality and privacy that does have a constituency of millions to whom the chairman is about to be introduced)," Garziglia told Radio World in a recent interview.