Federal data show fewer than 6% of full-power TV stations and under 3% of FM radio stations are minority-owned, with women owning under 10% of either type. The Broadcast VOICES Act directs the FCC to study why ownership stays so concentrated and to report its findings and recommendations to Congress every two years. It also revives a tax incentive last used in the 1990s: sellers of broadcast stations worth up to $50 million could defer capital-gains taxes if the buyer is a woman or someone who has faced racial or ethnic discrimination, provided that new owner keeps control for at least two years. A related tax credit would reward people who donate broadcast stations to nonprofits that train underrepresented owners to run them. The FCC would have to track compliance and report annually on how many of these deals go through.
Corporate Benefits
- Broadcast-sale tax certificate — New capital-gains deferral for station sales up to $50 million
- Broadcast contribution credit — New tax credit for donating stations to training nonprofits
Transparency & Accountability
- FCC reporting requirements — New recurring reports to Congress on ownership diversity and certificates
Congressional Summary
Broadcast Varied Ownership Incentives for Community Expanded Service Act or the Broadcast VOICES ActThis bill establishes tax incentives for certain transactions that facilitate the ownership and management of broadcast radio stations by socially disadvantaged individuals and imposes related reporting requirements. Under the bill, a socially disadvantaged individual is a woman or an individual who has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their membership in a group. (A similar tax incentive, known as the Minority Tax Certificate Program, was in effect from 1978 to 1995.)Specifically, the bill permits individuals and entities engaged in the qualifying sale of a radio station to elect nonrecognition of the gain or loss resulting from the sale. A qualifying sale is (1) a sale of an interest in a station that results in or preserves ownership of the station by socially disadvantaged individuals, or (2) a sale of some or all of an interest in a station that is owned by socially disadvantaged individuals by an individual or entity that contributed capital in exchange for the interest (e.g., an investor that contributed startup capital). Such sales must also meet other requirements, including a cap on the value of the sale.The bill also establishes a tax credit for contributions of radio stations for the training of socially disadvantaged individuals in station management and operations.Finally, the bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to report to Congress with recommendations for increasing ownership of radio stations by socially disadvantaged individuals.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-10
- Date Added
- 2026-07-08
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.