Commission cites overwhelming public confusion about the word “podcast” as primary justification; notes that “apparently nobody wants to just listen to things anymore.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission today voted 3–2 to adopt sweeping new rules requiring all licensed AM and FM broadcast radio stations in the United States to add a simultaneous video component to their programming no later than January 1, 2028. The new regulation, formally titled the Audiovisual Parity and Listener Comprehension Act, was prompted by what Commission Chairwoman Dana Hargrove called “an unprecedented national crisis in media terminology.”
“After extensive study, the Commission has determined that the American public no longer understands the word ‘podcast,’” Chairwoman Hargrove said in a prepared statement. “Millions of citizens now use the term to describe any video on the internet in which two or more people are sitting down. Rather than attempt to educate the public—which we feel is unrealistic—we have decided to simply require radio to add cameras.”
The ruling comes after a two-year investigation by the FCC’s newly created Bureau of Conditions That Aren’t Actually Problems (BCTAAP), which found that 78% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 believe the word “podcast” refers exclusively to video content hosted on YouTube, while only 4% are aware that the term actually describes a series of episodic audio or video content that is downloadable on-demand via an RSS—“Really Simple Syndication”—feed. A troubling 12% believe “RSS” is a type of car. An additional 6% thought it was a vitamin.
“A podcast can be audio. A podcast can be video. It can be a monologue, an interview, a drama, a roundtable, a sensory experience—the format is wide open,” the Bureau’s report noted. “What makes it a podcast is the delivery mechanism: episodic content distributed via RSS, consumable through any podcast app, thanks to the open and decentralized nature of podcasting technology. But the American public has decided that ‘podcast’ means ‘long video where people talk at a table,’ and frankly, the delivery mechanism ship hasn’t just sailed. That ship has been dismantled and turned into a ring light.”
The report further noted that while some podcasts may limit their distribution to specific platforms, the general assumption within the industry has always been that a listener can consume any podcast—especially audio podcasts—through any podcast app simply by adding the show’s RSS feed manually. “This open, decentralized model is the entire point,” the report continued. “It’s what separates a podcast from just ‘a video on the internet.’ But try explaining that to someone whose primary podcast app is YouTube. We tried. They asked if RSS was available in the App Store.”
Under the new rules, every FCC-licensed radio station must install at least two (2) cameras in each broadcast studio, maintain “adequate lighting for a cinematic feel,” and provide a live video stream of all programming. The Commission has specified minimum production requirements, including at least one camera angle described as “that wide shot where you can see all the microphones.”
The Commission acknowledged that the mandate will impose significant costs on the radio industry but argued that the expense is justified. “We estimate the average station will spend between $150,000 and $400,000 on video equipment, lighting, and a really long table for guests to sit behind,” said Commissioner Raj Okonkwo, who voted in favor. “But consider the alternative: we could try to explain to people that a podcast is actually episodic audio or video delivered via RSS—that the word describes a distribution method, not a genre—and that calling a YouTube-exclusive video a ‘podcast’ is like calling a newspaper a ‘telegram’ because both contain news. We tried that. Nobody cared.”
The two dissenting commissioners issued a joint statement calling the rule “a solution in search of a problem that is itself not a problem.” Commissioner Elaine Whitford wrote: “My colleagues have essentially decided that because people misuse a word, we should restructure a century-old industry. By this logic, we should require all books to contain pictures because people keep calling illustrated Instagram captions ‘novels.’”
Industry reaction has been swift. The National Association of Broadcasters released a statement expressing “deep concern,” noting that many veteran radio hosts “have faces specifically optimized for audio.” Several station managers contacted by reporters said they were already exploring workarounds, including pointing cameras at lava lamps, aquariums, or a static title card reading “RADIO.”
The new rules have found unexpected support among podcast creators, many of whom have spent years explaining to family members that they do, in fact, have a real job. “I’ve been doing an audio-only podcast for nine years,” said independent creator Marcus Liu. “My own mother sends me Joe Rogan clips and says, ‘See? This is what a podcast looks like.’ If the FCC wants to just give up and make everything video, honestly, I get it.”
The Commission will accept public comments on the implementation timeline through September 30, 2026. Comments may be submitted via the FCC’s website, by mail, or in a forty-five-minute video of yourself sitting at a table, which the Commission says it will classify as a podcast.