COVID-19 gives the FCC a platform to leverage educational programming

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Months before COVID-19, the Federal Communications Commission voted to loosen broadcasters’ obligations to carry core “educational and informative” content across their networks. The National Association of Broadcasters thanked the FCC profusely, touting that obligations to carry “low-rated children’s programming” would have serious economic consequences when stations were already dealing with shrinking profits. Little did they realize that in just a matter of months, schools across the country would morph into remote learning modalities, placing television and public airwaves in the role of providing educational content for many American families. As a content creator and advocate for children’s and family programming, I was inspired by this watershed moment and wondered if our FCC policymakers and media stakeholders might reconsider their recent changes to the Children’s Programming rules? Spectrum and broadband are here to stay, and both should be scaled to leverage the growing need for quality, outcome-driven children’s entertainment. We are at a pivotal moment in broadcasting and media. Let’s harness the power of media to help close the digital divide and provide quality educational creative programming for kids. COVID-19 may have brought us here, but the zeitgeist was already whirling with new stories, beseeching media to support positive outcomes for children and families.


COVID-19 gives the FCC a platform to leverage educational programming