John M. Burgett

John represents broadcasters, consumer technology innovators, and financial institutions in a wide variety of complex regulatory, corporate, and transactional matters before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He is highly skilled at advising buyers, sellers, lenders, and equity investors on FCC regulatory requirements, playing a leading role in numerous broadcast mergers and acquisitions, complex investment restructurings, and financings. John also has extensive experience counseling television industry clients regarding the voluntary transition to the new ATSC 3.0 television transmission standard and advising a leading consumer technology company on the voluntary transition to all-digital radio. As an industry next generation leader, he received the Bayliss Broadcaster Award for his contributions to the radio industry, and over the last decade has served as a panelist and speaker at various industry events hosted by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and other industry groups.

Representative Matters

• Represents commercial and noncommercial broadcasters, including major radio and television group owners, before the FCC on matters including: spectrum policy, station construction and licensing, license renewals, facilities modifications, technical and interference issues, content distribution, children's programming, political advertising, program content and advertising issues, station contests, closed captioning, sponsorship identification, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements, and other FCC regulations affecting day-to-day station operation.
• Advises buyers, sellers, financial institutions, and investors on transactions requiring FCC approval, including compliance with the FCC’s multiple ownership, attribution, and foreign ownership rules; structuring, negotiating, and documenting mergers, acquisitions, joint arrangements, and operational agreements; conducting FCC-related due diligence; and obtaining regulatory approvals.
• Counsels consumer electronics manufacturers regarding compliance with FCC regulations and policies affecting their products and services, including captioning and emergency alerting functionality.
• Counsels clients with respect to rulemaking and legislative initiatives impacting the broadcast industry.
• Advises broadcasters and consumer electronics manufacturers in connection with FCC enforcement matters, including conducting internal investigations, providing strategic guidance, drafting responses, and negotiating consent decrees.

Affiliations

• American Bar Association (ABA)
• Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA)

• Co-Chair, CLE and Programs Committee (2022 – Present)
• Co-Chair, Mass Media Committee (2017 – 2022)

Recognitions

• Named by The Legal 500 US a "recommended lawyer" in Telecom and Broadcast Regulatory and Transactional Law and Telecom and Broadcast Regulatory Law (2018)
• Bayliss Broadcaster Award, John Bayliss Broadcast Foundation, for contributions to the radio industry (2003)
• AV Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell's highest ranking by peers for general ethical standards and legal ability

• Included in The Best Lawyers in America directory for Communications Law (2025)