U.S. agency to vote to end 39% local TV station ownership cap
The plan would replace a hard ownership limit with case-by-case reviews, a shift supporters say could help broadcasters compete with tech giants.
- On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the agency will vote on August 6 to rescind the 85-year-old rule barring broadcasters from reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households, replacing it with a case-by-case review system.
- Carr argues the current cap prevents local broadcasters from gaining scale enjoyed by competitors like Netflix and YouTubeTV, which reach 100 percent of the country, leaving the market functionally out of balance.
- The National Association of Broadcasters praised the move as "out of step with today's media marketplace," while the change could benefit large owners like Nexstar in its $3.54 billion Tegna acquisition.
- FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez warned that only Congress can lift the cap, arguing it threatens "competition, localism, and viewpoint diversity," while critics fear the case-by-case approach invites partisan influence.
- With Republicans holding a 2-1 majority, the vote is expected to pass despite potential legal challenges, though the agency faces scrutiny over Carr's previous threats to revoke licenses for critical coverage.
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The FCC moving ahead with a proposal to scrap the national TV ownership cap is fueling expectations that long-awaited radio ownership deregulation could be next. Broadcasters say it could foreshadow action on local radio limits as regulators rethink decades-old limits.…
FCC considers repealing longstanding TV broadcast ownership cap
The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on changes to rules limiting ownership of television stations.Current rules prohibit any company from reaching more than 39% of U.S. households.The ownership cap was established to promote competition and prevent monopolization of the airwaves.The FCC is scheduled to vote Aug. 6 on repealing the rule.RELATED STORY | FCC chairman warns broadcasters could lose their license over fake Iran war co…
Cruz, Democrats push back on FCC move to lift ownership cap
The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to allow for more consolidation in local television, a move that got pushback from Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz over the role of Congress in changing the television ownership cap. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr announced plans Wednesday to vote to repeal the national broadcast ownership […]
Carr Calls for Ending Cap on TV Station Ownership
The nation's longstanding rule on TV ownership is on the verge of extinction. The Federal Communications Commission plans an Aug. 6 vote on scrapping the cap that bars any one company from owning stations reaching more than 39% of US TV households, replacing it with case-by-case reviews of deals. FCC...
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