FCC Eases TV Ownership Limits in 2-1 Vote
The commission said waivers could be granted when larger station deals serve the public interest, including support for local journalism and viewpoint diversity.
- The Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 on Thursday to eliminate its 39% national TV ownership cap, allowing companies to own local stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. households and multiple outlets in a single market.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr championed the measure to help broadcasters compete against streaming services, which now account for more than 40% of all viewing and have eroded traditional TV revenue and carriage fees.
- Anna Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, opposed the change, arguing it "just changes who is doing the squeezing" by empowering large station groups rather than solving economic pressures facing local broadcasters.
- Even Trump-supporting Republicans have raised concerns about the FCC's broad discretionary power under Carr, warning the agency's case-by-case review process could invite second-guessing and legal challenges over content decisions.
- Legal challenges loom as attorneys general earlier this year sued to block Nexstar Media Group's $6.2-billion acquisition of Tegna, signaling future consolidation deals will face intense antitrust scrutiny despite the FCC's rule change.
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118 Articles
Brendan Carr’s FCC Rewrites Media Ownership Law Only Congress Can Actually Change
There are many ways to describe the Trump Era, but the executive branch's conviction that it can simply ignore the legislative branch's entire existence has become something close to a governing principle. From impounding funds designated by Congress to launching a war without Congress's authority, Trump has basically decided that the legislative branch is a…
FCC Repeals 'Outdated' 39% Cap on National Broadcast TV Ownership
Aug. 6 (UPI) — The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to remove a cap on the number of TV stations that can be owned by a single company nationwide, which critics say could result in more industry consolidation. In The post FCC Repeals ‘Outdated’ 39% Cap on National Broadcast TV Ownership appeared first on Breitbart.
The Billings Gazette
Lincoln Journal StarFCC discards merger limits for broadcast TV
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to rescind the rule that bars local broadcast station owners from reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households in a move that could spark industry consolidation.
Tulsa World
Beatrice Daily SunFCC discards merger cap
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