FCC Moves to End Cap on National Broadcast Ownership

The Federal Communications Commission signaled it will vote on August 6 to repeal the longstanding cap on ownership of TV stations, replacing a limit that keeps owners from controlling stations in more than 39% of markets with a case-by-case review of transactions that might come before regulators.

“Today, national programmers can distribute their programming to 100 percent of the country –either through their own streaming services or through deals they cut with nationwide ‘virtual cable companies,’ like YouTubeTV. The cap no longer constrains their control over distribution in this respect,” said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr in an op-ed published by Brietbart. “Nor does the cap limit other players in today’s media market. Cable channels like MSNOW can reach 100 percent of the country. Social media sites from Bluesky to X can reach 100 percent of the country. Netflix can reach 100 percent too. Same with podcasts and all other forms of digital content.”

A decision to eliminate the cap might have immediate consequences. Nexstar, one of the largest owners of TV stations in the U.S., has been barred from completing its recent acquisition of Tegna, a smaller TV station owner, on the grounds that the transaction would give Nexstar too much control over local TV properties across the country. Nexstar also owns national outlets like the CW broadcast network and the NewsNation cable-news outlet.

A trade group representing TV stations applauded the initiative. The National Assocation of Broadcasters sait it “applauds Chairman Carr and the FCC for moving forward with consideration of an order to eliminate the national television ownership cap. This reflects the understanding that decades-old ownership restrictions that apply only to broadcasters — and none of our competitors – are out of step with today’s media marketplace. The move, the organization said, “will empower local stations, ensuring they can better compete, invest and serve their communities with the most trusted and freely available news and information, premier sports and entertainment.”

More to come…

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