BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 6. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to eliminate the long-standing rule that prevented local television broadcasters from reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households, a move expected to encourage consolidation in the broadcasting industry.
The commission approved the measure in a 2–1 vote, replacing the ownership cap with a case-by-case review process.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the decision would help local broadcasters remain competitive as traditional media continues to face economic challenges.
"We should stop hamstringing this one segment of the broader market with outdated restrictions," Carr said.
The commission's only Democratic member, Anna Gomez, opposed the decision, arguing that the FCC lacks the legal authority to remove the cap and that only Congress can make such a change.
Critics have warned that lifting the ownership limit could allow a small number of companies to gain excessive control over local television markets.
The move follows the FCC's approval in March of Nexstar Media Group's $3.54 billion acquisition of Tegna. If upheld by the courts, the transaction would expand Nexstar's reach to approximately 80% of U.S. television households.
