US ends cap on local TV station owners amid concerns of media consolidation

What the report says

The US Federal Communications Commission has voted to remove a long-standing rule that limited local broadcast station owners to reaching no more than 39% of US TV households. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the 2-1 vote on Thursday shifts the agency from a fixed cap to a case-by-case review of merger applications that would exceed that threshold. The change could make it easier for large station groups to expand and is already drawing criticism from media watchdogs, Democrats and some lawmakers.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the move is meant to help local broadcasters remain financially viable, arguing that older ownership limits are holding the sector back. He linked the decision to the decline of local newspapers and said the agency should not keep outdated restrictions on television companies. The FCC said the new approach would assess whether larger deals serve the public interest and could open the door to more investment and revenue.

The commission’s lone Democrat, Anna Gomez, opposed the action, calling it unlawful and saying only Congress can remove the cap. Critics warned the decision could increase media concentration and give a small number of companies greater influence over local airwaves. Reporters Without Borders North America said the vote weakens one of the remaining safeguards against excessive ownership concentration. The FCC has regulated local broadcast ownership since 1941, and the cap was last set at 39% in 2004.