FCC removes cap on broadcast TV ownership

newsAug 6, 202618507

The Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 to eliminate the 39% national TV ownership cap that had limited any single company to stations reaching no more than 39% of U.S. television households. The rule, in place since 2004 and originally tightened from a 1990s 35% limit, will be replaced by a case-by-case review. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who wrote an op-ed calling the rule outdated, led the change; Commissioner Olivia Trusty joined him in the majority while Democratic Commissioner Anna M. Gomez dissented, calling the move unlawful. Free Press said it plans to sue the agency over the decision and legal challenges are expected because the cap is codified in federal law. The decision favors large station groups such as Nexstar Media Group; Nexstar’s proposed $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna had been exempted from the cap and would create a combined entity reaching at least 60% of U.S. households, though that merger is currently on hold after an antitrust suit by eight state attorneys general. Broadcasters and Nexstar argued the cap handicapped local stations in competition with streaming and other unregulated platforms; opponents said removing the cap will concentrate control of local stations in national companies.

Steve Herman

@newsguy.bsky.social

FCC eliminates the longstanding national limit on the number of TV stations that a single entity can own on a 2-1 vote that is likely to draw legal challenges. variety.com/2026/biz/new...

1483h ago

Kimbi Vega15

Pay to play really pays off in this criminal administration.

Anti-SS 🍺 🍻10

This is bad - the consolidation of Media. I hope it can be stopped.

Bill W. Smith, Jr. aka Donal, Bludwyng5

This is totally evil, and anti-trust.

theviolenceoftruth.bsky.social2

Makes it easier for a future Dem president to proceed with eminent domain on national security concerns.

stevewarren209.bsky.social1

A continuation of what Clinton did, leading up to and including the Telecom Act of 1996.

Dakota Jones1

These companies will need to be broken up asap

Quoting this

mtsw141

The Plot to Enslave America

Roger ZenAF 🖕🐸🖕3

So much easier to let the oligarchs control absolutely everything once you remove the thing that prevents them from owning absolutely everything. 🤷‍♂️

Metroplex3

The attempt to consolidate media voices in order to gain a monopoly on narrative. The gentrification of the internet is being done under similar auspices.

Don’t Go Jason Waterfalls2

It will take generations to undo this administration’s damage

Patrick Monaghan2

Always standing up for the little guy, these mopes

Kyle Clark

@kylec.bsky.social

Proponents say local broadcast journalism won’t survive without consolidation and economies of scale to compete with Big Tech. Opponents say consolidation will result in fewer local journalists and corporate-imposed fealty to the Trump administration. www.nbcnews.com/business/med...

863h ago

Guitarcoyote1086

So corrupt. The FCC will now receive their bribery money. SCOTUS legalized bribery in Snyder v. U.S.,In a 6-3 decision which ruled a federal anti-corruption statute (18 U.S.C. § 666) does not criminalize "gratuities" gifts given to public officials after they have performed an official act.

David M5

A sane person might suggest the answer is to break "Big Tech" into smaller pieces rather than allowing more consolidation in broadcast.

witness2it.bsky.social4

Brendan Carr ... the guy who literally wrote the book on destroying the FCC (or at least, the chapter in Project 2025 about it). They are dismantling our government and regulations intended to protect and help people, so they can make obscenely rich people even richer.

Nixified3

Because media consolidation certainly saved print news... oh wait! The opposite of that! *deep sigh*

Steven Lupo3

what doesn’t the FCC understand about the word —local

The Josh Miller3

One more step toward the monopolization of our industries and services. Healthy capitalism depends on competition, not concentrated corporate power. Under Trump, the erosion of antitrust enforcement and unchecked corporate consolidation pose an existential threat to America’s economy and democracy.

Quoting this

Ken Fang -- Very Asian3

They did this with radio and look where we went.

kamimagic

@kamimagic.bsky.social

The FCC voted 2-1 along party lines to eliminate the 39% national TV ownership cap on broadcast station reach, and advanced proposals to expand direct-to-device satellite connectivity using unlicensed wireless spectrum. #ProudBlue 📹: @aaronparnas.bsky.social

513h ago

meandbean.bsky.social2

Republicans love capitalism… except for the competition part.

Brian Stelter

@brianstelter.bsky.social

The FCC has voted to remove the cap on TV station ownership, delivering a big win to media companies aligned with President Trump and the GOP. Here's our full story about what it means: www.cnn.com/2026/08/06/m...

563h ago

web_rant4

Say goodbye to your local news station as it now becomes a source for fascist misinformation. bsky.app/profile/bria...

Jake Who Walks The Land4

The best government money can buy! But, you know, only idiots get their news from the "idiot box."

Joe Gannon2

Saudi Wealth Fund Takes Hollywood. No, really. Takes Hollywood.

ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 𝕎𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕪1

My understanding is only Congress can change it, and IMO, it should be changed back to 25%

Just A Tinker 🟥🍁🟥1

Dismantling 'enemy' media seems to be the orange demagogue's job #1! 🤔 Succeed at that and the rest is 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺! 😒

5🪶1

Thwart their machinations, I suggest.

Quoting this

web_rant4

Say goodbye to your local news station as it now becomes a source for fascist misinformation. bsky.app/profile/bria...

Justin Baragona

@justinbaragona.bsky.social

Reminder that this is all being done to allow a Trump-friendly media company -- Nexstar -- to buy up another large owner of local TV stations, essentially assuring that most US local channels are controlled by conservative companies (Sinclair and Nexstar). www.wsj.com/business/med...

453h ago

jay gibbs1

Preaching to a dying audience. Also, they made it so the kids can't afford much of anything, even a cheap tv they don't want.

KOJAMF🤘🖤🤘

@kojamf.bsky.social

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 2-1 on August 6, 2026, to repeal the 22-year-old national television ownership cap. This decision eliminates the restriction that prevented a single company from owning TV stations that collectively reach more than 39% of U.S. television households

323h ago

Partially.Convinced+1

Sinclair must have hit the cap.

Big Ol’ Mush

@chadstanton.blacksky.app

Continued corporate consolidation of broadcast television is as big a deal as the attempted mergers by the Ellison family, if not bigger. www.nbcnews.com/business/med...

211h ago

Lauren Ashley Davis

@laurenmeidasa.bsky.social

BREAKING 🚨 🚨 🚨 Federal Communications Commission scraps limit on broadcast TV ownership The move sets the stage for more corporate consolidation in the media industry. www.nbcnews.com/business/med...

123h ago

Senseidai2547❌👑

@senseidai.bsky.social

Brendan Carr wants to help his billionaire friends corner the market with RW Christian propaganda. Congress? What Congress? Republicans are too afraid of losing their seat to do the right thing. #DemVoice1 #ProudBlue #Pinks #RepublicansAreDestroyingAmerica www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

91h ago

Deborah Lynn

@mrsdeborahlynn.bsky.social

www.nbcnews.com/business/med... FCC voted to eliminate a cap on the share of US television households a single company can reach. This could pave the way for more corporate consolidation in the media industry.

113h ago

Peter Labuza

@labuzamovies.com

This will be the most fascinating SCOTUS case next year. The law written by congress literally says “the cap is 39%.” And so if you don’t have Chevron deference anymore, John Roberts will need to twist every word in the book to convince anymore the FCC has this authority. Brendan Carr is a dummy.

82h ago

Meta Resistance

@metaresistance.bsky.social

FCC Removes Key Limit On Media Ownership, Raising Potential For Major Consolidation Of Broadcast TV Stations. The FCC removed a key constraint on broadcasters’ ability to consolidate stations, voting to repeal an ownership cap put i https://deadline.com/2026/08/fcc-removes-ownership-cap-1237020225/

34h ago

Joe Adalian

@tvmojoe.bsky.social

"I am a Republican. I support the Trump administration. But my ultimate loyalty rests with the Constitution...As former Republican FCC Chairman Mike O’Rielly put it, the 39% cap is “a statute, not a suggestion.” As someone who helped create that statute, I agree." www.dailywire.com/news/tom-del...

42h ago

Paul

@paul-in-repose.bsky.social

You mean the cap that was put in place by Congress that the FCC has no ability to rescind? That one? Look forward to seeing this struck down in court. www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...

32h ago

Skip hop jump Blue Dolphin🍀💮🐬🐚🐸🐾

@bluealways.bsky.social

Bad, bad, very bad 👇 FCC Votes 2-1 to Ditch Cap on TV Station Ownership Some Republicans argue that Brendan Carr is overstepping his authority

33h ago

1 source

nbcnews.comFederal Communications Commission scraps limit on broadcast TV ownership

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FCC removes cap on broadcast TV ownership

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