The National Association of Broadcasters has backed the FCC’s proposal to eliminate the national television ownership cap.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr announced yesterday that the agency will vote on repealing the 85-year-old rule that limits broadcasters’ reach to no more than 39 percent of U.S. TV households.
Current regulations allow stations with weaker over-the-air signals to count only partially toward a company’s ownership limit. Opponents contend that only Congress can remove the cap and caution that doing so would increase consolidation in the broadcast industry.
In March, the FCC approved the $3.54 billion sale of local television station owner Tegna to Nexstar. The acquisition will allow Nexstar to cover 80 percent of U.S. TV households.
The National Association of Broadcasters said the proposal “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. ”
“Eliminating the broadcast ownership cap 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,” said NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt.
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