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

Critics say the 39 percent cap was a safeguard against excessive concentration of media ownership in the US.Published On 6 Aug 20266 Aug 2026The United States Federal Communications Commission has voted to rescind the rule that bars local broadcast station owners from reaching more than 39 percent of the total number of US TV households in a move that could help spark industry consolidation.The FCC on Thursday voted 2-1 to lift the cap in favour of a new case-by-case approach. The commission’s sole Democrat, Anna Gomez, said the proposal was illegal and argued only the US Congress can lift the cap. Many critics argue the move will lead to excessive market power among station owners.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Can the US slow China’s robotics and tech rise?list 2 of 4Will the US-Iran war and Hormuz deadlock last for months?list 3 of 4Why $370bn tech group Palantir pays 1.4 percent tax rate: Reportlist 4 of 4Trump vows to find ‘leakers’ after reports of depleted Iran war munitionsend of listUnder the rules, stations with weaker over-the-air signals can be partially counted against a company’s ownership cap. The FCC has limited ownership of local broadcast stations s...