Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has proposed repealing the FCC’s national ownership cap for television stations, which currently limits any one owner from controlling stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households. The FCC is set to vote on the proposal on August 6. Under the current rule, ownership is constrained by a fixed percentage threshold tied to market reach. According to reporting from multiple outlets, Carr’s proposal would replace that numerical limit with a more flexible, case-by-case approach for evaluating transactions that come before the FCC.
The FCC’s decision-making reflects the commission’s partisan lineup: Republicans hold a 2–1 majority. The proposal would be considered by the full commission as part of the FCC’s public proceedings leading up to the scheduled vote date. The available coverage indicates that the change is intended to shift from the existing cap model to a transaction-specific review of potential effects, rather than applying the same national threshold to all ownership arrangements.
