FCC’s Brendan Carr backs big broadcasters in airwaves plan
▼ Summary
– The FCC will vote on August 6th on a proposal by Republican Chair Brendan Carr to end the national ownership cap that limits a single company from owning broadcast stations reaching over 39% of US TV households.
– Carr argues the rule is obsolete due to social media and streaming platforms allowing national programmers to reach 100% of the country without public airwaves, and that the cap prevents local broadcasters from achieving similar scale.
– The FCC has already waived the ownership cap for a $6.2 billion Nexstar-Tegna merger, though a federal judge has paused the deal pending a challenge by state attorneys general.
– Opponents, including Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, warn repeal could harm local journalism by reducing competition and argue only Congress has the authority to change the cap set by law.
– Carr needs Republican Commissioner Olivia Trusty’s support to pass the agenda item, but the vote may face a legal challenge over whether the FCC has authority to eliminate the cap.
The Federal Communications Commission is poised to vote next month on whether to allow a single company to own broadcast stations reaching more than 39 percent of U.S. TV households. Republican Chair Brendan Carr announced the August 6th vote in a Breitbart op-ed, arguing the national ownership cap rule is outdated in an era dominated by social media and streaming platforms.
Carr contends that because national programmers can now reach “100 percent of the country” without using public airwaves, the cap unfairly limits local broadcasters from achieving the same scale as their digital competitors. He says the rule, originally designed to prevent media monopolies and support local communities, now “is preventing them from gaining the same scale that their competitors are free to enjoy.”
The FCC has already granted a one-time waiver of the cap to facilitate the $6.2 billion Nexstar-Tegna merger, though a federal judge has paused the deal amid a challenge from state attorneys general.
Opponents warn that repealing the cap could harm local journalism by reducing competition. Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez argued in a statement that “the Commission cannot waive away that limit simply because these corporate behemoths want to get out from under it.” Matt Wood, vice president of policy and general counsel at the nonpartisan nonprofit Free Press, noted that broadcasters already have the freedom to create their own websites or cable news stations. “The national cap is not a special disadvantage for broadcasters,” Wood said. “In fact, broadcasters have a special advantage with their exclusive licenses to use precious national airwaves the way they do.”
Carr needs only the support of Republican Commissioner Olivia Trusty to approve the agenda item. But even if the vote passes, the FCC’s authority to eliminate the cap entirely could face a legal challenge, as Congress originally set the limit.
(Source: The Verge)
