The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to relax limits on TV station ownership.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has decided to relax the TV station ownership cap in an attempt to help local broadcasters consolidate and compete with streaming giants. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: - DETAIL: In a 2-1 vote, the FCC has allowed companies to own local stations covering more than 39 percent of households in the United States. The FCC also voted to allow companies to own more than two stations in a single market if deemed in the public interest. The vote was held on Thursday. “Viewpoint diversity” will reportedly be factored in when determining public interest. The purpose of removing the cap is to allow broadcasters to achieve scale and compete with broadcasting giants like Netflix . The cap removal was…Open
The FCC plans to vote to eliminate the 39 percent national ownership cap on television stations, arguing that the reform will restore balance between local broadcasters and national media conglomerates.
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed eliminating the national ownership cap, which currently prevents any single entity from controlling TV stations that reach more than 39 percent of U.S. households. The new plan would replace this blanket restriction with a case-by-case review process to ensure local broadcasters can better compete with national media conglomerates. DETAIL: The national ownership cap was originally introduced to prevent national media companies from dominating local markets. However, the FCC believes that changes in the media landscape, including the rise of streaming platforms and virtual cable providers, have rendered the cap ineffective at limiting the reach of…Open
A U.S. district judge on Friday issued a preliminary injunction requiring Nexstar and Tegna to remain separate, despite closing their $6.2 billion megamerger last month. Why it matters: The ruling significantly dampens the consolidation outlook for the entire local broadcast industry. Zoom in: In a lengthy decision, District Judge Troy Nunley said the court agrees with DirecTV that the merger would force national pay-TV providers like DirecTV to lift their prices on consumers, causing "irreparable harm." - He also said the plaintiffs' argument that the deal will reduce competition in dozens of markets was likely to prevail in court. Between the lines: The preliminary injunction follows Nunley's decision to grant a temporary…
U.S. Judge Trevor Nunley ruled that consumers could suffer irreparable harm if Nexstar integrated Tegna's stations into its own operations ahead of an antitrust trial.
The FCC has approved the sale of Tegna television stations to rival Nexstar Media Group Thursday. The deal would create a company that owns 259 television stations in 44 states.
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday said it had approved the merger of local television giants Nexstar Media Group and rival Tegna, the same day that two lawsuits trying to block the deal were announced.
Eight states sued to block the massive $6.2 billion merger of Nexstar and Tegna that could create the largest local broadcast company in the country by far. Why it matters: The deal, which would require lifting the limit on television station ownership, is a litmus test for the Federal Communications Commission's deregulation drive. - FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has already signaled he supports the transaction. Driving the news: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia sued in federal court Wednesday to block the creation of a "broadcast behemoth" that they argue would harm competition and raise fees. - They argue that "eliminating independent news operations will diminish…