On Thursday, the FCC voted to repeal the national television ownership cap, a regulation that previously restricted any single broadcast entity from owning stations that collectively reached more than 39% of the American television audience. The 2-1 decision, which followed party lines, marks a significant shift in media regulation policy.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has been a vocal proponent of this change, arguing that the 39% cap is an outdated relic of a pre-digital media landscape. According to Carr and the FCC majority, the restriction hindered local broadcasters from achieving the scale necessary to remain financially viable in an environment dominated by massive tech firms and global streaming platforms. By removing the cap, the FCC intends to facilitate industry consolidation, allowing broadcast groups to expand their reach and resources.

Under the new framework, the FCC stated that future merger and acquisition deals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis rather than being subject to a hard percentage limit. While the move is framed by its supporters as a necessary modernization to ensure the survival of local broadcasting, the decision has sparked debate regarding media concentration. Critics of the move often express concern that allowing fewer companies to own more stations could reduce the diversity of viewpoints and local news coverage available to the public. The FCC’s decision effectively shifts the regulatory focus from a rigid national limit to a more flexible, discretionary review process for media ownership.