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FCC votes to scrap 39% TV household ownership cap

FCC votes to scrap 39% TV household ownership cap

The commission replaced the long-standing national reach limit with case-by-case review, a shift broadcasters say will help them compete with digital platforms and could ease consolidation including Nexstar's pursuit of TEGNA.

Fact Check
Multiple independent and official sources confirm every element of the claim. The Hill and WTVB/Reuters both report the FCC voted on August 6, 2026 to eliminate/rescind the 39% national television household ownership cap, replacing it with case-by-case review. Both note the broadcaster rationale of competing with digital/tech platforms and the connection to Nexstar's pursuit of TEGNA. The FCC's own Facebook post confirms the repeal, and the NAB press release corroborates the decision. Commissioner Anna Gomez's dissent is noted in multiple sources.
Summary

The Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 on Thursday to eliminate the rule that barred a single broadcaster from reaching more than 39% of U.S. TV households nationwide, replacing the cap with what it called a granular, case-by-case review. The agency said the change reflects the rise of digital platforms with unrestricted national reach and a growing imbalance in the network-affiliate relationship, while critics said it could accelerate consolidation across local television. Gomez, the commission's sole Democrat, called the move unlawful and warned piecemeal relief could weaken broadcasters' public-service obligations. The decision was welcomed by the National Association of Broadcasters and Nexstar Media Group, which is already the largest local news provider and is pursuing a multibillion-dollar merger with TEGNA after the FCC earlier approved that deal and waived the cap, a move now being challenged in court by state attorneys general.

Terms & Concepts
  • case-by-case review: A regulatory process in which each ownership deal is evaluated individually instead of under a fixed nationwide limit.
  • network-affiliate relationship: The arrangement between a national television network and the local stations that carry its programming.
  • ownership cap: A rule that limits the share of U.S. TV households a single broadcaster can reach.