It's been talked about for years, and last week's Nexstar-TEGNA deal helped usher us into a new era of larger television station ownership numbers.
- Texas TV outcome in Nexstar + TEGNA deal?
Friday, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), "with a broad coalition of broadcast companies," showed its support for expansion:
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Association of Broadcasters, along with a broad coalition of broadcast companies, submitted reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) calling for the repeal of its 85-year-old national television ownership rule, which unfairly prevents broadcasters from reaching more than 39% of the total number of TV households in the country.
In their filing, broadcasters emphasized that the decades-old rule prevents local stations from achieving the scale needed to compete with global tech and streaming giants like Google/YouTube, Amazon, Meta and Netflix – none of which face similar restrictions.
“This filing reflects an extraordinary level of consensus across America’s broadcasters,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “The message is clear: it is time to eliminate the outdated national TV ownership cap. Broadcasters are united in calling on the FCC to level the playing field and give local stations a fair shot to compete, invest in journalism and continue providing our communities with trusted news and public safety information. The record leaves no doubt that the public interest is best served by empowering broadcasters, not restraining them.”
The joint filing underscores the Commission’s full legal authority to eliminate the national ownership cap, which should be applied equally to all station owners, and that there is no credible justification for preserving an analog-era rule that no longer aligns with how Americans consume media or how advertising markets function.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at nab.org.
