The FCC sets the stage for a showdown over local TV ownership

An Aug. 6 FCC vote could loosen local TV ownership rules and set off a legal battle over the agency's authority

Posted Thursday, July 16, 2026 10:45 am

Al Tompkins | Poynter

The Federal Communications Commission will vote Aug. 6 on a proposal that could dramatically reshape local TV ownership by loosening long-standing limits on how many stations a single company can own. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the vote Wednesday in an op-ed for Breitbart.

Carr couched the announcement in a critique of the current ownership cap, which limits station groups to reaching no more than 39% of the U.S. population.

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The FCC sets the stage for a showdown over local TV ownership

An Aug. 6 FCC vote could loosen local TV ownership rules and set off a legal battle over the agency's authority

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