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Wire · regulatory

FCC scraps TV ownership cap, but big broadcast M&A may not follow

Published

7 August 2026

Topic

regulatory

Sectors

Streaming & Media

Geography

United States

Source

Read at streamtvinsider.com

Verified

Fusion42 · 29 August 2026 · Fusion42 review

The FCC voted to remove the 39% national TV ownership cap to allow broadcasters case-by-case consolidation beyond this limit, aiming to help local stations compete, but this change may not trigger a wave of mergers due to existing regulatory challenges and opposition.

This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Streaming & Media, and 6 sources have reported it between 6 Aug 2026 and 13 Aug 2026.

◆ The Wire takeaway

You face fewer regulatory bars to owning more TV stations nationally but must still navigate intense legal pushback and antitrust scrutiny. This opens the possibility to revisit stalled deals but expects a rocky path.

Coverage

6 sources · first reported 6 Aug 2026 · latest 13 Aug 2026

Related on Wire

Topics

Streaming & Mediafccbroadcastingmergers-acquisitionsmedia-regulationantitrust