Can One Voice Dominate TV and Radio? FCC Owner Rules Explained

The Federal Communications Commission has an array of rules that limit how many TV and radio stations a single entity can own both across the country and in individual markets. These rules are aimed at ensuring there’s competition, localism, and a diversity of voices in the broadcast industry.

The rules haven’t undergone major change for nearly two decades. Congress requires the agency to update its media rules every four years, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has struck down the agency’s changes four times since 2004 for analytical and procedural shortcomings.

That could change in 2021, ...