Final rule · 2026-23040

National Television Multiple Ownership Rule

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) repeals the national television multiple ownership rule (national cap), which prohibits a commercial television licensee from having a cognizable interest in television stations that have an aggregate national audience reach above 39%. The Commission finds, given seismic changes in the modern media marketplace, that the rule's repeal will help empower local broadcast television stations to operate in the public interest and to better serve the needs and interests of their local communities. The Commission will review on a case-by-case basis proposed transactions that would have been prohibited under the national cap to determine whether a proposed transaction would serve the Commission's media ownership goals of localism, competition, and viewpoint diversity.