The FCC has voted 2-1 to eliminate the national TV ownership cap rule, which previously limited a single broadcaster's reach to 39% of U.S. TV households. This decision allows broadcast ownership groups to merge and gain significantly more reach. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr argued the cap was outdated and hindered broadcasters' ability to compete with tech companies and streamers. The FCC stated that future deals will be evaluated case-by-case to ensure they serve the public interest. Nexstar sees this as an opportunity to achieve necessary scale for competition and continued investment in local journalism. Despite this vote, the antitrust lawsuit challenging Nexstar's proposed takeover of Tegna remains unresolved. This lawsuit concerns pricing leverage over pay-TV distributors, not the FCC's ownership cap. Commissioner Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat, voted against the measure, questioning the FCC's authority to lift the cap. The Biden-era FCC had previously opposed lifting the cap, blocking a similar merger in 2023. Consumer advocacy groups, such as Free Press, plan to legally challenge the FCC's vote.