U.S. regulator votes to loosen media ownership rules

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to remove key roadblocks to increased consolidation among media companies, potentially unleashing new deals among TV, radio and newspaper owners as they seek to better compete with online media.

The Republican-led FCC voted 3-2 to eliminate the 42-year-old ban on cross-ownership of a newspaper and TV station in a major market. It also voted to make it easier for media companies to buy additional TV stations in the same market, and for local stations to jointly sell advertising time and for companies to buy additional radio stations in some markets.

Big media companies including Tegna Inc (TGNA.N), CBS Corp (CBS.N) and Nexstar Media Group Inc (NXST.O) have cited the expected rule change as motivation for considering expansion opportunities.

“This is really about helping large media companies grow even bigger,” said Democratic FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, adding that Republicans were “more intent on granting the industry’s holiday wish list early rather than looking out for the public interest.”

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai defended the rule change, saying it was “utter nonsense” that rules banning cross ownership of a newspaper and broadcast station were still in place after massive changes in media over the last four decades.

The decision could also allow Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc (SBGI.O), which is seeking approval for its proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co (TRCO.N), to avoid some divestitures in order to gain approval of the deal.

A federal appeals court, which has been grappling with the FCC’s media ownership rules for more than a decade, is expected to hear challenges to the new rules.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said the vote “will pave the wave for massive broadcast conglomerates to increasingly provide local viewers with nationalized cookie-cutter news and corporate propaganda that’s produced elsewhere.”

But the National Association of Broadcasters said the rules were “not only irrational in today’s media environment, but they have also weakened the newspaper industry, cost journalism jobs and forced local broadcast stations onto unequal footing with our national pay-TV and radio competitors.”

Pai is also expected to call for an initial vote in December to rescind rules prohibiting one company from owning stations that serve more than 39 percent of U.S. television households, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two people briefed on the matter.

In April, the FCC voted to reverse a 2016 decision that limits the number of television stations some broadcasters could buy.