Cable lobby plans lawsuit against FCC over station ownership limits

Cable industry lobby groups have notified the Federal Communications Commission that they intend to sue the agency to stop its repeal of the National Television Ownership Rule. Ars Technica reported that the rule restricts the total number of broadcast television stations a single company is allowed to own. [1]

Trade groups argued that removing the limits will allow larger broadcast station groups to demand higher retransmission fees from television providers. According to Ars Technica, the groups stated that this extra market power will lead to higher monthly television bills for consumers. [1]

The cable lobby further claimed that the FCC decision arbitrarily and capriciously ignores the harms that will follow from allowing station groups to exceed the national cap. Brendan Carr has served as the chair of the FCC since 2025, having previously joined the agency as a commissioner in 2017. [1][2]

The upcoming legal challenge aims to block the controversial repeal before broadcast station groups can expand their holdings beyond the previous congressional cap. [1]