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Lawmakers Press FCC on Media Ownership Caps and Pending Mergers

Energy and Commerce: House Committee · January 15, 2026

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Summary

Members from both parties questioned whether the FCC can change the 39% national TV ownership cap and raised concerns about proposed mergers, including Nexstar/Tegna and Paramount‑Skydance.

Several committee members warned the FCC not to loosen media ownership limits and pressed agency officials about large pending or proposed mergers.

Democrats and some Republicans urged caution on any move to lift the statutory 39% national TV ownership cap. Commissioner Anna Gomez told the committee the cap was placed in statute and "I don't think we can waive it," adding that consolidation risks diluting local news and diversity of viewpoints.

Members referenced recent high‑profile merger activity: Representative comments at the hearing cited Nexstar’s proposed deal with Tegna and concerns about a combined firm’s reach, and several Democrats raised allegations tied to the Paramount‑Skydance transaction, including references in the hearing record to a $16 million settlement payment and a reported $20 million in advertising; lawmakers said those events warranted investigation and transparency. Carr said the FCC is reviewing ownership rules and proceedings but emphasized consideration of structural steps to preserve localism and competition.

Lawmakers also asked about retransmission consent and affiliate agreements and how the FCC can preserve local newsrooms’ financial viability. Republicans framed rule updates as necessary to enable local stations to compete with large national programmers and unregulated platforms; Democrats warned that relaxing caps without statutory changes risks undermining localism.

The hearing did not include a vote on ownership rules, but members signaled they will keep media consolidation under scrutiny during further oversight and possible legislative action.