The FCC on Thursday voted 2-1 to eliminate the 22½-year-old 39% national TV ownership reach cap established by Congress.
Democrats, including Commissioner Anna M. Gómez, reacted with anger, while Republicans and National Association of Broadcasters President Curtis LeGeyt cheered the party-line decision.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the agency is prepared for legal challenges.
Responding to a question at a post-Open Meeting press conference, Carr noted that anyone is free to appeal FCC decisions and that the process works that way.
“Everyone is free to litigate. Folks have litigated FCC media regulation decisions historically. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s appeals here and we will allow the courts to work through them. But we’ve done our part,” he said.
Carr framed the move as the correct policy choice, drawing parallels to the local newspaper industry. “I don’t want to be the FCC Chair that sat back and observed the trend and did nothing,” he said, reiterating remarks made when he voted for the Report & Order.