Newsmax Plans To Sue FCC Over Cap Vote

Newsmax is preparing to sue the Federal Communications Commission over its recent vote to scrap a decades-old limit on how many broadcast television stations one company can own, the cable network’s CEO confirmed Tuesday.

In a phone interview with The Desk, Newsmax chief executive Christopher Ruddy said the company will follow through on its earlier threat to litigate once the FCC formally codifies the decision next month. 

The eliminated rule barred any single broadcaster from owning local TV stations that collectively reach more than 39 percent of the national viewing audience. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr backed the repeal, arguing it would let traditional broadcasters compete more effectively against streaming platforms and continue investing in local news. 

The commission approved the change on a party-line vote, with Carr and Republican Commissioner Olivia Trusty in favor and the sole Democrat, Anna Gomez, opposed. 

Two seats on the five-member agency have remained vacant for more than a year. 

Ruddy called the action “a blatant violation of federal law,” insisting that Congress, not the FCC, set the ownership cap and that nearly every previous FCC chairman had recognized that limit.