Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr dodged a direct answer on whether the agency has the authority to change the cap on broadcast ownership during a House hearing on the 14th (local time).

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, pressed Carr on whether the FCC could increase the national TV ownership limit, currently set at 39%, without congressional approval.

Carr, avoiding a direct yes or no, stated that the FCC is "currently reviewing" the matter and noted that four previous FCC chairmen, from both parties, have treated the 39% cap as an FCC rule.

Pallone interrupted, demanding a clear answer: "Do you believe you have the authority, yes or no, to raise the cap yourselves?"

Carr again sidestepped the question, reiterating that the agency is looking into the matter and referencing past FCC practices.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, provided a more direct answer, stating that the 39% cap is not merely an FCC rule but a statutory limit set by Congress.

Gomez warned the committee that "we do not have the authority to waive that," pointing out that further consolidation would empower "mega-corporation parent companies" to disenfranchise local broadcasters, dilute local news, and lower the level of community service.

Carr later suggested that the legal arguments were "not particularly compelling," but acknowledged that the issue had already been raised in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and that the FCC was still considering whether to change its stance.

Newsmax reported that immense risks loom over local broadcasting and conservative media as a result.

In a recently filed lawsuit, Newsmax urged the FCC to block the proposed $6.2 billion merger between the progressive Nexstar Media Group and TEGNA, arguing it violates federal law and would lead to a dangerous concentration of power over local news distribution.

If approved, the merged company would reach approximately 80% of U.S. television households, nearly double the national cap.

In a separate op-ed, Newsmax outlined the consequences if two or three giant media corporations were to control nearly all of the nation's TV stations, citing: ▲ increased cable bills ▲ higher local advertising costs ▲ higher costs being passed on to consumers by local stores, and ▲ media titans deciding what news gets reported.

Newsmax also pointed out that 78% of Nexstar employees' political donations in 2024 went to Kamala Harris and that Nexstar's cable channel, NewsNation, features left-leaning personalities like Chris Cuomo and Ashleigh Banfield, urging readers to "consider that."

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) echoed similar concerns, warning that allowing major broadcast groups to exceed the cap would foster market concentration, increase retransmission fees passed on to consumers, and sacrifice "localism" for corporate logic.

She further argued that the expansion of large broadcast groups is the wrong response to the influence of big tech, especially if it empowers left-leaning networks.

President Donald Trump also publicly voiced his opposition to lifting the cap, warning on Truth Social, "The expansion of Fake News Networks must never be allowed. It should be cut down!"

Conservatives at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) also urged regulators to maintain the limits, arguing that over-the-air broadcasting should be about diversity of viewpoints and community responsibility, not a few large corporations dominating what Americans watch.

By Hong Seong-gu, Chief Editor of NNP USA / Special Correspondent of this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com