The broadcast industry has intensified its push for regulatory relief as major players submitted final arguments to the Federal Communications Commission in the ongoing 2022 Quadrennial Regulatory Review of media ownership rules. The National Association of Broadcasters, alongside large station groups such as Sinclair, Scripps, Cox, Nexstar, Fox, and Trinity Broadcasting, along with a coalition representing network affiliates, filed reply comments just before the January 16, 2026 deadline. These submissions strongly advocate for the elimination of several longstanding ownership restrictions and caps that limit how many radio and television stations a single entity can control in local markets, according to a report from TV Technology.
Broadcasters contend that the current rules, many of which date back nearly a century, fail to account for the profound transformations in media consumption patterns. Americans now access news, entertainment, and information through a vast array of digital platforms, streaming services, and social media outlets dominated by large technology companies. These competitors operate without equivalent regulatory constraints, allowing them to amass significant scale, invest heavily in content and technology, and capture growing shares of advertising revenue. Local broadcasters, by contrast, face artificial barriers that hinder their ability to expand operations, secure necessary investments, and maintain robust service to communities.
The filings emphasize that no substantial evidence in the proceeding justifies preserving local radio and television ownership limits. Opponents, including labor unions, public interest organizations, nonprofit groups, individual viewers, pay television providers, and certain smaller broadcasters, have raised concerns about potential reductions in competition, localism, and viewpoint diversity. Broadcasters counter that such arguments rely on outdated data, overlook the fragmented and highly competitive modern media environment, and misrepresent the realities of today’s marketplace. They assert that relaxing these rules would enable stations to achieve greater operational efficiencies, bolster local programming, and strengthen their role in delivering reliable, community-oriented content without diminishing overall diversity.
A key focus falls on the local television multiple ownership rule, commonly known as the Duopoly Rule, which restricts common ownership of multiple stations in the same market. A joint filing from associations representing affiliates of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—covering more than 700 stations across all 208 designated market areas—highlights the damaging effects of this restriction. The affiliates argue that the rule has contributed to the erosion of local newsgathering resources in communities nationwide. In an era of abundant media voices from cable, satellite, online platforms, and social networks, local television stations no longer hold dominant positions that warrant special structural limits. Retaining the Duopoly Rule imposes unique burdens on broadcasters while providing no meaningful public benefit, they maintain, and it risks further weakening the only free, over-the-air source of comprehensive, trusted local news coverage. The affiliates urge the Commission to repeal this rule to give stations a viable path to sustainability and continued public service, drawing parallels to past decisions that eliminated similar newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership prohibitions.
The affiliates also address the Dual Network Rule, which bars mergers among the four major national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC). While some broadcasters, including Fox, advocate for eliminating this restriction to allow greater national scale in competing against technology giants, the affiliate groups strongly oppose such a change. They view the Dual Network Rule as a targeted safeguard that preserves balance in the relationship between national networks and local stations, preventing excessive network control over affiliate finances and programming decisions. Removing it could exacerbate existing imbalances, they warn, particularly as the Commission conducts a separate review of network-affiliate dynamics. The affiliates recommend retaining the Dual Network Rule while eliminating the Duopoly Rule to advance localism and support community-focused broadcasting.
These reply comments underscore a broader industry consensus that modernization is urgent. Without updates, local stations face ongoing challenges in retaining audiences and revenue amid shifting viewer habits and advertising trends. Broadcasters position the requested changes as essential for preserving the vitality of free, over-the-air broadcasting, which remains a critical resource for emergency information, public affairs, and localized journalism. The Commission now faces the task of weighing these arguments against opposing views as it deliberates the future of the rules under Chairman Brendan Carr’s leadership, with the review process highlighting tensions between legacy regulations and evolving market realities. The outcome could significantly reshape the structure of local media in the United States, influencing how stations operate, invest, and serve their audiences in an increasingly digital-dominated landscape.
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