Over the past month, I joined tens of millions of Americans in watching FIFA World Cup matches on local broadcast television. This past weekend’s final between Spain and Argentina marked the culmination of a tournament where fans of all backgrounds came together to cheer on their favorite teams, admire incredible plays and share in the excitement of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
In the months ahead, sports fans across the country will once again tune to their local stations for the opening of the NFL season, to watch their favorite college football team, and in the hope that their city’s sluggers will make a magical run in the Fall Classic. But more importantly, these same viewers will turn to local broadcasters for trusted election coverage, information on how to participate in our democratic process and to learn the results that shape our communities.
That is what local broadcasters do. We bring Americans together for the moments we celebrate, keep communities informed during the moments that matter most and provide lifesaving information when disaster strikes.
But to ensure the continued viability of this uniquely free and local medium, public policy must keep pace with today’s media marketplace. When it does not, the consequences are real. We have already watched one cornerstone of local journalism – the newspaper industry – struggle under the weight of profound marketplace change while policymakers were slow to respond. We should not make the same mistake with local broadcasting.
Fortunately, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr understands what is at stake and is taking action. Last week, the FCC took an important step toward empowering local stations by announcing that the national television ownership cap will be addressed at the August 6 Open Meeting. Broadcasters across the country applaud Chairman Carr and the FCC for recognizing that decades-old broadcast ownership rules – premised on the idea that broadcasters compete only against one another – no longer make sense in today’s intensely competitive media environment.
The communications marketplace has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Streaming platforms, social media companies and other digital competitors now compete for the same audiences and advertising dollars as local broadcasters, yet none face government-imposed limits on how many Americans they can reach. Policies cannot remain frozen while the marketplace evolves around them.
One of the FCC’s most important responsibilities is ensuring that its regulations keep pace with a changing world. The FCC has long had the authority under federal law to update or eliminate broadcast ownership rules. Chairman Carr’s decision to revisit the national television ownership cap reflects that he takes this responsibility seriously.
This debate is not about giving broadcasters a special advantage. It is about ending a unique disadvantage. Local broadcasters should have the same opportunity to compete, invest and innovate as every other major media company. Stronger local stations mean stronger local journalism, expanded emergency coverage, continued investment in new broadcast technologies like NextGen TV and a greater ability to bring viewers the critical content they rely on every day.
For generations, local broadcasters have continually adapted to meet the changing needs of their audiences. They have embraced new technologies, expanded onto streaming and digital platforms, invested in local newsrooms and remained the most trusted sources of information in communities. The regulatory framework governing broadcasters should evolve with that same spirit of innovation.
The FCC’s upcoming consideration of the national television ownership cap is an opportunity to ensure consumers continue to benefit from a freely available medium that provides premier sports and entertainment while strengthening the future of local journalism.
Preserving trusted local news will not happen by standing still. It will happen by ensuring broadcasters have every opportunity to compete, invest and continue serving America’s local communities for generations to come.
