Nexstar Media Group has filed a detailed submission with the Federal Communications Commission. The company wants the FCC to get rid of old rules about who can own TV stations. These rules go back to 1941.
They limit how many stations one company can own in the U.S. and in local areas. But Nexstar says the media world has changed a lot since then. Now there are streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.
Lots of people watch shows online instead of on regular TV. Nexstar thinks this puts local stations at a disadvantage. Many local newspapers have also shut down in recent years.
This leaves some communities without good sources of news.
Update outdated FCC ownership rules
Nexstar believes local TV stations can help fill this gap.
But they need to be able to own more stations to afford it. Running a TV station is expensive. It can cost over half a million dollars a month, even without local news.
Stations that do provide local news have even higher costs. Nexstar gave examples of how its stations help their local areas. They raise money for charities, investigate important issues, and provide community services.
But the current rules make this harder to maintain. The company wants the FCC to update the regulations to fit today’s media landscape. It says this is critical for local stations to survive and serve their communities well.
