US agency to vote to end 39% local TV station ownership cap

WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - The chair of the Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday the agency will vote to rescind the 85-year-old rule that bars broadcasters from reaching more than 39% of the total number of U.S. TV households.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr confirmed Wednesday the agency will vote to lift the cap in favor of a new case-by-case approach. "Our new proposal would allow the FCC to approve deals that exceed the 39 percent cap, but only if doing so would promote the public interest," Carr said in a essay published Wednesday. Critics say only Congress can lift the cap and argue it will lead to excessive concentration among station owners.

(Reporting by David Shepardson)