MIKE DAVIS: How the FCC can help President Trump rebalance the media
For the past 20 years, Big Tech and Big Media have used their market power to force California values and narratives on the American people. But thanks to President Trump, companies like Google are losing their grip on the information ecosystem.
His Justice Department is breaking Google’s stranglehold over online news publishers. His Federal Trade Commission is fighting conservative censorship on social media. And his Federal Communications Commission, under Chairman Brendan Carr, is empowering local broadcasters to better compete with Big Tech and Big Media.
While trust in "mainstream" media is in free fall, local television news stations remain trusted by the communities they serve. But these local outlets are unduly burdened by outdated regulations that weaken broadcasters to the benefit of YouTube and NBC. Carr is moving to unshackle local broadcasters by working toward eliminating the 1940s-era national television ownership cap.
That rule prevents any station group from owning stations that collectively reach over 39% of American households. It’s a relic from a time when broadcasters held an outsized role in information flows. For decades, Americans only had three channels from which to choose.
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Today, broadcasters compete with an ever-growing number of media—from cable and satellite TV to streaming and social media platforms. Yet, only broadcasters face this artificial limitation on their audience reach. This long outdated rule has hampered investment in broadcasting and local news at a time when Americans need it most.
While hurting local broadcasters, the rule has only helped increase the power of Big Tech and Big Media. YouTube TV is eating the television market, and networks like NBC can squeeze more money out of local stations while forcing them to carry programming that doesn’t necessarily reflect the viewpoint diversity of those stations’ audiences.
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Carr recognizes the problem. He has launched inquiries into the unfair leverage that networks have over local broadcasters.
Importantly, stronger local broadcasters would better be able to shape the programming choices of the national networks. Imagine if ABC and NBC had to produce programming that appealed to all Americans, rather than just the sensibilities of those in Los Angeles and New York City.
President Trump is successfully reshaping the media to bring long overdue balance to the public square. Eliminating the broadcast national ownership cap could be the most important move in cementing that legacy. Carr should move swiftly to delete this rule, and the White House should put its full support behind him in this effort.
President Trump has Big Tech and Big Media on their heels. Now is the time for the FCC to push forward.
