WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a 40-page Memorandum Opinion and Order released during the dinner hour on Thursday, March 19, the Chief of the FCC’s Media Bureau rewrote local television ownership rules codified by Congress in the first weeks of 2004. Sort of.
Erin Boone granted, with waivers and divestiture commitments that may be cosmetic at best, Nexstar Media Group‘s merger with TEGNA. It all but erases the 39% national ownership cap before the Commission even votes on amending it, setting up a court challenge being waged by eight state Attorneys General and DirecTV.
