WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a striking intervention in the Federal Communications Commission's ongoing quadrennial review of media ownership rules, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has filed comments urging regulators to maintain existing broadcast television ownership caps and resist industry calls to scrap long-standing limits on consolidation in local TV markets.

The filing puts CPAC, one of the nation's most influential conservative organizations, at odds with Nexstar's plan to merge with Tegna — a move that would give the liberal media group over 80% market reach — in clear violation of federal law which only allows a 39% reach.

The filing, submitted in 2025 by the CPAC Foundation's Center for Regulatory Freedom (CRF) as part of the FCC's quadrennial proceeding, reinforces a core conservative belief: Broadcast regulation should serve the public interest, localism, and diverse viewpoints rather than simply deregulating markets.

Since there are only four highly rated TV licenses in almost all markets, CPAC and others note that deregulation would open the door for a handful of companies owning almost all the major TV stations across the nation.

CPAC's comments directly challenge proposals from broadcasters and some FCC voices to relax or eliminate restrictions such as the national television ownership cap.

The cap was first instituted by then-President Ronald Reagan to limit major networks and station groups from owning a majority of stations across the nation.

In 2004, Congress codified the Reagan cap, limiting networks to owning stations that reached no more than 39% of U.S. households.

CPAC argues that the FCC was created to ensure the obligations of TV license holders — including their duty to serve local communities with news, public affairs, and emergency information.

CPAC says these requirements cannot be preserved if ownership is concentrated among a handful of large conglomerates.

"Broadcast regulation exists not to manage markets or referee private negotiations, but to preserve localism, protect free speech, and ensure that the American people hear the widest possible range of voices in the marketplace of ideas," CPAC wrote in its 2025 FCC submission.

According to CPAC, local broadcast stations operate on a public spectrum, and in exchange for that valuable access to airwaves, they must remain accountable to local audiences.

The filing emphasizes that relaxing ownership limits would weaken that accountability and reduce the number of independent media voices able to serve their communities.

CPAC also highlights that the 39% national ownership cap — the centerpiece of much of the current debate — was adopted by Congress and explicitly carved out from the quadrennial review process.

Opponents of deregulation, including CPAC and other critics such as Newsmax and Free Press, argue that this statutory history means the FCC lacks authority to alter or eliminate the cap without congressional action.

The quadrennial review is mandated under Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which requires the FCC to assess whether media ownership rules remain "necessary in the public interest as the result of competition."

But CPAC and others note that Congress's decision to remove the national cap from this review demonstrates legislative intent to retain control over that specific limit.

Major broadcast associations and station groups have argued that the rise of Big Tech has made their industry less competitive with online outlets.

But conservative critics warn that the answer to Big Tech consolidation and monopolistic practices is not to create more consolidation in another media controlled by the left: TV broadcasting.

Critics also warn that consolidation will erode competition, diminish local news coverage, and reduce viewpoint diversity.

Independent outlets such as Newsmax have also filed objections, warning that a lifted cap could "stifle media diversity, diminish local news coverage, and consolidate political power over information distribution" in favor of major conglomerates.

CPAC argues that limits on broadcast ownership are a necessary structural safeguard for free speech and community service.

In its blog outlining the FCC comments, CPAC insisted that deregulation must not come at the expense of localism and viewpoint diversity, which it describes as key to broadcast regulation.

"Ownership limits are not about punishing success or freezing markets in time," the organization wrote, "They aim to prevent excessive consolidation of editorial control that would narrow the range of viewpoints available to the public."

The comments further elaborate that while streaming platforms and digital media have transformed content distribution, they operate outside the licensing framework that obligates broadcasters to serve public needs.

According to CPAC, this fundamental distinction justifies maintaining traditional ownership limits even as the broader media environment evolves.

Even President Donald Trump — traditionally an advocate for deregulation — has publicly opposed lifting the national cap, expressing concern that it could empower media consolidation in ways that might disadvantage conservative voices.

Meanwhile, FCC Chair Brendan Carr and TV industry proponents argue that "modernization" of rules is necessary to help U.S. broadcasters compete with tech giants that enjoy global reach without similar regulatory constraints.