39%?

The FCC rules that one TV station ownership group is allowed to reach 39% of the country in total viewership.

This rule is in place to stop one company to have a monopoly on the industry.

And while TV groups want to get the FCC to raise that cap, it really isn’t a hard cap in the first place.

Using things like the “UHF discount” ownership groups can reach well past the 39% and are doing so.

Nexstar brags on its website that they reach more than 60% of the country. “

“Nexstar Media Group is America’s largest local television and media company with 197 full power stations (including partner stations) in 115 markets addressing nearly 63% of US television households and a growing digital media operation” is a what they have written on their site.

In other words, 39% is just a fictional number and TV ownership groups continue to gobble up stations and grow.

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