What are the laws regarding media ownership and consolidation?

In the District of Columbia, media ownership and consolidation is regulated through a number of laws and regulations. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that broadcasters must be citizens of the United States in order to own a broadcast station, and prohibits media conglomerates from owning too many of them. The FCC also monitors broadcasters’ compliance with the “local ownership rule”, which restricts a single entity from owning more than five radio or television stations nationally and limits a single entity from owning two television or radio stations in the same media market. The FCC also maintains a cap on radio station ownership, which dictates that no entity can own more than eight radio stations in the same market within a single state or more than five radio stations in multiple states. The Federal Communications Commission also requires that all media outlets must disclose their ownership information on their broadcast licenses and in public filings. All of these regulations are intended to protect consumers from a lack of diverse media voices and to promote competition in media ownership. Finally, enforcement and compliance with media ownership rules in the District of Columbia is overseen by the Enforcement Bureau of the FCC which is responsible for responding to complaints or allegations of violations of these regulations.

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What are the laws regarding media ownership and consolidation?

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