FCC

FCC to Explore Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device

On August 6, 2026 the Federal Communications Commission voted to explore new ways to allow unlicensed wireless devices to communicate directly with satellites. The Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking examining reforms to enable devices operating in certain Part 15 bands to connect with FCC-authorized satellites, potentially providing WiFi to consumers and businesses and enabling use of such equipment on and between FCC-approved spacecraft. The move follows a July proposal to use unlicensed spectrum to support direct-to-device (D2D) connections. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr described the effort as combining satellite constellations with the unlicensed device ecosystem to expand connectivity into dead zones.

FCC to Vote on Ending 39% TV Ownership Cap

The FCC has voted to eliminate its long-standing 39% national television ownership cap and replace the fixed numerical ceiling with individualized, case-by-case public-interest reviews of broadcast ownership transactions. The Commission said the change modernizes regulation to reflect the rise of national streaming and digital platforms—which it noted now reach over 80% of American adults—and preserves statutory goals by evaluating localism, viewpoint diversity, and competition on a transaction-by-transaction basis. Under the new final-order framework, deals that would have breached the former threshold may be approved if shown to serve the public interest, while transactions that harm competition or diversity can be denied. Supporters say the revision responds to a transformed marketplace; critics warn it risks concentrating local broadcast control. The adoption as a final order is expected to prompt partisan debate and legal challenges.

FCC Probes Local CBS and ABC Affiliation Moves

The Federal Communications Commission is probing recent affiliation and control shifts among local TV stations that concentrate Big Four network programming and may sidestep broadcast-ownership limits and public-interest review. CBS affiliations moved from Nexstar-operated stations in six markets to outlets controlled by Hearst Television and Forum Communications, while Sinclair moved an ABC affiliation in St. Louis to Gray Media. A February 2026 DIRECTV analysis submitted to the FCC documents extensive operational consolidation across Big Four multi-station combinations (shared websites, news directors, and on-air talent). Regulators are assessing whether these affiliation swaps, along with broader Quadrennial Review proposals and pending deals such as Nexstar’s contested expansion prospects, accelerate newsroom consolidation, weaken independent local reporting, and alter advertising and retransmission-consent dynamics. The FCC may request information, seek voluntary remedies, or pursue enforcement if standards are violated.