TV Station Ownership’s 45% Solution

[Commentary] Getting rid of the outdated UHF discount is fine if Congress would simultaneously raise the ownership cap to 45% so groups can contend with new marketplace challenges.

Broadcast viewership continues to be eroded not only by cable, but also by the Internet. The latter has evolved into a full-blown TV medium. What it lacks in picture quality, it more than makes up for in its interactivity. So the cable stations are in a running battle for survival. None should be held back from accumulating more stations and benefitting from the economies and negotiating clout that come from size. It may be a coincidence that a Democratic FCC chairwoman (Mignon Clyburn) has decided that it's "appropriate" to go after the UHF discount at the same time it becomes critical to Sinclair's business strategy. Or maybe it isn't.