Keep in mind that Nexstar Chairman and CEO Perry Sock is a fan of incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.
“Congratulations to Commissioner Brendan Carr on his appointment as the new FCC Chairman. He is an exceptional choice and understands the needs of the FCC,” Suk said in a press release: “He is an exceptional choice who understands the needs of local broadcasters and we look forward to working with him during this era of transformation.”
Carr has served as a member of the FCC since 2017. The Republican regulator is best known for his support of banning TikTok due to national security concerns and also as the author of the FCC’s section on Project 2025, a plan for Trump’s first 100 years. During his days in office, his administration said it had nothing to do with it. He is very much in line with the incoming administration’s views on government oversight of communications, including penalizing TV networks for their political bias, an issue Donald Trump has repeatedly talked about.
Suk and Nexstar’s interest in the rhombus has more to do with Carr’s other policies, namely reducing regulation and limiting the tech industry in space. These are two topics that Nexstar has spoken openly about. Currently, no TV station owner can cover more than 39% of TV households in the US, as determined by Nielsen research. Nexstar is currently fighting this restriction based on the argument that this limit, which was implemented in 2004, is outdated. Now news stations aren’t just competing with their counterparts in the space; they’re competing against tech giants that are largely unregulated when it comes to news and entertainment. Nexstar has already set up a government relations team in Washington, D.C. to fight that market value.
“We see this as a bipartisan issue,” Suk said during the company’s Q3 2024 earnings conference call. “Republicans will see it as deregulation, which is very good for business. Democrats, and in fact, everyone will see this as a way to preserve local journalism.
A source