Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr’s push to eliminate a congressionally imposed limit on television station ownership is putting two longtime conservative priorities into direct conflict: deregulating the media industry and restraining the power of federal agencies.

The FCC voted 2-1 on Aug. 6 to eliminate the rule barring a single company from owning television stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. households, replacing the hard ceiling with a case-by-case approach to proposed transactions.

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