TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Lifts Rule on Limits of TV Ownership: As expected, media companies will be permitted to own more TV and radio stations nationally and more radio stations in each local market. The order by the Federal Communications Commission ends the long-standing rule that limits to 12 the number of TV stations one company can own. Companies will be able to own as many as they want as long as the stations together would not reach more than 35% of all U.S. TV households. The current limit is 25%. The order, which carries out the most hotly contested provisions of the new telecommunications law, will take effect once it is published in the Federal Register, in one or two weeks. The rule change will help ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and others compete against cable and new TV competitors.