Washington DC - The Federal Communications Commission has voted to get rid of a longstanding policy that could allow media companies favored by President Donald Trump to grow to unprecedented levels.

According to NBC News, the FCC voted 2-1 on Thursday to repeal a 22-year-old rule that prohibited companies from owning stations that reach more than a combined 39% of the US television audience.

The rule will be replaced by a process proposed in July by FCC chairman Brendan Carr in which the commission will review mergers on a case-by-case basis and allow companies to exceed the 39% if the FCC finds it is within the public's best interest to do so.

He notably does not explain what criteria they would use for this public interest standard.

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In an op-ed, the chairman argued that the ownership rule was "outdated" and "prevents local broadcasters from competing on a level playing field."

In an X post, Carr insisted the FCC was working to "bring balance back to the broadcast airwaves," and that the vote marks "another step in the right direction."

A group of protesters gathered outside FCC headquarters during the vote, holding signs that read "Put a cap on corporate greed" and "Save local news" along with large cutouts of Carr's head with the word "SHAME" scrawled across his forehead.

Carr's leadership of the FCC has come under scrutiny, as critics have argued he has abused his power by using the role to promote Trump's interests by punishing media outlets critical of him and boosting those that praise him.

In Trump's second term, Carr has ordered networks to air specific content he deems "patriotic," has threatened to take away broadcast licenses from networks that don't comply with his demands, and has approved massive mergers – most notably one between SkyDance and Paramount, which is owned by Trump's close friend and ally David Ellison.

Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez – who has publicly criticized the Trump administration's control over the FCC – was the only to vote against scrapping the rule, arguing that as Congress made the cap, only they can undo it.