US FCC votes to ease media ownership restrictions

WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission voted on Tuesday to approve a controversial plan to loosen media ownership restrictions in the 20 biggest U.S. cities, despite objections from consumer groups and a threat by some U.S. senators to revoke the action.

The FCC's five commissioners voted 3-2, along party lines, to ease the 32-year-old ban on ownership of a newspaper and broadcast outlet in a single market.

In addition, the FCC action exempted 36 newspaper-broadcast ownership combinations that had been grandfathered under the previous rule. It also exempted six ownership applications that were pending before the agency. (Reporting by Peter Kaplan; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)