Repealing the national cap will provide essential relief for local broadcasters by restoring a healthy counterbalance to the growing leverage of national programmers,” Carr said in his remarks. Sinclair operates and/or provides services to 185 TV stations in 85 markets, while Scripps has more than 60 stations in 40-plus markets. Meanwhile, the American Television Alliance (ATVA), a lobbying group composed of cable, satellite, telco operators and independent programmers, slammed the FCC’s vote on the TV ownership cap. “The FCC’s decision to eliminate the national broadcast ownership cap is a serious setback for American consumers and local communities,” ATVA spokesman Hunter Wilson said. “Congress established the 39% national ownership cap in 2004 to protect localism, viewpoint diversity and consumer choice.