WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal

Communications Commission voted on Tuesday to consider whether

to lift the long-standing prohibition on a merger between any of

the largest four broadcast networks and to consider relaxing

other media ownership rules.

The FCC said it would consider public comments before deciding

whether to reverse the rule that bars a merger among the "Big

Four" networks: NBC, owned by Comcast ( CMCSA ), Walt Disney

Co's ( DIS ) ABC, Paramount Skydance's ( PSKY ) CBS or Fox

.

The FCC also said it was seeking public comment on whether to

eliminate or revise a rule that limits a single entity from

owning more than two of the four largest television stations in

the same local market and a rule that limits the total number of

local radio stations that may be owned in a single market.

Previously, the FCC noted that a version of the rule barring

dual ownership of networks has existed since the 1940s. A 2018

media ownership review concluded the bar should be upheld

"because it advances the agency's core policy objectives of

competition and localism.

"We intend to take a fresh approach to competition by

examining the broader media marketplace, rather than treating

broadcast radio and television as isolated markets," FCC Chair

Brendan Carr said. "If we determine that any rule no longer

serves the public interest, we will fulfill our statutory duty

to modify or eliminate those rules."

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said the

commission should consider "modifications to current rules that

would both shore up the economics of broadcast television and

preserve the public interest."

In 2017, the FCC voted to eliminate the 42-year-old ban on

cross-ownership of a newspaper and TV station in a major market.

It also voted to make it easier for media companies to buy

additional local TV stations in the same market.