The Federal Communications Commission yesterday voted to make controversial sweeping changes to the US's media-ownership rules which would increase the ability of large corporations to buy more local outlets.

In a 3-2 vote along party lines, the commission's three Republican commissioners decided to revise decades-old rules which they argued no longer reflected the reality of the modern media marketplace.

But Mr Michael Copps and Mr Jonathan Adelstein, the FCC's two Democrat commissioners, voiced strong opposition to the new rules, with Mr Adelstein saying that the agency had become a "toothless tiger".

Although expected, the vote was greeted with alarm by senior Democrat and Republican senators.

Mr Fritz Hollings, the senior Democrat on the senate commerce committee, said: "[This decision] in a rear view mirror will be seen as a decision that is both dumb and dangerous."

Mr Trent Lott, former Senate majority leader, said he thought most Republicans in the Congress would oppose the most controversial change - raising to 45 per cent the national television cap, which prevents networks from owning stations that reach a combined 35 per cent of the national audience.