U.S. Sens. John Kerry and Chuck Grassley have raised concerns with the Federal Communications Commission about the impact of television station consolidation in Honolulu and other media markets.

Last month, the owners of KGMB9, KHNL and K5 merged their news operations, laid off about a third of the stations' staff and began simulcasting some of their news programs.

In a Nov. 2 letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Kerry, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, and Grassley, R-Iowa, cited the merger as an example of consolidation that results in "fewer voices on the airwaves and reduced consumer choice."

"As a result of consolidation, local newscasts are now presented on competing network affiliates by the exact same news staff and anchor team in markets across the country from Honolulu to Cedar Rapids to Baltimore," they said.

"Unfortunately, some broadcast companies have taken advantage of a sympathetic FCC over the last eight years to gain multiple television stations in a given market."

The FCC is looking to review its rules on ownership of television stations. Federal law bars media companies from owning two stations in the same market unless they obtain a waiver from the FCC.

The letter from Kerry and Grassley follows comments last month by U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who said the KGMB, KHNL and K5 newsroom merger "may lead to the loss of editorial diversity and may violate FCC ownership rules."

Paul McTear, CEO of KHNL's owner Raycom Media of Alabama, could not be reached for comment.

Raycom has asserted that the deal does not require regulatory approval because there is no change of ownership and the licenses of the stations aren't being transferred.

The newsroom merger, called a shared services agreement, has been criticized by local media watchdog Media Council Hawaii, which is asking the FCC to overturn the deal.