FCC Commissioners Want Media-Ownership Debate To Include Localism

FCC COMMISSIONERS WANT MEDIA-OWNERSHIP DEBATE TO INCLUDE LOCALISM
[SOURCE: Dow Jones, AUTHOR: Siobhan Hughes]
FCC Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps are asking Chairman Kevin Martin to address the issue of promoting local programming when he takes a first step this week to change media-ownership rules. Under former FCC Chairman Michael Powell, the agency set up a task force to make recommendations. The effort, however, languished, and the agency never proposed any rules. Now, Commissioners Copps and Adelstein are asking that the localism proceeding be wrapped up -- with recommendations and final rules -- before or when media-ownership regulations are finalized. The commissioners see the two issues as intertwined partly because of concerns that the consolidation of media ownership in the hands of a few large companies has diminished local programming. They are pushing Chairman Martin to resolve all of its media-ownership rules as part of a single package rather than on a piecemeal basis. They also want to make sure that the FCC issues specific, detailed proposals before finalizing its rules rather than rushing ahead to approve rules without going through a full rule-making process. The push to take up the subject of local programming comes amid concerns that Chairman Martin may try to rush through new media-ownership rules. He is circulating a proposal that would give the public 45 days to comment on changing media- ownership rules, with another 15 days for replies, according to two FCC officials. That is considered to be much less time than allotted for non- controversial proposals, raising concern that the agency may act hastily.
http://news.morningstar.com/news/DJ/M06/D19/200606191624DOWJONESDJONLINE...

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