FCC Considering New Media Rules

FCC CONSIDERING NEW MEDIA RULES
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
For the second time in four years, the government is rewriting media ownership rules, a process that probably will allow big companies to get even bigger. While the stakes this time are smaller, the furor surrounding the process has, if anything, grown. Well-organized opponents have staged protests, attacked the FCC's economic studies as biased in favor of liberalizing the rules and complained that the agency is not doing enough to promote minority ownership. Congress is getting involved, too. The priority for broadcasters now has shifted to two rules: A prohibition against a radio or television broadcaster from owning a daily newspaper in the same community, and a ban on a single company owning two television stations in the same market, except in certain circumstances. The newspaper-broadcast ban is important for the National Newspaper Association and broadcasters such as Tribune Co. and Media General Inc., which say the rule is an anachronism. They contend that if it were lifted, it would lead to more news on local broadcast stations. Consumers Union's Gene Kimmelman said the newspaper ban is pivotal: "The issue at stake is even more important than the previous debate because most citizens turn to their local newspaper and local broadcasters for news about their community. Allowing them to combine could enable one company to dominate the presentation of local news."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-media-ownership,0,7871485....

* Don't for get today's Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Localism, Diversity, and Media Ownership
http://www.benton.org/node/7886

* Seattle, west coast, preparing for FCC media ownership hearing
http://www.lasarletter.net/drupal/node/501