Bad reviews pile up for FCC chief's plan

BAD REVIEWS PILE UP FOR FCC CHIEF'S PLAN
[SOURCE: Los Angeles Times, AUTHOR: Jim Puzzanghera jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com]
The last time federal regulators tried to change the rules on how many media outlets companies could own, the effort bombed like a bad movie. The sequel appears to be headed for the same fate. The Federal Communications Commission's examination of media ownership restrictions, moving along slowly but smoothly just a few weeks ago, has suddenly devolved into a mess similar to the one that doomed proposed rule changes in 2003. Activist groups have risen up in protest and some members of Congress are complaining about what they call the agency's flawed and rushed effort to help media giants at the expense of average Americans. With the fate of Tribune Co.'s $8.2-billion deal to go private possibly hanging in the balance, the media ownership debate became mired in controversy after FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin unexpectedly pushed to wrap up the complicated process by year's end. Fellow FCC Commissioners Copps and Adelstein are in open revolt. House and Senate committees plan to summon Martin to Capitol Hill to explain himself in the coming weeks. A growing group of Democrats and Republicans in Congress are threatening to block any quick FCC action. And the Media Access Project, a public interest law firm that filed the successful suit against the 2003 rule changes, said it planned to challenge Martin's cross-ownership rule in court if the FCC approves it.
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-ownership19nov19,1,42...
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