FCC's Copps Calls for Investigation of Private-Equity Media Ownership

FCC'S COPPS CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION OF PRIVATE-EQUITY MEDIA OWNERSHIP
[SOURCE: DowJones, AUTHOR: Corey Boles corey.boles@dowjones.com]
Federal Communications Commission member Michael Copps said Thursday he was concerned that the worsening economy might lead to private-equity companies breaking up or shutting down media companies they have acquired recently. He has for months cautioned against the rising tide of publicly traded media companies being taken private. He has urged the FCC to launch an investigation into these transactions. Commissioner Copps said he had already seen one telecommunications bubble burst in his time at the FCC in 2001 and he didn't want to see another one. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has so far ignored Copps' calls to treat deals involving private equity any differently than any other transaction before the FCC.
http://money.cnn.com//news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200801171241DOWJONE...

* Copps: FCC Should Examine Venture-Capital Impact on Media Business
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6523401.html