FCC Releases Broadcast Ownership Data

The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau released a separate data set comprised of all ownership reports filed in response to the 2009 biennial ownership filing requirement.

These data are the first available that reflect the significant revisions to the ownership reporting form, FCC Form 323, intended to substantially improve the completeness, accuracy, reliability and usability of ownership data. This data set also represents the first "snapshot" of broadcast ownership data in a series of planned, biennial "snapshots" that should collectively provide a reliable basis for analyzing ownership trends in the industry, including ownership by minorities and women. The revised form and data collection respond to the Commission's May 2009 323 Order, which sought to improve the availability of ownership information related to diversity. The revised FCC Form 323 enlarged the class of stations obligated to file biennially by requiring all full power commercial broadcast stations and all lower power television stations, including Class A stations, to file. The new form also eliminated the exemption from the biennial reporting requirement that applied to sole proprietorships and partnerships of natural persons that are licensees of commercial broadcast stations. It also established a single, uniform filing date, and required all attributable interest holders to obtain unique FCC Registration Numbers to facilitate cross-referencing of ownership interests. This first data set reflects ownership interests as of November 1, 2009.