FCC MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES REVIEW

• FCC Media Ownership Update (July)
• Download as a Word document

• Background
• Rules
• File Comments
• Why ownership rules matter
• Questions for Comments
• Additional Info & Resources

On September 13, 2001, just two days after the terrorist attacks, the FCC initiated a review of several key rules limiting the size of big media corporations.

Then on September 12, 2002 the FCC combined the 2001 review with all its remaining broadcast ownership rules in the biggest review of ownership rules in its history.

At stake are a handful of ownership rules that seek to protect localism, independence, and diversity in the media.

• Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule – limits a single corporation from owning both a broadcast station and newspaper in the same community.
  
• Dual Network Rule – prevents any two of the major TV networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX) from merging.
  
• National Broadcast Ownership Cap – prevents a single company from owning multiple broadcast stations that collectively reach more than 35 percent of all US households.

A detailed view of all the rules and their ramifications available here.

As part of this proceeding, the FCC is required to seek public participation before changing these rules.

File Comments
The public comment window closed on Feb. 3, however the FCC still appears to be accepting comments. Click here to File Comments. All the data will then be carefully reviewed by the FCC and they will issue a ruling.

Public Hearings & Forums
An official Public hearing by the FCC and several additional public forums have been scheduled to further expand debate on these important issues:

  January 16         Columbia Law School
  New York

  February 18       USC Center for Communication Law and Policy
  Los Angeles    

  February 27        Greater Richmond Convention Center
  Richmond, VA

  March 7                University of Washington
  Seattle

  TBA                  Duke University
  Durham, NC

[more details to come]

View transcripts from the Senate Hearing on State of Competition in Telecom Industry Hearing on January 14. Includes statements by ranking Senators Hollings and McCain and FCC Commissioners.

On October 1, 2002, the FCC released twelve studies for the public to review as part of this process, and later released the underlying data and methodology used in the studies. View the Studies by the Media Ownership Working Group.

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps states, “With such important values at stake, we ought to give parties the time to provide detailed data, granular evidence and studied analysis. I am disappointed in the extreme and alarmed at the prospect of forging ahead to dismantle the limits and caps before we fully understand the effects of such action.”

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Commissioner Copps puts forward the following outstanding questions yet to be answered by the FCC’s studies (and would be good questions to address in your public comments):

• If we eliminate our remaining media concentration rules, what will be the effect on the localism, diversity, and independence that have traditionally undergirded the democratic process? This fundamental and obvious question remains unaddressed.

• As part of this, what does the massive consolidation of the radio market and the current state of radio quality and diversity tell us about what will happen if we eliminate our remaining rules? And, how much news and public affairs programming was broadcast in the years immediately before and after elimination of FCC radio ownership rules?

• What effects have recent mergers, radio consolidation, and TV duopolies had on the personnel and resources devoted to news, public affairs, and public service programming, and on the output of such programming? Will eliminating our rules result in a crisis in these areas?

• Do newspapers and co-owned broadcast stations carry similar viewpoints more frequently than independent newspapers and broadcast stations? If so, and if we eliminate our rules, what are the implications for democracy and debate in America?

• How do consolidation and co-ownership affect the media’s focus on issues important to minorities and to the objective of diversity?

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• Impact on democracy – If one company can own a town's local newspaper, TV and radio stations, if national TV networks can merge their news operations, if nothing limits the size of these huge corporations, we will get a more limited view on the news. Issues that matter can be more easily buried or distorted, and differing viewpoints will not be heard.

• Diversity of creativity, art, culture, vision – We don't need censorship to combat violent, sexist, racist, commercialized, unoriginal media—we need access for independent producers to offer alternatives. We need choices—not more channels from the same owners.

• Labor rights and minority ownership – Fewer media companies means fewer jobs for media workers. Media ownership by people of color and women is down and getting worse as a result of consolidation.

• Freedom of the 'Net – If the media giants have their way, even the Internet will be controlled by monopolies who can limit how we access the Internet, as well as monitor and charge us for everything we view.

• Localism and community – Without local owners and local newsrooms, media are disconnected from communities. Clear Channel radio uses digital tricks to make the same DJ sound local in dozens of different cities. The bigger these companies get, the ess likely they are to cover local issues or feature local artists.

• Corporate accountability – With the recent wave of corporate malfeasance (especially in the media sector) we need watchdogs now more than ever—not media run by corporate honchos concerned only about their stock price.

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