Third Circuit Court to Delay Ownership Decision
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday it would delay ruling on challenges to the FCC's revisions of the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules until it could be reviewed by the Commission under a new chairman. Earlier this month, the agency said it would no longer oppose petitions filed by public interest groups Free Press and Prometheus, among others, to hold the case in abeyance pending new FCC leadership.
At the time, Acting Chairman Michael Copps hinted that at some point "we would look at this again. I think that public policy would mandate that we look at this again." But he made it clear he was not necessarily advocating further deregulation.
The court has also given the public interest groups 21 days to explain why it should not lift the stay on FCC's revisions to the cross-ownership in December, 2007.
Meanwhile the FCC's Media Bureau recently extended the deadline to file amendments to pending waiver requests or renewal applications that are seeking permanent waivers of the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule to June. Cox Communications, Bonneville, Scranton Time and Morris Communications all have pending applications.
