Report: FCC Votes to Relax Cross-Ownership Rules

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, December 22, 2011 | 3:16pm CT

The FCC has voted to allow broadcast-newspaper cross-ownership in major markets while retaining current radio-TV ownership restrictions, sources tell Broadcasting & Cable. The new provisions are subject to public comment before a final vote at a public meeting. A recent ruling by a federal appeals court cited an absence of public input when it voiding a portion of FCC rules that similarly relaxed the cross-ownership prohibition.

The appeals court said the FCC had not given that change adequate notice or opportunity for comment. But it had no problem with the decision not to loosen the other media ownership rules.

According to various sources, Broadcasting & Cable further reports that the FCC would leave in place the radio and TV local market ownership caps, while preserving the FCC's loosening of the newspaper-broadcast ban. The move is essentially the same as the one circulated by former Chairman Martin.

The actions by the FCC is a follow-up to the Notice of Inquiry on the commission's quadrennial media ownership review, which is required by the Telecom Act.

In response, NAB CEO Gordon Smith said in a statement, "NAB supports elimination of the broadcast/newspaper cross-ownership rules, because we believe journalism jobs could be saved under that scenario. We also support relief from TV duopoly rules to help sustain news and public affairs programming at struggling TV stations. Given the explosion of media outlets, we believe nearly 40-year-old ownership rules that restrict free and local broadcasting ought to be reformed to reflect today's hyper-competitive marketplace."