FCC Poised to Ease Media Ownership Restrictions

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, November 7, 2012

The FCC is poised to ease ownership restrictions on stations in the top 20 markets by loosening the broadcast/newspaper cross-ownership ban reports the Los Angles Times. After two previously failed attempts to loosen the rule enacted in the 1950's, the Commission is expected by the end of the year to approve a new proposal that would allow newspapers and TV or radio stations in the top 20 markets to consolidate.

And unlike previous battles, the newspaper reports, there is little opposition this time to easing the cross-ownership rules. In September, the agency granted time extensions for Cox Enterprises, Calvary Inc., Bonneville International, Scranton Times and Morris Communications which were filing for permanent waivers of the ban.

The FCC will be trying for a third time in ten years to loosen rules that limit media consolidation. But, after a decade of Internet growth, fast-changing technologies and plunging newspaper revenues, views have been altered and few people seem to care much if newspapers and television stations combine in the same metro area.

"It ought to be... a huge issue. Big media wanted us to believe the age of media consolidation was over, but not so," former FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps told the Times. He had opposed loosening the rules in 2003 and 2007 and now heads a Common Cause effort to highlight the problems of media consolidation.

"The ownership rules that govern broadcasting come to us from the 'I Love Lucy' era, and the realities of today's communications market simply cry out for a dramatic loosing of these rules," said NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith. "If we want to end up with just the Internet being the source of news, that's the country we're heading for. I think that's a huge mistake."

This time around, the FCC has proposed easing the rules in the top 20 markets, a proposal similar to the one approved by the Commission's 3-2 vote in 2007 under Republican Chairman Kevin Martin.