FCC Order Reinstates 2016 Quadrennial Media Ownership Rules

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, December 23, 2019 | 12:36pm CT

FCC

Following the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC vacating and remanding the Commission's 2018 Incubator Order and its 2017 Order on Reconsideration, the agency has issued an order reinstating the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, Local Television Ownership Rule, Local Radio Ownership Rule and Television Joint Sales Agreement Attribution Rule as they existed prior to the Order on Reconsideration.

In addition, the eligible entity standard and its application to regulatory measures as set forth in the Second Report and Order are repealed. Additionally, the regulatory measures adopted in the Incubator Order are similarly repealed and unavailable to applicants.

The FCC's Media Bureau finds that notice and comment are unnecessary for these rule amendments, because this ministerial order merely implements the mandate of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Commission lacks discretion to depart from this mandate.