FCC votes to loosen ownership rules
Cory Bergman December 18th, 2007
In a vote that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said may help to “forestall erosion of local news coverage,” the FCC commission approved a rule change that loosens its newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule. For the first time in 32 years, broadcasters in the top 20 markets could also own a newspaper, assuming a variety of conditions. The vote was along party lines. Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps said the FCC was “just inking up a rubber stamp for another round of consolidation.”
5 Comments Add your own
1. scott | December 18th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
So what happens with Tribune in markets like Ct (ranked #30?)for example where they have two stations and a Newspaper? Will they need to sell off one or two properties?
Scott B.
2. Anon E. Mouse | December 18th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Yeah, and I saw in the NY Times article that a bunch of waivers were made permanent. Does that include LA Times/KTLA, AZ Republic/KPNX, all the Tribune waivers, NY Post/WNYW-WWOR? And now that it’s done, whither Congress? Are they mad enough to pass a bill forcing unconsolidation and divestiture of the waivers?
3. mullah cimoc | December 18th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
mullah cimoc say aemeriki not having him free press. for save ameriki nation usa people must to make new federal communication law:
1. each tv station and each the radio station must be own 100% by person live within physical area serve by tv station. this call the local ownership.
2. no single person to owning more than 1% of any one tv station stock certificate. this make the diverse ownership.
3. abolish him networks, abccbsnbcfox. then to letting local own station form own networks with power from bottom up (flow from shareholder to board of director to ceo), not him top down like now in usa.
4. this keep the free press and stop the rupert murdoch type man keep all ameriki so stupid if buy him corporation which to own so many station and newspaper and radio and keep ameriki the stupid people.
after follow mullah cimoc method benjamin frankling to be the proud.
for true info: stop1984now@yahoo.com
4. Dan | December 18th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Does anyone believe elimination of radio station
ownership rules in 1996 made for better radio?
Looks to me like commercial radio is pretty much
down for the count. Why?, because programming
risk was removed from the equation. Same voices
and opinions were/are everywhere.
So what will happen? I think this will drive people even
faster to alternative ways to get news and entertainment,
just like what happened with radio and music.
So, this is good for new news outlets and bad for
old media, although I’m sure the suits who lobbied
for this change don’t see it that way. But they also
don’t see what’s happening in the real world and
don’t have a clue how to compete.
Agree, disagree?
Dan
5. Steve | December 20th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Is the FCC still refusing to allow low power community TV and radio licenses?
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