Reuters: FCC kicks off review of media ownership rules

[DeepModem Mom]

FCC kicks off review of media ownership rules
By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission Wednesday launched what is expected to be a fierce battle over whether to relax media ownership restrictions on television, radio and newspapers, a move that could spark consolidation in the industry.

A top priority of Republican FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's agenda has been to allow a company to own a newspaper and a radio or television station that serve the same market, and he repeated his desire to revamp the 1975 ban preventing such cross-ownership.

"The commission should take into account the competitive realities of the media marketplace while also ensuring the promotion of the important goals of localism and diversity," Martin, a Republican, said at the FCC's monthly open meeting....

***

The two Democrats on the five-member commission criticized the new effort. And consumer advocates have already formed alliances to lobby against making consolidation easier, arguing it would squeeze out independent voices and reduce local content.

"Even under the old rules, consolidation grows, localism suffers and diversity dwindles," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, a Democrat. "If we make the wrong decision, our communities will suffer and our country will suffer."...

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0002/20060621/1929831914.htm

[Triana]

1. they need to tighten the restrictions NOT relax them

and they need to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine.

[annabanana]

2. does FCC Chairman Kevin Martin have an email addy?

I would lo-o-o-ove to contact the man.


on edit: Found it!

http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/mail.html

on additional edit: nominated

[Copperred]

3. Could you share that email...thanks...

[annabanana]

6. right there in my post! (here too!)

This is it:
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/mail.html

[dmr]

8. Thanks for the link

I'm going to write as soon as I complete this post.

[redqueen]

7. Thank you - we should ALL be contacting them, and spreading the word.

I don't wanna hear that "nobody cares about this issue" or "we never hear from anyone about this issue" excuse ever again.

[AndyTiedye]

4. Happening Now to Keep the MSM ON MESSAGE Until the Election

They want the MSM to make extra nice for the next few months.

Expect them to go completely over the top singing the praises of the Republicans by October.

[RagingInMiami]

5. This article doesn't explain why some media companies already own

a newspaper and TV station in the same market.

In Phoenix, Gannett owns both.

And in South Florida, Tribune Company owns a TV station in Miami and a newspaper in Fort Lauderdale, which is considered the same media market.

And I'm sure there are many more examples as you can see on the link below. So there must be some unexplained loophole as to how these companies are able to bypass the 1975 ban.

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/