The FCC has voted 3-2, along party lines, to make changes to its broadcast ownership rules, as part of today’s Open Meeting. These changes include eliminating the cross-ownership rules for newspaper-broadcaster ownership and radio-TV ownership. Multiple TV rules are also up for changes. However, radio ownership caps will remain in place. There is a presumptive waiver of the rule that treats stations in embedded radio markets as part of the ownership group for a larger market.
In the official announcement from the FCC, the Commission said, “These actions will provide broadcasters and local newspapers with a greater opportunity to compete in the digital age and will help ensure a diversity of viewpoints in local markets.” Additionally, “By modernizing these outdated rules, broadcast stations and local newspapers will be able to more easily invest in local news and content and improve service to their local communities for the benefit of consumers.”
However, the rule changes are facing an immediate court challenge. Free Press President/CEO Craig Aaron said in a statement, “Free Press will take the FCC to court to challenge today’s vote, as we have in the past when the agency weakened its ownership rules. The FCC has again failed to run a fair and transparent process, listen to public input, do the necessary research, or answer for how gutting these rules will impact the already abysmally low levels of broadcast ownership by women and people of color. The FCC has repeatedly lost in court on this very issue for ignoring these concerns. It can’t keep ignoring them and hope to escape court scrutiny and public outrage.”
