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A group of bi-partisan senators, including Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, is pushing to nullify the FCC’s December decision to allow single companies to own newspaper-broadcast combinations in the nation’s top 20 markets.
The Tribune Co. and other companies that would be affected, should the decision be overturned, are expected to fight the potential new legislation. The “legislative veto” push is being led by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-ND, along with 14 other senators, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are among the co-sponsors of the bill.
“The FCC says this is a modest compromise, but make no mistake, this is a big deal,” Dorgan said (via Adweek) about the FCC’s decision.
The National Association of Broadcasters plans to file suit against the FCC in the D.C. Circuit over the loosening of the ownership rules. NAB spokesperson Dennis Wharton called the decision “arbitrary and capricious,” writes Broadcasting & Cable.
In passing the media ownership proposal in December, the FCC disregarded 25 U.S. senators who said they would block the decision should the FCC pass it. FCC chair Kevin Martin said, in defense of the decision, that the media marketplace is considerably different than when the original media ownership rule was put into place in 1975. His bill to allow cross-ownership may “help to forestall the erosion in local news coverage by enabling companies to share news-gathering costs across media platforms,” he said.
More on the same topic:
Senators Seek to Overturn FCC Media Ownership Rule — Reuters
Measure Aims to Halt Media Ownership Rule — Seattle Times
Senator: Stop Cross-Ownership Rules — Mediaweek
Think Again: FCC vs. The Public — Center for American Progress
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