FCC to Lift Newspaper-Broadcast Ban
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 4/9/2003 7:20:00 AM
Las Vegas -- The fog surrounding the Federal Communications Commission's review of broadcast-ownership rules is beginning to lift, as three commissioners -- a majority -- are now on record as being in favor of allowing the joint ownership of a newspaper and television or radio station in the same market.
On Tuesday, Republican FCC members Kathleen Abernathy and Kevin Martin said they supported at least relaxation of the rule. Last month, in a speech in Washington, D.C., chairman Michael Powell said he wanted to remove the common-ownership ban.
Addressing the National Association of Broadcasters' convention here, Abernathy said newspaper-broadcast combinations that were allowed to remain after adoption of the ban in the 1970s are providing high-quality local news and improving the news product of the competition.
"I am skeptical that given the multiple choices you have of ways to receive news information today, a continuing ban makes sense anymore," Abernathy said.
Martin, in remarks to the same audience, said the media landscape has changed so dramatically over the past 30 years that the ban is no longer necessary.
"I certainly think that the commission should do something to relax it, if not to repeal it, in its current form," Martin said.
Abernathy and Martin appeared on the same panel with FCC Democrats Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein. Copps said the "ban" was a misnomer because proposed newspaper-broadcast combinations may seek FCC approval under an existing waiver process.
No related content found.
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
