Hinchey Offers New Media-Ownership Bill
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 3/30/2004 12:30:00 PM
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) Tuesday introduced a broad legislation bill that would slap new ownership limits and content controls on television- and radio-station owners.
Hinchey led the failed effort in the House last year to overturn new broadcast-ownership rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in June.
Many lawmakers and consumer groups attacked the FCC rules, claiming that they would allow excessive media concentration. A Federal Appeals Court in Philadelphia froze the rules from taking effect while it considered challenges to them.
According to Hinchey's press release, his legislation, among other things, would:
• Void the FCC's new rules;
• Restore the Fairness Doctrine to broadcasters;
• Limit a TV-station group to no more than 35% household reach nationally; and
• Bar any single entity from owning more than 5% of AM and FM broadcast-radio stations nationally, along with local-market limits.
Hinchey's press release did not mention whether any cable-ownership rules would be changed.
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