Cross-ownership ban in the crossfire

The FCC may be poised to weaken its decades-long ban on media cross-ownership in major markets, according to recent press reports (link to B&C article). That means that newspapers can own TV stations in the same media market and vice versa.

Media rights groups, community activists and unions like CWA have long opposed relaxing the rules, saying the rule prevents centralization of power and information in one community. Although media companies have tried for 20 years to overturn the rule, they have failed. But lately, according to Broadcasting & Cable, "broadcasters have been beating a path to commission staffers' doors lately to talk about media ownership issues."

Now, there are reports that FCC Chairman Genachowski is expected to circulate an item for vote on November 30. The rule would allow newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership in the top media markets.

Not everyone is at ease with the expected rule change. Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who now runs a media consolidation program at Common Cause, said, "It ought to be ... a huge issue. Big media wanted us to believe the age of media consolidation was over, but not so."

Copps cited  the Comcast buyout of NBC Universal last year, and Sinclair Broadcasting's acquisition of 7 TV stations from Four Points Media.

Moreover, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of some 200 organizations, wrote to the FCC on November 9, urging the commission to reconsider lifting the ban until it analyzes its effect on communities of color and women. As the letter states:

"A decision to alter any of the Commission's media ownership rules without this data will violate the mandate of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Third Circuit because it is impossible to understand any change on ownership by women and people of color in its absence."

The FCC is also set to vote on a rule on how many radio or TV stations any one entity can own in one area. According to reports, the FCC will keep the current caps in place.

CWA and Speed Matters continue to support the cross-ownership ban as an important way to protect media diversity.

FCC Sources: Chairman Wants Media Ownership Vote at Nov. 30 Meeting (Broadcasting & Cable, Nov. 5, 2012) 

FCC poised to ease media cross-ownership rules in major markets (Memphis Commercial Appeal, Nov. 7, 2012)

FCC Letter on Media Ownership (LCCHR, Nov. 9, 2012)