Media Ownership Update

You may have heard that the FCC is holding a series of public hearings on the issue of media ownership, but you may not know exactly what's at stake.

The activist website StopBigMedia explains a new FCC proposal to further relax media ownership rules, highlighting two particular protections that are on the block:

The rule on "newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership," which prevents companies from owning a television or radio station and the major daily newspaper in the same area.

The local ownership caps that limit a company from owning more than one television station in most markets. (They can own two in larger markets as long as there are at least eight other competitors.)

At least on the surface, it would seem that protecting localism and diversity in the media (what's left of them, anyway) should be a high priority for the good of local communities. However, a recent AP article challenges that assumption. "Who Cares About Ownership Rules?" argues that in this time of rapidly changing technology, the media landscape is being transformed in ways that mean the ownership debate over traditional platforms is already yesterday's news. The internet is the disputed territory now, and net neutrality the burning issue.

Meanwhile, the FCC's public hearings continue. About 300 people turned out for its third hearing, which was held in February in Harrisburg, PA. Four companies control 79% of the local news in that market. Here's an excerpt from a Feb. 24th Patriot-News (owned by New Jersey-based Advance Publications) article about the meeting:

The morning public-comment portion of the hearing was dominated by an organized effort by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters. More than 50 television reporters and anchors and their stations' nonprofit organization partners lined up in front of the microphones to talk about the good work they do.

Richard Wyckoff, the president of PAB, said the testimony at the first two hearings were an unbalanced look at the industry.

"We wanted to make sure the record was complete, that our story be put out there," Wyckoff said.

Whether that was an effective strategy remains to be seen.

"I'm happy they invited so many of their folks out, it's a perspective that's valuable, but it's a small part of the issues we need to discuss," Commissioner Michael J. Copps said during a break. "What we've heard is one dimension."

Ownership rules were the intended topic of the day, but the broadcaster turnout was a continuing theme.

Screen writer Elizabeth Hainstock, a former broadcaster and publisher of Central PA magazine, called the testimony "self-serving and embarrassing. They're just doing their jobs."

The FCC is required by Congress to reconsider all its rules every few years. The next hearing is scheduled for April 30 in Tampa, Fla.

I tried to find out how to contact the FCC, but their server was down. You can visit the FCC's website for more information.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin.