Media ownership deregulation was opposed by free newspapers, while nonprofit foes...
Media ownership deregulation was opposed by free newspapers, while nonprofit foes of broadcast and newspaper consolidation continued opposing a draft FCC order on the rules, filings in docket 09-182 show (http://xrl.us/bn27fs). “Our role in serving the information needs of our…
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communities would appear to be a ‘you don’t know what you've got till it’s gone’ proposition before the Commission,” Association of Free Community Papers Government Relations Consultant Jim Haigh wrote FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The group representing shopping circulars and community papers (http://xrl.us/bn27gx) cited news reports about the draft, which would allow common ownership of dailies and radio stations within an area and waivers of cross-ownership rules for dailies and TV stations in top-20 markets (CD Nov 23 p5). The FCC voluntary incentive auction of TV frequencies and prospect of net neutrality rules being overturned “could bring about a perfect storm for hometown media,” Haigh wrote. He fears “fewer firms, with artificially skewed valuations, competing at severe disadvantages with local cross-media juggernauts across traditional and digital channels, under pay-to-play bandwidth prioritization regimes.” Public-interest groups Tuesday lobbied commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel about concerns on minority ownership of media (CD Nov 21 p15). Representatives of the Asian American Justice Center, Common Cause, Communications Workers of America, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Hispanic Media Coalition, National Organization for Women, National Urban League and United Church of Christ have “strong concern” with “the process,” a filing said (http://xrl.us/bn27gv). It said they also fear “the idea that the Commission would relax any of the media ownership rules and retreat from the connection between barriers to media concentration and promotion of diverse ownership.” A CWA official said the union wants the FCC to deem shared broadcast services as attributable under ownership rules.