Posted on 12/18/2007 11:04:28 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission voted Tuesday to overturn a 32-year-old ban and allow broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin was joined by his two Republican colleagues in favor of the proposal, while the commission's two Democrats voted against it.
Martin pushed the vote through despite intense pressure from House and Senate members on Capitol Hill to delay it. The chairman, however, has the support of the White House, which has pledged to turn back any congressional action that seeks to undo the agency vote.
At Tuesday's meeting, the chairman described the media ownership proceeding as "the most contentious and divisive issue" to come before him.
That proved true as the two Democrats in the commission blasted the proposal in unusually strong language for the normally sedate agency.
Martin, noting the steady decline in revenue for newspapers, said his proposal "strikes a balance" between the changing media marketplace and the need to protect diversity and competition.
The Democrats blasted the chairman for making changes to the proposal "in the dead of night" and just before the meeting that created new ownership loopholes instead of closing them, as he pledged during a recent hearing on Capitol Hill.
"Anybody who thinks our processes are open, thoughtful or deliberative should think twice in light of these nocturnal escapades," said Democrat Jonathan Adelstein.
The Democrat said Martin's proposal "will allow for waivers for six new newspaper-broadcast combinations and 36 grandfathered stations."
In light of the new media, internet, etc., Why would they want to in light of the decline of so many fishwraps finances of late?
The Hillary Show!
Why this couldn’t be about the Bill of Attainder that Fatboy issued against Rupert Murdock, could it?
Gee.....more lib spin.
Great....
The same reporters writing for the evening news write the paper.
Not a very good business model since no-one watches one and nobody reads the other that has enough money to buy what they are selling.
Who even wants to be in the bird cage lining business?
Carolyn Washburn’s dream.
It’s all a bunch of deck chairs.
New boss, same DNC talking points.
scratchin my head...the tribune has owned WGN TV for years...
This will make little difference in most markets. Atlanta and Dallas come to mind as cities where the strongest TV broadcaster is also owned by the company that owns the newspaper. (WSB-TV and the Journal-Constitution in Atlanta are Cox; WFAA and the Morning News in Dallas are Belo).
Trying to dissect the story, it appears that this applies to the top 20 markets, and that it will allow for 6 new combinations. Using ‘old math’, it appears that the situation exists already in 14 of the top 20 markets. You’ve pegged one, I’ve named 2.
Forget the stupid newspapers.
Where’s the a-la-carte cable decision?
I feel the same way: who cares?
the trib has owned wgn radio since the 20’s..(and wgn tv since whenever). so I’m thinking they must have been grandfathered into the 1975 law. But this article makes it seem different...
This new ruling kinda makes the Tribs lawsuit moot.
Which now makes me go hmmmm.
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/12/tribune_co_appeals_waiver_reje.php
The Republicans in Congress are actually who supports the rule change-the Democrats are opposed to it.
The issue with the Trib/WGN is the fact that the company is being sold. So the grandfather provision wouldn’t apply after the sale.
So this ruling may, in fact, be designed solely to allow the two Trib properties to be sold as one unit, but with a broader application to provide some cover.
A change in the rule can actually be justified. When it was put in place, print media had far more influence than it does today.
What’s a newspaper?
lol.. I hear ya. I think it’s that thing that they put in a leaky plastic bag on a rainy day and toss in your driveway early in the morning.
I think Starbucks has something called the New York Times, but that's not a newspaper.
If you find one let us know. Probably have to dig way back in the 50's archives.
The Seattle Times has been obsessing about this for months - they have a couple of editorials a week on this same topic, plus numerous other opinioon pieces on the topic. Although the Times touts itself as a “family owned” newspaper, the McClatchy Company - which owns dozens of papers nationwide - owns 49.5% of the common voting stock and well over half of the non-voting stock.
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