Posted on 07/23/2010 4:55:32 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
Note: A version of this report originally appeard at the media blog Lippmann Would Roll and also at Stop Big Media.
In a blow to local journalism and quality reporting, the Federal Communications Commission is supporting an old media cross-ownership rule that allows companies to own more media outlets in communities across the country.
On Wednesday, the FCC filed a brief with a U.S. appeals court defending the agency’s 2007 decision under former Chairman Kevin Martin to weaken the Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership (NBCO) Rule.
The Martin NBCO Rule, which was adopted as part of the FCC’s 2006 media ownership review, is marred by procedural irregularities, ambiguous provisions and loopholes — all of which run counter to the rule’s purpose: to protect local communities from media monopolies and to increase diversity in the marketplace of ideas. The watered-down rule allows media outlets to merge based on promises that the FCC cannot monitor or enforce.
Earlier this week a bi-partisan groups of senators reiterated their support for a diverse media system and strong ownership protections. In a letter sent to current FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Sens. Olympia Snowe [R-ME], Byron Dorgan [D-ND], and Maria Cantwell [D-WA] questioned the wisdom of FCC rule changes in 2003 and 2007 that removed many of the ownership laws that promoted diversity, localism and competition.
(Excerpt) Read more at groundreport.com ...
Comments by FP for 2010 FCC Quadrennial Review of Media Ownership Rules
FreePress side bar, Headlines: Why Does Fox News Have More Power Than Any Progressive in the Country? and reported here,
"The only real damage that Fox can do is if they spread their poison to other news stations."
Note: Spelling of Shoud (should) carried over & over.
The viewer market likes Fox. Let the little ankle biters proliferate — they will starve themselves out of existence.
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