Congress Gifts FCC With Fewer Reviews On Media Ownership

[DUreader]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1129-09.htm


Published on Saturday, November 29, 2003 by the Dow Jones Newswires
Congress Gifts FCC With Fewer Reviews
On Media Ownership
by Mark Wigfield

WASHINGTON -- Before leaving for their Thanksgiving break, congressional
leaders gave current and future chairs of the Federal Communications
Commission a gift that could keep giving for years to come.

That gift: easing a mandate that requires the FCC to review politically sensitive
media ownership rules. If the compromise becomes law, the FCC will only be
required to review its rules every four years, rather than two.

And one of the most sensitive rules - national television station ownership limits
affecting the networks and other large group owners - would be exempt from the
so-called quadrennial review altogether. That means the FCC wouldn't be forced by
Congress to run into the political buzz saw surrounding national television station
ownership limits.

Current FCC chairman Michael Powell's push to deregulate both national and local
caps on June 2 sparked a huge political backlash - as have efforts by past FCC
chairmen. Critics said the FCC's new rules would spark a wave of consolidation,
leaving news and entertainment in the hands of a few corporate giants.

[cthrumatrix]

1. Powell is an enabler of the right wing media take over ....plain & simple

He should be held accountable for the silencing "diversity of opinion"...freedom to express your views has been lost to the corporate media thugs.