Tag Archives: Media Ownership

FCC Commences Review of Media Ownership Rules

On December 12, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or the “Commission”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) commencing the 2018 Quadrennial Review of the Commission’s media ownership rules. The FCC is required under Section 202(h) of the Communications Act to review most of its broadcast ownership rules every four years to determine whether … Continue Reading

Reply Comments on FCC Incubator Diversity Program Due April 9

By FHH Law on March 29, 2018 Posted in Deadlines, Enforcement, FCC, Media

On Nov. 20, 2017, the FCC released an Order on Reconsideration of several of its broadcast multiple and cross-ownership rules, which included a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) looking toward increasing minority, female, and small business ownership by establishing an “incubator” program which incentives established broadcasters to help those types of entities. Comments on the … Continue Reading

FCC Releases Proposed Order to Modify Media Ownership Rules

By FHH Law on October 27, 2017 Posted in Cable, Deadlines, Enforcement, FCC, Media

As expected, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai yesterday released his proposed Order modifying the FCC’s media ownership rules. Consistent with what he announced at an Oct. 25 House Energy and Commerce Committee FCC Oversight Hearing, the Order, if adopted, will allow nearly unrestricted television duopolies in almost every market, eliminate radio/TV cross-ownership restrictions, and abolish the Commission’s long-standing prohibition … Continue Reading

Sinclair-Tribune Merger Open for Comments

By FHH Law on July 6, 2017 Posted in Media

As has been widely reported, Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a $3.9 Billion cash and stock agreement in May with Tribune Media Company. The agreement calls for Sinclair to acquire Tribune Media and its 42 broadcast television stations, among other media assets. Just before the July 4 holiday, the companies filed a series of transfer of … Continue Reading

Sisyphus Re-re-re-Dux: FCC “Concludes” a Decade of Quadrennial Reviews … For Now

By Harry Cole and FHH Law on September 1, 2016 Posted in Media

Supposedly wrapping up 2006, 2010 and 2014 reviews, FCC leaves most media ownership restrictions in place, adds some new burdens As we have observed more than once (here and here, for example), the FCC’s quadrennial media ownership review process is Sisyphean in nature: even before the Commission can complete one review, the next begins, and … Continue Reading

The Quad Pulls A Sisyphus … Again

By FHH Law on May 26, 2016 Posted in Deadlines, Media

Three’s the charm, as the Third Circuit sends the FCC’s Quadriennial Review proceeding back to the Commission for a third time We once described the FCC’s quadrennial ownership review process as Sisyphean in nature. Keeping with that analogy, we can report that the rock has now rolled back down the hill … again. But this … Continue Reading

. . . and statistics.”

By FHH Law on January 17, 2011 Posted in Media

OMB has preliminarily approved, with conditions and limitations, the Consumer Survey with which the FCC is looking to generate data for its 2010 Quadrennial Review of ownership rules and policies.… Continue Reading

“Our Survey Said . . . ” – Update

By FHH Law on November 7, 2010 Posted in Deadlines, Media

The proposed Consumer Survey we wrote about last Friday is now available online at the OMB website, along with some interesting "supporting documents". Check it all out, but act fast -- two of the 17 days the FCC has given us to review and comment on the survey have already passed.… Continue Reading

“Our Survey Said . . .”

By FHH Law on November 5, 2010 Posted in Deadlines, Media

Paging Richard Dawson! The FCC may be needing you to come out of retirement soon to deliver the classic Family Feud catchphrase, "Our survey said". Why? Because the Commission is looking to unleash its own "Consumer Survey".… Continue Reading

Comment Dates Set In Quadrennial Ownership Proceeding

By FHH Law on June 11, 2010 Posted in Deadlines, Media

Comment and reply comment deadlines have now been set in the FCC's quadrennial review of media ownership rules.… Continue Reading

The Quad Pulls a Sisyphus

By FHH Law on June 2, 2010 Posted in Media

The FCC, as part of its mandated Quadrennial Review, returns to the topic of media ownership and consolidation… Continue Reading

Update: Three Items Deleted from Open Meeting Agenda

By FHH Law on December 18, 2007 Posted in Media

By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email

On the morning of a very controversial Open Meeting at the FCC, three items were deleted from the agenda. But the deleted items were not the ones at the source of the controversy.

The Commission removed items concerning competitive market conditions for commercial mobile services, an NPRM addressing sponsorship identification rules and embedded advertising, and an item considering two NPRMs addressing satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) and Wireless Communications Service licenses. The latter was adopted by the Commission prior to the Meeting.

What remained ominously on the agenda, however, were the items concerning media ownership and localism ...… Continue Reading

Heat on Martin Intensifies on Eve of Media Ownership Vote

By FHH Law on December 17, 2007 Posted in Media

By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email

One day before the December 18 FCC Open Meeting in which Chairman Kevin Martin planned to bring his media ownership proposal to a scheduled vote, 25 senators signed a letter to Martin issuing yet another warning from Congress that his actions are inappropriate.

The letter, organized by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), stated that if the Commission proceeds with final action on the media ownership proposal on December 18, "we will immediately move legislation that will revoke and nullify the proposed rule.

The congressmen pointed out that just 28 days were allotted for comment between the issuance of ...… Continue Reading

Martin Facing Onslaught of Criticism

By FHH Law on December 13, 2007 Posted in Media

By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email

Just five days before the final FCC Open Meeting of 2007, the controversy surrounding Chairman Kevin Martin's media ownership proposal has reached a fever pitch. Martin's fellow Commissioners, many Congressmen and commenters on both sides of the issue have barraged Martin with an onslaught of criticism for the manner by which he released his proposal and his inclusion of the item on the Dec. 18 agenda. The proposal was announced on Nov. 13 in what a group of commenters including Common Cause, the ...

Copps, Adelstein Blast Martin’s Cross-Ownership Proposal

By FHH Law on November 14, 2007 Posted in Media

By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email

One day after Chairman Martin issued his proposal in which newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership would be allowable only in the top 20 markets (see Harry Cole's article on November 13, 2007 for details), FCC Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein blasted the proposal in a joint statement.

The Commissioners labeled Martin's plan a "wolf in sheep's clothing," ...

Martin Single-handedly Seeks To Solve Ownership Impasse

By FHH Law on November 13, 2007 Posted in Media

By Harry Cole
703-812-0483
email

Chairman Kevin Martin has taken the extraordinary step of issuing what amounts to his own personal notice of proposed rulemaking in the long-running, highly contentious media ownership proceeding. On November 13 - the same date that an op-ed piece by Martin was published in the New York Times - the Chairman's office issued a news release which spelled out Martin's personal proposal for bringing the media ownership provision to a close. You can read the news release and NYT article here.

In Martin's view, the Commission should change one - and only one - ...