FCC Reports Finds Minority Broadcast Ownership Down

Diversity Still An Issue

The FCC has released its report on the ownership of commercial broadcast stations, and it reveals little diversity in that group.

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES reports that as of 2011, "whites own 69.4% of the nation's 1,348 television stations. That's up from 63.4% in 2009, when there were 1,187 stations," and notes "It is a similar story in radio. Whites own almost 80% of all AM and FM radio stations, with more than 70% being owned by men."

The FCC reports noted most minority ownership decreased, breaking out just the TV numbers. Thos found that Black ownership went from 1% of all commercial TV stations in 2009 to 0.7% in 2011. Asian ownership was also down from 0.8% in 2009 to 0.5% last year.

Latino ownership bucked the trend, and increased from 2.5% to 2.9%.

Women owned 6.8% of all commercial TV stations in 2011, compared to 5.6% in 2009.

Media watchdog group FREE PRESS told THE TIMES that the data indicates that ownership of "broadcast radio and television stations by women and minorities remains at abysmally low levels."

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