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FCC Chairman Discusses Upcoming Ownership Rules Review In Blog Post
March 7, 2014 at 3:58 AM (PT)
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FCC Chairman TOM WHEELER's blog entry on THURSDAY offered his thoughts on the upcoming quadrennial ownership rules review, which he said will launch "later this month," and while he concentrated on his proposal to restrict television Joint Sales Agreements and Shared Services Agreements, the post also offered his views on other ownership caps affecting radio.
Specifically, WHEELER said he wants the Commission to seek public comment on proposals to retain the local ownership caps, maintain the newspaper-television cross-ownership prohibition but asking for comment on modifying the rule, and "improving the current waiver standards for broadcast ownership."
WHEELER wrote, "This will be an open evaluation to understand how evolving market structures and competition should influence how we act to preserve the continuing values of competition, localism, and diversity of voices in our local media.
"I come to the 2014 review with two bedrock beliefs: that broadcasting provides a vital public service as a part of its public trust, and that the overall changes in the media landscape are opening new opportunities for U.S. broadcasters.
"While this review is pending, the current rules addressing media consolidation will remain in place. But motivated by evidence that our rules protecting competition, diversity and localism have been circumvented, we will consider some changes to other Commission Rules to enforce existing rules."

