Prometheus Radio Project Files Objection To FCC Ownership Review In Third Circuit Court Of Appeals; NAB To Sue, Too

Review Challenged

PROMETHEUS RADIO PROJECT and the PHILADELPHIA-based MEDIA MOBILIZING PROJECT have filed a challenge to the FCC's quadrennial ownership review with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, reports BROADCASTING AND CABLE.

The parties are objecting to the Commission's restoration of the previously court-vacated definition of "eligible entity" and the Commission's refusal to treat TV shared services agreements as attributable for ownership purposes.  While the parties are supportive of the Commission's overall decision to retain its rules and tighten the attribution rules for TV joint sales agreements, the objection asks for the court to reverse the AUGUST 25th FCC order and to order the FCC to comply with the remand by revising the definition of "eligible entity" and make SSAs attributable.

And BROADCASTING AND CABLE is reporting that the NAB will be suing the FCC over its quadrennial media ownership regulatory review as well, this time in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, with a filing coming within a week. NAB EVP DENNIS WHARTON told the magazine,  “Broadcasters want to compete in the digital age and continue being a trusted source for local news and information, but FCC rules need to reflect 2016 and not the 1960s.  It defies belief that the FCC allows AT&T/DIRECTV and CHARTER/TIME WARNER mergers while barring two TOPEKA TV stations from combining, or a radio station from buying a newspaper.”

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