Bill To Eliminate Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership Ban Introduced In Congress

Moves To Eliminate Newspaper-Broadcast Cross-Ownership Ban

Reps. GREG WALDEN (R-OR) and JOHN YARMUTH (D-KY) have introduced a bill that would eliminate the FCC's ban on newspaper-broadcast station cross-ownership.  

The terse bill, offered in the wake of the Commission's decision to retain the ban, simply says, "Paragraph (d) of section 73.3555 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, shall have no force or effect after the date of the enactment of this Act," accompanied by a requirement that the Commission "complete all actions necessary to remove such paragraph from its rules" within one year.

NAB Pres./CEO GORDON SMITH said, “NAB applauds Chairman WALDEN, Rep. YARMUTH and their bipartisan cosponsors for introducing a bill to eliminate the broadcast-newspaper cross-ownership rule. This legislation is an important step towards aligning outdated broadcast ownership rules with Americans’ 21st century information needs. For too long, radio and television broadcasters have been saddled with archaic regulations preventing them from investing in newspaper ownership. Striking this cross-ownership ban would save journalism jobs, create more investigative reporting and provide communities with greater local news."

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