Copps, Adelstein Hear Criticism Of Ownership Rules At Seattle 'Town Hall Meeting'

The Latest "Town Hall Meeting" Held In Seattle

FCC Commissioner MICHAEL COPPS and JONATHAN ADELSTEIN held their "town hall meeting" on media-ownership rules in SEATTLE THURSDAY evening, and the crowd at the SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY predictably came forward to urge the Commission not to loosen the rules. COPPS and ADELSTEIN heard from a long list of community activists and local media participants, including KOMO-A/SEATTLE "THE COMMENTATORS" co-host JOHN CARLSON, SEATTLE TIMES Publisher FRANK BLETHEN, and several politicians and civic leaders. "We can either stand up and make a difference," COPPS told the gathering, "or sit back and watch local media be gutted."

We can either stand up and make a difference...or sit back and watch local media be gutted.

Meanwhile, a WEDNESDAY meeting in SEATTLE between clients of BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC and several top FCC officials and aides has drawn criticism from public interest groups. The private meeting with several bureau chiefs (including Media Bureau Chirf DONNA GREGG) and aides for Commissioners COPPS, ADELSTEIN, ROBERT MCDOWELL and DEBI TATE, arranged by analyst JONATHAN JACOBY, was closed to the press and public, and an AP reporter was escorted from the premises.

At the meeting, investors were reportedly told by aides to MCDOWELL that a vote on the ownership rules will come no earlier than late in 2007. The meeting may not require a disclosure filing under the ex parte rules if the discussion was general rather than about a specific pending case.

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