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Senators To FCC: Finish Localism Study Before Changing Ownership Rules
December 6, 2006 at 5:52 AM (PT)
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Nine members of the SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE have sent a letter to FCC Chairman KEVIN MARTIN asking him to delay considering changes to media-ownership rules until the FCC finishes its investigation of localism.
The letter, released to the public on TUESDAY (12/5), asserts that "the FCC must first establish that there are sufficient mechanisms in place to ensure that broadcasters are serving their local communities before considering any changes to the ownership rules" and insists that the study, which was launched in 2003 but never completed, be finished before the ownership rules are tackled.
The senators signing the letter include the letter's writer, BYRON DORGAN (D-ND), along with Democrats BARBARA BOXER, MARIA CANTWELL, JOHN KERRY, FRANK LAUTENBERG, MARK PRYOR, and BILL NELSON and Republicans TRENT LOTT and OLYMPIA SNOWE.

