NAB Files Reply Brief With Supreme Court In Appeal Of Third Circuit Vacating, Remanding FCC Ownership Rules Revision

Reply Brief

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS (NAB) has filed its Reply Brief in with the SUPREME COURT supporting the FCC's appeal of the THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS' order vacating and remanding the revised FCC local media ownership rules.

In the brief, the NAB again contends that the lower court should have given deference to the FCC's competition analysis required by CONGRESS rather than insisting that the Commission consider the effects of the rule on minority and female ownership (towards which the NAB says the Commission gave adequate consideration anyway). The NAB also tells the Court that the idea that ownership caps can be retained solely to promote ownership diversity raises constitutional concerns.

Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for JANUARY 19th. The NAB is joined by BONNEVILLE INTERNATIONAL CORP., CONNOISSEUR MEDIA, FOX and NEWS CORP., the NEWS MEDIA ALLIANCE, NEXSTAR, THE SCRANTON TIMES, and SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP in supporting the FCC's appeal. COX MEDIA GROUP was an intervenor with the appellants in the THIRD CIRCUIT proceeding. The opposition is composed of PROMETHEUS RADIO PROJECT, MEDIA MOBILIZING PROJECT, the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, NABET, COMMON CAUSE, the MMTC, NABOB, INDEPENDENT TELEVISION GROUP, and FREE PRESS. BENTON FOUNDATION and the NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN FOUNDATION were intervenor respondents in the THIRD CIRCUIT.

« see more Net News