FCC Chief Eyes Relaxation of Media-Ownership Rules

WASHINGTON, October 18:
Kevin J. Martin, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
is said to be circulating a new plan to relax U.S. media ownership rules, including
prohibitions on companies owning print and television outlets in the same city.

A number of media
companies have been seeking changes to U.S. media ownership rules, among them
News Corporation’s Rupert Murdoch.

“We’ve had six hearings
around the country already; we’ve done numerous studies; we’ve been collecting
data for the last 18 months; and the issues have been pending for years,”
Martin told the Times. “I think
it is an appropriate time to begin a discussion to complete this rule-making
and complete these media ownership issues.”

Also among the proposals
being considered is one that would up the number of radio and television
stations a company can own in city.

The last attempt to
overhaul U.S. media ownership rules was three years ago, under then FCC
chairman Michael K. Powell. After several legal challenges, the changes were
rejected by an appeals court, which ruled that the commission had not
adequately justified the need for the revamp.

—By Mansha Daswani