PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Congress vs. the FCC
by Chris Holm Monday July 14, 2003 at 09:40 PM
chris@indypgh.org (email address validated)

Congress begins to answer the FCC's June decision

Congress has begun to deal with the FCC's June 2 vote on media ownership.

The Senate Commerce Committee had passed S 1046, almost before the new FCC regulations hit the ground. S 1046 is named the "Preservation of Localism, Program Diversity, and Competition in
Television Broadcast Service Act of 2003".

The bill, introduced by Senator Ted Stevens
(R-AK), seeks to undo many of the FCC's June 2 decisions.

The bill:

- Keeps the current television ownership cap at 35% of the national viewing audience.

- Prohibits opportunities of one corporation to own
newspapers and broadcast properties in the same market.

- Clearly defines the FCC�s authority to "re-regulate" as well as "de-regulate" media ownership

- Makes it necessary for the FCC to conduct at least 5 field hearings in future media ownership decisions.

- Forces the break up or altering of radio station clusters that exceed redefined local
ownership caps.

Details at:

Associated Press, June 19, 2003
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030619_1113.html


The Senate Commerce Committee approved this bill by voice vote on June 19, yet waits to be brought to the Senate floor. Even with 38 co-sponsors, it still needs more to pass the Senate, where it then must pass the House.

Commerce Committee Chairman Billy Tauzin has made his intentions to stop the bill at this point.

Those that feel strongly about the bill will be calling and emailing their Senators and asking them to co-sponsor S 1046, or thanking them if already co-sponsors.

http://www.congress.org

Free Press has also begun a "Stop the FCC" campaign that urges people to do just that.

http://www.mediareform.net/stopthefcc

www.CardinalPoints.net

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