FCC: oh dear

The FCC's rulemaking process is, by design, difficult to follow, but the potential impact of what the New York Times called (3/14/03) "the most important set of rules changes in decades" is alarmingly clear. Broadcasting & Cable reported (5/15/03) that the FCC's current proposals would allow a single company to own as many as three TV stations in any of the five biggest markets (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia), and permit ownership of two TV stations-- as well as a major newspaper-- "in nearly all of the largest 100 markets." In large radio markets, according to B&C, the changes would allow a company to own eight radio and two TV stations.

Imagine living in a community where one large, multinational conglomerate controlled eight radio stations, two major TV stations and the leading daily newspaper. Given the damage that media consolidation has already done to the quality and diversity of media offerings, such a scenario-- repeated in communities across the country-- has worrying implications.

For people relying on network television for news, however, it would be tough to know much about the changes in the works. ABC World News Tonight aired a May 15 report on FCC deregulation-- divided into "pro" and "con" segments-- and a May 18 report on radio deregulation. At CBS and NBC, there have been no mentions of the sweeping proposals on any of the nightly newscasts, and only three brief early-morning reports elsewhere on the network schedule (ABC World News This Morning, 9/9/02, 2/27/03; CBS Morning News, 5/13/03).

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