In the first FCC oversight hearing with the full complement of five Commissioners, Chairman Ajit Pai told House lawmakers he’s asking his colleagues to vote on an item that would eliminate several broadcast ownership regulations. His goal is to vote on the item at the agency’s November 16 meeting. He said the item would eliminate rules that ban cross-ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations in a market, plus cross-ownership of TV and radio stations in a market. It would also eliminate the requirement that Joint Sales Agreements for Television “count” for ownership purposes in a market and establish an incubator program for new, diverse broadcast station owners.
Democrats on the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee blasted Pai, saying to them, it’s clear the changes would benefit Sinclair Broadcasting before its planned merger with Tribune. Pai said the merger has nothing to do with the item, that the rules are archaic and hinder broadcasters. “The FCC rules still presume a market is defined by pulp and rabbit ears,” Pai said, adding the proposed text would be publicly available today. Continue Reading
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