FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly’s Remarks Before the National Association of Broadcasters State Leadership Conference

Commissioner Michael O'Rielly of the Federal Communications Commission told an audience of TV executives in Washington that it was past time for the FCC to update its media ownership rules, and to start letting the public see items in advance of FCC votes. Commissioner O'Rielly was preaching to the choir when he said that the commission continued to saddle broadcasters with restrictions like the newspaper-broadcast ownership rule. He said the FCC recently had "virtually ignored" the 1996 Telecommunications Act mandate to review and adjust media ownership rules every four years, and repeal or modify any that are no longer in the public interest due to increased competition.