Lawmakers tell FCC to preserve local media ownership rules

Ten House Democrats wrote to the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency to preserve the rules that ensure competition and diversity among local media outlets.

"As the Commission reviews its existing media ownership limits, we urge you to protect the public interest by promoting rules that encourage competition, localism, and diversity in all local media markets," wrote Reps. Mike Doyle (D-PA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Edward Markey (D-MA) and others. The letter cites protections like the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule and the radio-television cross-ownership for ensuring there is competition among local news outlets by preventing one firm from buying its competitors. It also expresses concern about the impact of the Web on local outlets. "Protecting localism is a critical and longstanding goal of the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules. However, today’s media marketplace reflects a troubling decline in the level of local journalism," the letter states.