Rep Walden Vows Congressional Review of Crossownership

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) vowed that Congress is ready to overturn the Federal Communications Commission's recent ruling that prohibits broadcasters from buying newspapers in the same market. "I believe their view of media ownership is about as outdated as... the brick (mobile) phone," Chairman Walden said on Sept. 7. "We will be introducing legislation soon to repeal the media crossownership rule. The time has come to recognize that it is completely unnecessary in the marketplace that exists today. If the FCC can't figure it out... we will help them do that with legislation to repeal the crossownership rule." Chairman Walden also alluded to "issues at the FCC" and vowed "you're going to see some legislation," but he offered no details.

A spokesman for the House Commerce Committee later said that there is no specific timetable for such legislation. He said Chairman Walden ad-libbed those remarks during his address about technology developments to the National Association of Broadcasters' "Broadcast Innovation: Today, Tomorrow and Beyond" briefing at the Newseum in Washington, DC In his remarks, Chairman Walden chastised the FCC for not even being able to produce its quadrennial media ownership review on time.