Philly or DC? It could mean the world to media mergers

While the distance between Philadelphia and Washington is less than 140 miles down Interstate 95, the federal appeals courts in the two cities are worlds apart when it comes to proposed rules on media mergers. And with the legal battle over the Federal Communications Commission's controversial limits on media ownership one step closer to fruition, media companies and consumer groups are eagerly watching where the challenge will land next. In theory, it shouldn't matter which venue gets the case, but the two circuits with the most experience in media ownership issues have opposite leanings on media consolidation and deregulation. The last major ruling on FCC ownership rules came from the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which in 2004 struck down the agency's attempt that year at deregulation. The D.C. Circuit has generally favored loosening media ownership rules, insisting that was the clear intent of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Corporate groups are pushing to bring the case to D.C. while consumer groups want to send it back to Philadelphia. For now, there's nothing to do but wait for a decision from the 9th Circuit on jurisdiction.