Kerry and Grassley Raise Concerns about Duopolies

In November 2009, Sens John Kerry (D-MA) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to raise concerns about some broadcast companies taking advantage of a sympathetic FCC over the last eight years to gain control of multiple television stations in a given market. As a result of consolidation, the senators write, local evening newscasts are now presented on competing network affiliates by the exact same news staff and anchor team in markets across the country, from Honolulu to Cedar Rapids to Baltimore.

They asked that as the FCC examines media ownership rules that it study the effect multiple station ownership within a local media market has on the public interest and to consider potential courses of action should the problem need to be addressed.

On January 13, 2010, Chairman Genachowski replied, noting that the FCC had recently commenced the 2010 Quadrennial Review of its media ownership rules with a series of workshops to receive public input from a broad range of interested parties on the scope and methodology for the ownership proceeding.