FCC Seeks Comment on Research Studies on Media Ownership

FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON RESEARCH STUDIES ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission 7/31]
The Federal Communications Commission announced the release of ten research studies on media ownership intended to inform the Commission's comprehensive review of its broadcast ownership policies undertaken in its rulemaking proceeding in MB Docket No. 06-121 involving the issues raised by the opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Prometheus v. FCC and its quadrennial review of its broadcast ownership rules and certain other rules. The studies, which were conducted by outside researchers and by Commission staff, examine a range of issues that impact diversity, competition, and localism, three important policy goals of those rules. Pursuant to this Public Notice, the Commission seeks public comment on the studies. The Commission will incorporate the studies and the public comments in the record of this proceeding. The studies will also be peer-reviewed. The Commission intends to use the data collected in the studies, as well as the comments, to inform its decisions in the ownership proceeding. Comments are due 60 days from the release of this Public Notice (by October 1, 2007), and reply comment are due 15 days after the deadline for initial comments (by October 16, 2007). All filings must be submitted in MB Docket No. 06-121.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-3470A1.doc

* Find all ten studies at http://www.fcc.gov/ownership/studies.html

* FCC Dems Cry Foul On Media Ownership
FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein are accusing FCC Chairman Kevin Martin of largely excluding them from shaping 10 new reports on media ownership that could directly impact the agency's regulations. The authors and topics were selected by Chairman Martin with the exception of one report in which Commissioner Copps had some involvement, agency sources said. But an FCC spokeswoman insisted that Copps and Adelstein were involved.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/2007/08/fcc_democrats_cry_foul_on_medi.html

* Statement by Commissioners Copps and Adelstein
Just when we hoped an open media ownership process was developing here at the FCC, along comes this bucket of ice water. These are ten supposedly serious studies put together by teams of economists and analysts over an eight month period. One study alone contains over 13 million data points. Yet the Commission expects the public to analyze all ten studies, and reams of underlying data, and file comments 60 days from today! This is unfair, unnecessary, and ultimately unwise - inviting public, Congressional, and judicial outrage reminiscent of what happened when the FCC tried to loosen media ownership rules four years ago.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275674A1.doc

* Consumer Groups Blast FCC’s Biased Research
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=262