Key Arguments for Rejecting the FCC’s Media Ownership Rules in the Feb. 11 Third Circuit Court of Appeals Case
February 6, 2004
In creating its new media ownership rules, which allow massive consolidation among local broadcast media, including newspaper-TV mergers in 90 percent of local markets, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
Created an irrational and internally contradictory order Wrongly focused on the increase in media outlets, not the fact there are fewer owners of those outlets Wrongly claimed newspapers not important source for local news Based rules on a wrong premise that produces nonsensical results Refused to seek public input on the tool that is the heart of the rules