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FCC revisits argument on news diversity
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's 2010 review of media ownership rules revisits a debate about diversity in news versus the size of news companies.
Limits on how much of a market a news organization can control date back to the time when three major television networks dominated the electronic news business, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday.
Now, with numerous newspaper companies filing for bankruptcy as advertisers move to the Internet, news companies are pressing to abolish or water down size restrictions.
"These rules need to fall away," said Allbritton Communications attorney Jerry Fritz.
Allbritton owns eight television stations in seven different news markets, plus the online news outlet Politico.
Rebecca Duke, vice president of distribution for LIN Media, owner of 29 television stations, said "the opportunity to achieve scale" is vital "since producing local news is not cheap."
They may still have an uphill battle to convince three of five FCC commissioners to relax ownership rules, the Chronicle reported.
"Every time you have one of these deals (mergers), at the end of the day it means one newsroom closes, another lost voice, less local coverage and less diversity of perspective," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps.
WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's 2010 review of media ownership rules revisits a debate about diversity in news versus the size of news companies.
Limits on how much of a market a news organization can control date back to the time when three major television networks dominated the electronic news business, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday.
Now, with numerous newspaper companies filing for bankruptcy as advertisers move to the Internet, news companies are pressing to abolish or water down size restrictions.
"These rules need to fall away," said Allbritton Communications attorney Jerry Fritz.
Allbritton owns eight television stations in seven different news markets, plus the online news outlet Politico.
Rebecca Duke, vice president of distribution for LIN Media, owner of 29 television stations, said "the opportunity to achieve scale" is vital "since producing local news is not cheap."
They may still have an uphill battle to convince three of five FCC commissioners to relax ownership rules, the Chronicle reported.
"Every time you have one of these deals (mergers), at the end of the day it means one newsroom closes, another lost voice, less local coverage and less diversity of perspective," said FCC Commissioner Michael Copps.
