11-20-2012
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell said he's pleased the Tribune application and waiver of the newspaper-broadcast ownership rule is moving forward. He says this is the right move at the right time. "The outdated ban itself should be eliminated because the record indicates that it is likely undermining the public interest on several levels." And, he says its likely unconstitutional. Here's more from the Powell statement.
"The Media Bureau is correct to reinstate Tribune?s waivers of the obsolete newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership ban. The ban is more than likely an unconstitutional limitation on speech by restricting speakers? access only to those platforms favored by the government. If this encroachment on First Amendment rights ever made sense in 1975 when it was codified, it no longer does in the face of today?s highly competitive, dynamic and fragmented media marketplace. Accordingly, no rules should exist to which waivers need to be granted. In that spirit, while such rules still reside on our books, the Commission should grant waivers permanently and not in miniscule one-year segments that require speakers to crawl back to the government for permission to speak. I look forward to working further with my colleagues on this important matter in the recently circulated media ownership order.?
You can read the entire FCC ruling about the cross-ownership waivers for Tribune HERE
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