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In the latest National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters newsletter, Executive Director Jim Winston has a message for the FCC. He says minority owners will be put at a competitive disadvantage if there is more consolidation. He also says, "The initial relaxation of the Commission?s ownership rules in 1996 was a significant factor in the decline of minority broadcast ownership." Here's Winston's full message to the Commission.
"The FCC is continuing its quadrennial review of its broadcast ownership rules, and NABOB has been urging the Commission to refrain from further relaxing any of its ownership rules, including its radio-newspaper cross-ownership rules. In letters to the commissioners and formal comments filed with the Commission, NABOB explained that, ?If large radio group owners are now allowed to combine their multiple station ownership advantage with ownership of a daily newspaper, the group owner will combine the radio and newspaper sales forces, and will be able to offer advertisers a combined radio-newspaper buy, which will leave minority owners even more disadvantaged in their efforts to compete in the marketplace. NABOB urges the Commission to complete the studies required by the Supreme Court in the Adarand case, which would provide the Commission a basis for adopting new policies specifically designed to promote minority broadcast station ownership.
"Recently, Chairman Julius Genachowski (who recently announced that he is resigning) delayed action in the proceedings to receive the results of a study that is intended to determine whether the ownership of radio stations and a daily newspaper in the same market will negatively impact minority ownership. As noted above, NABOB opposes the relaxation of any of the Commission?s ownership rules, particularly the radio-daily newspaper cross ownership rule. The initial relaxation of the Commission?s ownership rules in 1996 was a significant factor in the decline of minority broadcast ownership. Press reports indicate that the two Democratic commissioners, Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, do not support the planned rule change that would allow radio-daily newspaper cross-ownership in the same market."
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