Martin Circulating Broad Media Ownership Rulemaking, Sources Say
FCC Chmn. Martin is circulating a broad media ownership item on the 8th floor that seeks to loosen restrictions, sources said. They said it probably includes lifting a ban on newspaper and TV station cross-ownership and easing cable attribution limits. Such action had been expected after Comr. McDowell starts his job (CD April 6 p9), as he is set to do within days. Martin’s aim is to get a vote on the notice of proposed rulemaking at the June 15 agenda meeting, the sources said.
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The proposal is similar to one floated by the chairman last year, said a source. After that was rebuffed by other commissioners, Martin said he wanted to end cross-ownership rules and revisit national cable system ownership limits, set at 30% before the U.S. Appeals Court, D.C. sent them back to the FCC (CD March 20 p2).
The latest rulemaking was described by sources as “thin.” It contains no substantive language beyond soliciting public response to a series of questions on media ownership, said an industry source. The Commission could base an order relaxing media rules on responses to the queries.
The item may not be voted on this month because McDowell hasn’t started at the FCC, leaving little time for him to make an informed vote and for commissioners to resolve differences by amending Martin’s draft, said another industry source. A multicast must-carry item also on circulation could face the same fate (CD May 31 p2). But industry sources expect the ownership item to get a thumbs up from the commissioners eventually -- with Martin using the rulemaking as a tactic to pressure Comrs. Adelstein and Copps into action. There’s still a chance the item will be approved this month because questions it poses aren’t controversial, said an industry source.