FCC Chairman Kevin Martin’s plan to wrap up a media ownership review hit another speed bump Thursday with the introduction of a bill sponsored by eight senators to prolong an inquiry approaching a year and a half old. One of the sponsors, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said at a Senate Commerce Committee ownership hearing that his bill would require the FCC to seek additional public comment before issuing new rules. Martin caught flak at the hearing from senators of both parties for what they consider his rush to finish the comprehensive ownership-limit rewrite. They joined other members of both chambers in criticizing Martin (CD Sept 25 p1).

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin got more grief for taking steps to finish a media ownership review begun June 2006. Critics focused on plans for a final public hearing Friday and his refusal to pause the proceeding for work by a task force on minority ownership. Some minority ownership proposals that Martin included in the ownership rulemaking were supported by a wide array of broadcasters. Meanwhile, Martin is holding firm for a Dec. 18 vote on a rewrite (CD Nov 5 p4).

Commissioners are eyeing a ban on exclusive deals by apartment buildings for phone service, said FCC officials. They said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his colleagues agreed to issue an order on the deals in the course of approving an order Wednesday barring such arrangements for cable (CD Nov 1 p2). The newer order will cover wireline services sold to apartments and housing developments, said a source. Martin agreed to issue the order as part of eighth-floor discussions preceding last week’s action to ban current and future apartment cable exclusives, said FCC officials.

Commissioners overcame doubts about an FCC order banning exclusive deals between apartment buildings and cable providers because they decided the ban treats industry fairly, said agency officials. Commissioners unanimously voted for the order at Wednesday’s meeting, with Robert McDowell concurring out of concern it will draw lawsuits and conflict with states’ authority over the exclusive contracts (CD Nov 1 p2). At first glance, commissioners were suspicious of the order from Chairman Kevin Martin, thinking it might be anti-cable, said an FCC official.

TV stations are using a range of methods to tell viewers about the digital transition, placing information on their websites, airing news stories and carrying public service ads, a survey of major broadcasters by Communications Daily found. Several broadcasters have told viewers about high definition TV for years. NAB first sent DTV public service announcements to member stations Sept. 18, said a broadcaster. Some companies plan to air the spots and produce and air their own. All station groups who participated in our survey said they already have or soon will put DTV information on line.

The FCC is increasingly unlikely to vote by Dec. 18 on a comprehensive media ownership rewrite sought by Chairman Kevin Martin (CD Oct 26 p3), agency and industry officials said. More bipartisan requests late Thursday by members of Congress that Martin delay action reduce likelihood of a 2007 vote, two agency sources said. Further reducing the chances is other commissioners’ reluctance to immediately sign on to Martin’s plan to issue a public notice giving a schedule for its remaining actions on media ownership, they said.

FCC General Counsel Sam Feder is looking to quit for the private sector, according to agency sources. Feder, whose wife recently gave birth to twins, is on paternity leave and searching for other work, they said. During his leave, unlike some colleagues, Feder has set aside his commission work. Matthew Berry, deputy FCC general counsel, is performing Feder’s duties and some expect him to replace Feder, we're told. Berry declined to comment. Feder didn’t respond to a message. An FCC spokesman also declined comment. Feder was named general counsel in June 2005, soon after Kevin Martin became chairman. Earlier, Feder advised then-Commissioner Martin on wireless issues.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin drew more fire from within and outside the agency on his handling of reviews of media rules (CD Oct 25 p1). At particular issue was his decision to give less than a week of public notice on a localism hearing. Late Wednesday, the FCC said its monthly meeting will occur Oct. 31 along with a second and final hearing on how well broadcasters serve their communities. The localism hearing is separate from comprehensive agency review of media ownership rules, slammed Wednesday by senators of both parties. But Martin has pledged to wrap up the FCC’s localism hearing before finishing the media ownership review.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin faces challenges in garnering approval from other commissioners for his plan to end a year-plus comprehensive media ownership rule review on Dec. 18 (CD Oct 18 p4), we're told. The chairman’s office circulated a public notice several weeks ago for a commissioner vote, listing steps to be taken before a final order is approved, said three agency sources. They said commissioners aren’t voting on the order because they want to see whether the chairman and the agency’s two Democrats can compromise on the timeline. Republican Commissioners Robert McDowell and Deborah Tate don’t necessarily oppose Martin’s proposal, but the FCC sources said it’s difficult for them to vote before they know more about the progress of talks between Martin and Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps.

Several FCC commissioners are undecided whether the FCC would overreach by throwing out current contracts for video companies to sell TV to apartment buildings, agency and industry sources said. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin circulated in August an order that would ban existing and future deals between cable operators and housing developments, apartments and other multi-unit dwellings (CD Sept 4 p2).