[IP] FCC destroys inconvenient report on localism
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Aleecia M. McDonald" <aleecia@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: September 17, 2006 5:50:54 AM JST
To: David Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: FCC destroys inconvenient report on localism
Hi Professor Farber,
For IP if you wish.
Good luck with your travels.
Aleecia
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060914/ap_on_go_ot/media_ownership
Excerpts:
The Federal Communications Commission ordered its staff to destroy
all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of
media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage, a former lawyer at
the agency says.
...
The analysis showed local ownership of television stations adds
almost five and one-half minutes of total news to broadcasts and more
than three minutes of "on-location" news. The conclusion is at odds
with FCC arguments made when it voted in 2003 to increase the number
of television stations a company could own in a single market. It was
part of a broader decision liberalizing ownership rules.
At that time, the agency pointed to evidence that "commonly owned
television stations are more likely to carry local news than other
stations."
When considering whether to loosen rules on media ownership, the
agency is required to examine the impact on localism, competition and
diversity. The FCC generally defines localism as the level of
responsiveness of a station to the needs of its community.
...
Yanich said the report was "extremely well done. It should have
helped to inform policy."
Boxer's office said if she does not receive adequate answers to her
questions, she will push for an investigation by the FCC inspector
general.
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