FCC Seeks Comment on Cross-Ownership Study

The FCC Friday (June 7) put the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council (MMTC)-BIA/Kelsey crossownership study out for public comment after MMTC suggested it would be a good idea.

The commission delayed action on its quadrennial review of media ownership rules until the study of the impact of crossownership on ownership diversity was competed.

The commission has given the public until July 22 to comment. Replies to those comments are due Aug. 6.

The study, which was completed at the end of last month, found that that impact is not "sufficientlymaterial" to justify tightening or retaining" the crossownership rules.
Consolidation critics have criticized the study, so look for them to be filing comments in the docket.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.