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FCC Won't Appeal Media Ownership Decision
The Bush administration's decision not to pursue an appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked the Federal Communications Commission from further easing media ownership restrictions is good news for the public and diversity of opinion, said TNG-CWA President Linda Foley.
That decision means that it is less likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the case, although media companies will likely pursue an appeal, she said.
The FCC had sought to radically weaken the federal rules governing media concentration by permitting media companies to further consolidate their holdings, and it issued rules in 2003 that would have permitted media companies to own television stations and newspapers in the same media market, greatly expand individual ownership of television and radio stations, and other changes that would have restricted the diversity of opinion, especially in local markets.
"The appeals court's decision last year reinforced TNG-CWA's long held position that the FCC's changes were a rush to judgment driven by ideology and the industry's agenda, with scant discussion about protecting the public interest," she said.
Foley said all the communications, information and entertainment unions will continue to work with members of Congress to preserve the availability and diversity of news and information and to fight against an industry plan for media ownership that would permit the majority of the nation's news resources to be controlled by just a few corporations.
That decision means that it is less likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the case, although media companies will likely pursue an appeal, she said.
The FCC had sought to radically weaken the federal rules governing media concentration by permitting media companies to further consolidate their holdings, and it issued rules in 2003 that would have permitted media companies to own television stations and newspapers in the same media market, greatly expand individual ownership of television and radio stations, and other changes that would have restricted the diversity of opinion, especially in local markets.
"The appeals court's decision last year reinforced TNG-CWA's long held position that the FCC's changes were a rush to judgment driven by ideology and the industry's agenda, with scant discussion about protecting the public interest," she said.
Foley said all the communications, information and entertainment unions will continue to work with members of Congress to preserve the availability and diversity of news and information and to fight against an industry plan for media ownership that would permit the majority of the nation's news resources to be controlled by just a few corporations.