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FCC RIN: 3060-AH97 Publication ID: Spring 2015 
Title: Broadcast Ownership Rules 
Abstract:

Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the Commission to review its ownership rules every four years and determine whether any such rules are necessary in the public interest as the result of competition. In 2002, the Commission undertook a comprehensive review of its broadcast multiple and cross-ownership limits examining: Cross-ownership of TV and radio stations; local TV ownership limits; national TV cap; and dual network rule. The Report and Order replaced the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership and radio and TV rules with a tiered approach based on the number of television stations in a market. In June 2006, the Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiating the 2006 review of the broadcast ownership rules. The further notice also sought comment on how to address the issues raised by the Third Circuit. Additional questions are raised for comment in a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. In the Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, the Commission adopted rule changes regarding newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership, but otherwise generally retained the other broadcast ownership rules currently in effect. For the 2010 quadrennial review, five of the Commission's media rules are the subject of review: The local TV ownership rule; the local radio ownership rule; the newspaper broadcast cross-ownership rule; the radio/TV cross-ownership rule; and the dual network rule.

 

In the 2014 review, the Commission incorporated the record of the 2010 review, and sought additional data on market conditions and competitive indicators. The Commission also sought comment on whether to eliminate restrictions on newspaper/radio combined ownership and whether to eliminate the radio/television cross-ownership rule in favor of reliance on the local radio rule and the local television rule.

 
Agency: Federal Communications Commission(FCC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Long-Term Actions 
Major: Undetermined  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: Not Yet Determined     (To search for a specific CFR, visit the Code of Federal Regulations.)
Legal Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151    47 U.S.C. 152(a)    47 U.S.C. 154(i)    47 U.S.C. 303    47 U.S.C. 307    47 U.S.C. 309 and 310   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  10/05/2001  66 FR 50991   
R&O  08/05/2003  68 FR 46286   
Public Notice  02/19/2004  69 FR 9216   
FNPRM  08/09/2006  71 FR 4511   
Second FNPRM  08/08/2007  72 FR 44539   
R&O and Order on Reconsideration  02/21/2008  73 FR 9481   
Notice of Inquiry  06/11/2010  75 FR 33227   
NPRM  01/19/2012  77 FR 2868   
NPRM Comment Period End  03/19/2012 
FNPRM  05/20/2014  79 FR 29010   
Next Action Undetermined  To Be Determined    
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: Yes 
Agency Contact:
Hillary DeNigro
Chief, Industry Analysis Division, Media Bureau
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20554
Phone:202 418-7334
Email: hillary.denigro@fcc.gov