FCC's Media Ownership Vote Ignites Public, Congressional Firestorm
On December 18th, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin pushed through a 3-2 party line vote to allow greater media consolidation in cities across the country. But the Commission's action has lit a fire under Congress and sparked outrage across the country - in the 48 hours following the vote, more than 165,000 people signed an open letter to Congress calling for Martin’s new rules to be overturned.
If the vote stands, one company will now be able to own the major newspaper and a TV or radio station in the same city - something that has been banned for 32 years by an FCC "cross ownership" rule.
The response has been swift and promises to escalate in 2008. Stay tuned!
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