The FCC this week released five research studies on media ownership, which the commission will use during its quadrennial review of its media ownership rules.
According to a notice published on the commission website, the FCC released the studies earlier to provide more time to review the results and underlying data.
Outside researchers conducted the five studies, which cover a variety of issues that affect media ownership diversity, competition and localism. The five new studies include:
• “Media Ownership Study 3, How the Ownership Structure of Media Markets affects Civic Engagement and Political Knowledge,” 2006-2008, by Lynn Vavreck, Simon Jackman, and Jeffrey B. Lewis.
• “Media Ownership Study 5, Station Ownership and the Provision and Consumption of Radio News,” by Joel Waldfogel.
• “Media Ownership Study 6, Less of the Same: The Lack of Local News on the Internet,” by Matthew Hindman.
• “Media Ownership Study 7, Radio Station Ownership Structure and the Provision of Programming to Minority Audiences: Evidence from 2005-2009,” by Joel Waldfogel.
• “Media Ownership Study 9, A Theoretical Analysis of the Impact of Local Market Structure on the Range of Viewpoints Supplied,” by Isabelle Brocas, Juan D. Carrillo and Simon Wilkie
Along with its announcement of the studies, the FCC Media Bureau released a Protective Order, establishing procedures for public review of the proprietary portions of data sets created by the authors of the studies.
Some of the authors created data sets using proprietary information licensed to the author or the commission, the Media Bureau said. Data sets and related materials needed to replicate the analyses presented in the studies will be made available for review. The Protective Order sets up a process for interested parties to review the data sets.
The new studies, peer reviews and responses from the authors of the studies are available on the FCC website.