The FCC rejected taking up the future of media ownership rules this month.
Prior to the FCC’s open monthly meeting July 14, the commission issued a statement saying consideration of a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning its 2002 biennial review of its broadcast ownership rules was being deleted from July’s agenda.
Under the leadership of the FCC’s previous chairman, the commission voted 3-2 along party lines to relax several rules governing the ownership of media, including the percentage of the nation’s total audience that one television network would be allowed to reach.
The new rules set off a public backlash that ultimately led to the rules being thrown out.
Since the resignation of former chairman Michael Powell, the commission has been evenly divided between two Democrats and two Republicans. Observers speculate that split may have been responsible for taking the ownership issue off the table.
For more information, visit www.fcc.gov.
