Free Press Blasts FCC Plan to Relax Some Media Ownership Rules

Free Press is blasting the FCC's plan to ease some of its media cross-ownership rules. The activist group is reacting to reports that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has circulated to the other Commissioners a new proposal to allow cross-ownership of a newspaper and either radio or TV stations, eliminating existing prohibitions. Free Press, which calls itself a public interest group, claims this is the same proposal previously made under former Chairman Kevin Martin. That plan was eventually overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In its decision, the court directed the FCC to study the impact of its rule changes on ownership diversity. Says Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron, "Recycling the Bush administration's failed policies not only ignores the will of the courts and Congress but is a slap in the face of the 99% of Americans who oppose further media consolidation." Although specifics of Genachowski's current proposal have not been revealed, it's believed the new plan promotes media diversity by retaining some of the consolidation limits, and through a number of measures that provide broadcast opportunities for small businesses.