WASHINGTON, DC – A broad coalition of radio, television and newspaper companies and associations sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and other FCC Commissioners today, urging the Commission to recognize the pressing need for reform of media ownership rules to ensure Americans can continue benefiting from the services of free, local broadcast stations and local daily newspapers.
Pointing to increased competition from non-regulated media such as cable networks, satellite operators, alternative print publications and the "virtually unlimited voices available on the Internet," the group asserted the landscape in which FCC media ownership rules were originally adopted has been "fundamentally altered." Preserving such arcane regulations hampers broadcasters' ability to compete effectively and to continue offering free, over-the-air entertainment and informational programming– including news, emergency information and other local programming.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Signatories to the letter include the Smaller Market Broadcasters Coalition, which is comprised of Barrington Broadcasting Group, Cordillera Communications, Drewry Communications, Fisher Communications, Inc., Freedom Broadcasting, Inc., LIN Television Corp., Morgan Murphy Stations, Quincy Newspapers, Inc., Raycom Media, Inc. and Schurz Communications, Inc., among others.
Other signatories to the letter include: ABC Television Affiliates Association, Inc., Belo Corp., Bonneville International Corporation, Capital Communications Company, Inc., CBS Corporation, CBS Television Network Affiliates Association, Citadel Communications Company, Ltd., Clear Channel Communications, Inc., Coronet Communications Company, Inc., Cox Enterprises, Entercom Communications Corp., FBC (Fox) Television Affiliates Association, Inc., Fox Entertainment Group, Gannett Company, Inc., Gray Television, Inc., Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., Lockwood Broadcasting, Inc., Media General, Inc., Mel Wheeler, Inc., National Association of Broadcasters, NBC Telemundo License Co., NBC Television Affiliates, NBC Universal, Inc., Newspaper Association of America, News Press Gazette, Inc., Pappas Telecasting Companies, Prime Cities Broadcasting, Inc., Tribune Company, Westwind Communications, LLC and Young Broadcasting, Inc.
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