Commissioner McDowell Statement on MMTC Cross-Ownership Study Proposal
NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
February 26, 2013
Brigid Calamis (202) 418-2200
STATEMENT OF FCC COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL
ON THE MINORITY MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICAIONS COUNCIL
MEDIA CROSS-OWNERSHIP STUDY PROPOSAL
The following statement can be attributed to Commissioner Robert M. McDowell:“Although I firmly believe that the record regarding the Commission’s newspaper/broadcast and
radio/television cross-ownership policies more than sufficiently justifies the immediate elimination of
these outdated rules, I respect adhering to a prudent process that allows for the submission of the
proposed Minority Media and Telecommunications Council study, along with expedient but adequate
public comment. The Commission’s review should be swift and sound. Not only did Congress intend for
us to eliminate obsolete rules once more competition becomes evident, but it also meant for us to act with
alacrity in our review.1 Accordingly, it is my hope that this most recent pause in our progress on this
front is our last. I look forward to a substantive vote to modernize our rules by this summer.”
1 Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 states that:
The Commission shall review its rules adopted pursuant to this section and all of its
ownership rules quadrennially . . . and shall determine whether any of such rules are
necessary in the public interest as the result of competition. The Commission shall
repeal or modify any regulation it determines to be no longer in the public interest.
Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-104, 110 Stat. 56, 111-12 § 202(h) (1996); Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-199, § 629, 118 Stat. 3, 99-100 (2004) (amending Section 202(h) of the
1996 Act).
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