November 3.2009

Commission Meeting Room, 445 12th St., SW
Washington, DC
FCC Live

The FCC is holding workshops on Nov. 2,3 and 4 to discuss the scope and methodology of the proceeding and the analytical framework the Commission should use for conducting its review. We will explore these issues during three half-day sessions with: (1) a panel of policy scholars, (2) a panel of public interest groups, and (3) a panel of broadcasters and media trade associations. Nov. 4 is the Broadcasters and Industry Panel.

Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the Commission to review its ownership rules every four years and "determine whether any of such rules are necessary in the public interest as the result of competition." Under Section 202(h), the Commission "shall repeal or modify any regulation it determines to be no longer in the public interest."” Our statutorily required periodic review encompasses five ownership rules: (1) the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule, (2) the radio/television cross-ownership rule, (3) the local television ownership rule, (4) the local radio ownership rule, and (5) the dual network rule.

For more information, go to http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2209A1.doc