FCC Puts Push for Media Consolidation on Ice

WASHINGTON -- On Monday, stories broke that the Federal Communications Commission would no longer pursue an order put forth by then-Chairman Julius Genachowski that would have gutted the agency’s newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rules.

The FCC did not indicate what its plans were for the order, which was a part of the 2010 Quadrennial Review, nor did it specify its plans for the upcoming 2014 review.

Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron made the following statement:

“We’re pleased that the FCC has heard and responded to the millions of people who have told the agency time and time again that media consolidation has gotten out of control.

“We thank Chairman Wheeler for recognizing that the path the previous leadership took was the wrong way to go. The FCC should abandon the flawed approach and broken policies of the past decade. It’s time to put the focus on the important issues at hand, including promoting media ownership diversity and closing the loopholes that broadcasters are using to skirt the FCC’s ownership rules.

“Chairman Wheeler’s decision is a good first step in the right direction.”