Press Release
FCC won’t appeal decision rejecting media ownership rules
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission is expected to announce today that the U.S. Solicitor General will not appeal the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision in Prometheus Radio Project vs. Federal Communications Commission to the Supreme Court. That decision threw out the FCC rules issued in June 2003 that would have significantly loosened media ownership caps.
Free Press executive director Josh Silver issued the following statement:
“Today’s decision is not cause for celebration. It is a call to arms. The courts sent the FCC back to the drawing board to restart the entire rulemaking process, but the FCC is still dominated by industry pawns. We cannot expect this FCC to act in the public interest without listening to the public and conducting independent, credible research on the diversity of local voices.
“We fully expect industry lobbyists and their allies at the FCC to attempt to sneak the same policies in through the back door. The only thing that will stop them is if the millions of Americans who opposed media consolidation in 2003 remain vigilant.
“FCC leadership – including whomever Bush nominates to replace those about to depart – must heed the call by Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein for nationwide public hearings on media ownership before taking up these rules again.
“Second chances don’t come around often: The FCC must create a more democratic and diverse media system, rather than give another handout to Big Media. One thing is certain: the public is watching the FCC more closely than ever before.”
Josh Silver is the executive director of Free Press (www.freepress.net), a national, nonpartisan organization that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
Free Press executive director Josh Silver issued the following statement:
“Today’s decision is not cause for celebration. It is a call to arms. The courts sent the FCC back to the drawing board to restart the entire rulemaking process, but the FCC is still dominated by industry pawns. We cannot expect this FCC to act in the public interest without listening to the public and conducting independent, credible research on the diversity of local voices.
“We fully expect industry lobbyists and their allies at the FCC to attempt to sneak the same policies in through the back door. The only thing that will stop them is if the millions of Americans who opposed media consolidation in 2003 remain vigilant.
“FCC leadership – including whomever Bush nominates to replace those about to depart – must heed the call by Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein for nationwide public hearings on media ownership before taking up these rules again.
“Second chances don’t come around often: The FCC must create a more democratic and diverse media system, rather than give another handout to Big Media. One thing is certain: the public is watching the FCC more closely than ever before.”
Josh Silver is the executive director of Free Press (www.freepress.net), a national, nonpartisan organization that seeks to increase informed public participation in media policy and to promote a more competitive, public interest-oriented media system.
