Free Press Pleased Supreme Court Denied Broadcasters’ Hail Mary Attempt

WASHINGTON -- On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected requests by members of the media industry to revisit the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's media-ownership rules. In December 2011, the National Association of Broadcasters, Media General and Tribune Co. filed petitions for certiorari of the Prometheus II case, a U.S. Court of Appeals decision holding that existing FCC media ownership limits were both reasonable and constitutional. Free Press and other public interest groups filed an opposition to the industry petitions for certiorari in the Supreme Court.

Free Press Senior Policy Counsel Corie Wright made the following statement:

“The media companies’ Hail Mary pass has fallen well-short of the mark. The Supreme Court wisely declined to waste its time reviewing these ill-founded industry attempts to undermine the FCC’s media ownership protections. The constitutionality of these rules is well-settled. Free Press is pleased -- but not surprised -- that the Court has declined to hear these baseless challenges.

“This is the second time the Supreme Court has declined broadcaster requests to reconsider the constitutionality of the media ownership protections. In 2005 the Court declined to hear industry appeals of Prometheus I, the predecessor of Prometheus II. That decision also affirmed the FCC’s ability to limit media consolidation to promote competition and diversity in local media markets.”