WASHINGTON—The FCC has reopened the media ownership proceeding for public comment.
The agency is now taking public input on a diversity study completed by BIA on behalf of the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council.
The study of a mixture of GMs from minority- and nonminority-owned stations examined whether lifting the cross-ownership bans would affect such facilities. A proposed slight relaxation of the FCC’s cross-ownership rules “is not sufficiently material” to justify tightening or retaining them, concluded the authors of the research.
The MMTC had suggested the commission open up the study for public comment, noting that “it’s a useful piece of evidence,” in an account of a recent discussion with Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn and other commission staffers.
Comments are due to MB Dockets 09-182 and 07-294 July 22 and replies by Aug. 6.
