[IRCA] Radio and the FCC where are we headed?

[Stephen Hawkins <ng0g@xxxxxxxxx>]

IRCA,

Just spotted this ariticle from Variety.com.

Steve

------------------cut-------------

FCC plans draw fire
Dems bash media ownership studies
 By WILLIAM TRIPLETT
 
 As part of its current review of media ownership rules with an eye toward 
loosening them -- which already has sparked heated controversy -- the FCC 
announced plans to conduct 10 economic studies on the issue.
But the agency's two Democratic commissioners immediately attacked the plans 
as inadequate and secretive.
Studies will focus on individual topics such as the impact of ownership on 
programming; the relationship between cross-ownership and news reporting; and 
the status of minority ownership.
Announcement, issued Wednesday, identified study authors, who will include 
academics, FCC officials and the Nielsen organization. All studies will be 
peer-reviewed, the agency said.
"Today's announcement of the commission's new media ownership studies, 
unfortunately, raises more questions in the public's mind than it answers," 
commissioner Michael J. Copps said in a statement. "How were the (authors) 
selected for the outside projects? How much money is being spent on each 
project -- and on the projects collectively? What kind of peer-review process 
is envisioned?"
Jonathan S. Adelstein, Copps' Democratic colleague, said the announcement 
"ultimately undermines the public's confidence" because "the legitimacy of 
the studies is directly correlated to the transparency of the process 
undertaken to develop the studies and select the authors. The descriptions of 
the studies are scant, lacking any sense of the commission's expectations for 
scope, proposed methodology and data sources."
FCC chairman Kevin J. Martin has stated the ownership rules are outdated and 
that limitations or restrictions should be eased to reflect the contemporary 
media environment. When the commission last voted to ease ownership rules in 
2003 along strict party lines, a federal court blocked the attempt, saying it 
was unjustified.
--------------------------------------------end cut--------------------------

Steve
-- 
73 49 111 01001001
Steve Hawkins NG0G
ng0g@xxxxxxxx
_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx