Measure aims to halt media-ownership rule

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators Wednesday introduced a resolution to stop regulators from easing media-ownership rules in the nation's 20 largest cities.

They fear the Federal Communication Communications (FCC) rule would leave newspaper readers, radio listeners and TV viewers with fewer choices. Several consumer groups are challenging the rule in federal court.

The "resolution of disapproval" was introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and 13 Democratic and Republican co-sponsors to stop the FCC from implementing the new rule the agency approved in December.

"When nearly half of the people in this country are told that in their cities and towns the media will get the green light to consolidate, they will not be happy," Dorgan said. "The proposal would also create a greatly relaxed approval process for newspapers to buy TV stations in any U.S. media market and spur a new wave of media consolidation in both large and small media markets."

The agency's new rule overturns a 32-year-old ban intended to keep major media companies from monopolizing newspapers and broadcasters in their market.

Advocacy groups fear the cross-ownership loosening will spread beyond the top 20 markets and that companies, such as Tribune, Media General and Gannett, will buy up competitors in smaller cities. Opponents, including Seattle Times publisher Frank Blethen, say it would concentrate too much control over local news and information in the hands of too few owners.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who voted for the measure along with his two Republican colleagues, had pressed for a vote despite opposition from some Capitol Hill lawmakers to delay it.

Martin contends that in the top-20 media markets, the FCC would have a high threshold for approving co-ownership.

The Newspaper Association of America, the largest trade group of U.S. newspapers, says struggling newspapers could be helped by being allowed to buy television stations, whose advertising revenue could help pay for the cost of newsgathering.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.