Senators Seek Media Ownership Rule Ban

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Senators Seek Media Ownership Rule Ban

By DIBYA SARKAR AP Business Writer



WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators on 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 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., _ along with 13 Democratic and Republican co-sponsors _ to stop the Federal Communications Commission from implementing the new rule that the agency approved in December. The FCC published the cross-ownership rule in the Federal Register on Feb. 21.

"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," said Dorgan in a release. "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."

Dorgan said the FCC "ignored the thousands of comments at public hearings" opposed to further consolidation.

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