Senate Passes Resolution To Reverse New FCC Rules

The Republican-controlled Senate yesterday passed a resolution designed to roll back the controversial June 2 media ownership ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The vote was 55-40, which might not be enough of a majority to quash House opposition to the resolution or lessen the threat of a White House veto.

Critics on and off Capitol Hill say the new rules would allow big media companies to consolidate further, which they say could stifle diversity of views and local programming.

The new rules would allow television networks to own local stations that reach 45% of the national audience, rather than the current 35%. The rules also permit a company to own a newspaper, a television station and several radio stations in a single market. The rules require companies to divest radio stations if they exceed local ownership caps.

If the resolution of disapproval doesn't fly in the House, members have pending legislative alternatives to knock back the rules: either attaching the resolution to the upcoming appropriations bill, or pushing to pass stand-alone rollback legislation.

On Sept. 3, a federal appeals court in Philadelphia temporarily blocked the rules from taking effect the following day as scheduled (Bulletin, Sept. 4). The court will revisit the decision in November.

Several other legal challenges to the rules from broadcasters and consumer groups are pending.