[DMCA-Activists] House Committee Blocks FCC Media Ownership Rules

[Seth Johnson]

(Forwarded from Interesting People list)

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [IP] House Committee Votes to Block FCC MediaOwnership Rules
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 18:54:57 -0400
From: Dave Farber <address@hidden>
To: ip <address@hidden>


------ Forwarded Message
From: Joseph Lorenzo Hall <address@hidden>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 15:12:46 -0700 (PDT)
To: Dave Farber <address@hidden>
Subject: House Committee Votes to Block FCC Media Ownership Rules


You've got to love this quote: "I didn't get elected here to be a potted
plant." --Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) -jlh

---
Panel Votes to Block Media Ownership Rules
By Dan Morgan

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A499-2003Jul16.html

In a bipartisan vote, the House Appropriations Committee today moved to
block the Federal Communications Commission from easing rules that have
limited concentration in the nation's commercial television markets.

The panel's action applied to a key part of a landmark June 2 FCC decision
that would enable networks to acquire stations reaching up to 45 percent of
the national audience. By preventing the FCC from spending funds to carry
out its new ruling, the committee effectively restored the old limit of 35
percent.

The White House opposed the committee's action, and White House budget
officials said they would recommend that the president veto the 2004
Commerce, Justice and State Department spending bill, to which the provision
was attached, unless it was deleted.

The action was also strongly opposed by Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.), chairman
of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the
FCC.

"This is exactly not the way to do this," said Tauzin. "The Appropriations
Committee is the last place you should be making this decision."

But Republican and Democratic opponents of an easing of the media
concentration rules said Tauzin had made clear he would never allow
legislation overturning the FCC decision to pass through his committee, even
though a majority support it.

"If we don't move here absolutely nothing will happen," said Rep. David Obey
(D-Wis.), who offered the amendment striking down the FCC's new rule for
network ownership of stations.

Eleven Republicans joined Democrats in approving Obey's provision on a vote
of 40 to 25, after members of both parties attacked the growing
concentration in television as a threat to local stations, particularly
those in small markets.

Obey said that what was at stake was the ability of independent television
stations to continue providing programming consistent with local community
values.

"I didn't get elected here to be a potted plant," said Rep. Frank Wolf
(R-Va.), who cited "garbage" in television advertising and programming.

Rep Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) called commercial television "a garbage pit."

Obey's amendment did not affect other aspects of the FCC's June 2 decision,
such as an easing of rules on media cross-ownership by newspapers. A
Republican amendment that also would have pared back that part of the ruling
was defeated on a voice vote.

In the Senate, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) has picked up nearly three dozen
supporters for a resolution that would overturn the FCC ruling. No date has
been set for a vote.

(c) 2003 The Washington Post Company


(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)


------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Lorenzo Hall
Graduate Student                 http://astron.berkeley.edu/~jhall


------ End of Forwarded Message

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/