When the FCC appeared in front of the Senate Commerce Committee a couple weeks ago the focus was primarily on telecomm and competition in the phone/Internet biz. But the issue of ownership in the mass media nonetheless got brought up by several Senators and was therefore addressed by the five commissioners.
Now, the Commerce Committee is going to hold a hearing specifically on the issue of media ownership. From a Commerce Committee press release:
Washington, DC – Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today announced the following
hearing schedule for next week:* Media Ownership – Radio Industry: Full Committee hearing scheduled for
Thursday, January 30, at 9:30 a.m. in room 253 of the Russell Senate
Office Building. This hearing is first in a series of hearings on
media ownership. Members will examine consolidation in the radio
industry. McCain will preside. Witnesses will be announced at a later
time.
This hearing should give some more insight into how the Congress is viewing the issue and how likely that it may step in to bolster or further erode media ownership rules.
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