Durbin warns against FCC efforts to rollback media ownership rules

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke out against the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) efforts to rollback media ownership rules that prevent one company from owning or controlling multiple broadcast stations within a single local media market.

Ownership limits were originally created to prevent large companies from having excessive influence in local media markets by protecting local broadcast stations from being controlled by major national networks. If these proposed changes are adopted, it will allow one company to require hundreds of stations to use the same national correspondents, diminishing choices for the vast majority of local broadcast television viewers who would now get their news from one, uniform voice.

“The proposed changes to the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules go against the Commission’s directive to promote diversity, localism, and competition and would be a move by the FCC to value corporate growth over the public’s interest,” Durbin wrote in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “I urge the Commission not to adopt the changes.”

In October, Durbin wrote to FCC Chairman Pai to warn that if the proposed acquisition of the Tribune Media Company (Tribune) by the Sinclair Broadcast Group (Sinclair) is approved, it will threaten diversity and localism in broadcasting, ignore the unique concerns and interests of local audiences, and harm competition.

Full text of the letter is available below:

November 13, 2017

The Honorable Ajit Pai

Chairman, Federal Communications Commission

445 12th Street SW

Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai:

The proposed changes to the Federal Communications Commission’s media ownership rules go against the Commission’s directive to promote diversity, localism, and competition and would be a move by the FCC to value corporate growth over the public’s interest.

Ownership limits were originally created to prevent large companies from having excessive influence in local media markets by protecting local broadcast stations from being controlled by major national networks. Despite this and in the face of its ongoing review of a potential mega-merger that would grant a single company reach into 72 percent of households, the FCC now seems poised to ‘relax’ its rules specifically to allow for the creation of a consolidated company—that would essentially be the same as a major national network in size, audience, and content—that owns and controls hundreds of broadcast stations nationwide. As a result, one company would be able to require hundreds of stations to use the same national correspondents, diminishing choices for the vast majority of local broadcast television viewers who would now get their news from one, uniform voice

This arrangement may be acceptable for viewers of the NBC Nightly News, but it runs afoul of the intent of local broadcast stations, which is to serve the particular needs and interests of the individual communities in which they are located. This unique ability is what sets broadcast television apart from national and cable networks and ensures that Americans always have access to diverse points of view. The Commission should not ‘modernize’ its rules by paving the way for broadcast television to simply mimic its network counterparts.

The new, proposed rules would lead to greater consolidation of broadcast station ownership and severely hinder localism. I urge the Commission not to adopt the changes.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

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