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MAP, AFTRA Respond To FCC Ownership Vote
WASHINGTON -- December 18, 2007: Media Access Project -- which represented Prometheus Radio Project and other groups in the lawsuit that ultimately led to the overturning of the FCC's 2003 media-ownership rules revision -- says it will go to court again over the media-ownership rules passed by the commission Tuesday.
Pointing to the permanent waivers, introduced into the order last night, for grandfathered cross-ownership combinations, MAP President/CEO Andrew Jay Schwartzman said, "Today's action is far more radical, and much more outrageous, than what [FCC] Chairman [Kevin] Martin proposed just a few weeks ago. He has caved in to lobbying from the media giants, giving a pass to them so they can retain TV and radio stations they were supposed to have divested months and years ago."
Schwartzman continued, "Unless Congress intercedes, we're going to have to go back to court to make sure this public isn't harmed by this ill-advised action."
AFTRA and the Communications Workers of America, meanwhile, released a joint statement to express their "disappointment" over the FCC order.
The unions said they are concerned that the FCC didn't require merged operations to maintain separate newsrooms and editorial staffs and that the rules change may have an adverse effect on diversity.
"As the ownership rules are relaxed, we will see even further consolidation and editorial control by just a few companies," said AFTRA General Counsel and Director/Legislative Affairs Tom Carpenter. "This rule change is contrary to the FCC's mandate to safeguard diversity of local voices and the public interest."
The unions earlier asked the FCC to delay the vote until after a comment period and new proceedings on localism and minority ownership.
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