Though meant to help struggling newspapers, even that industry wasn’t satisfied with the FCC vote, saying it didn’t go far enough.
Meanwhile, unions — the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the newspaper and broadcast sectors of the Communications Workers of America — were disappointed over the vote.
AFTRA and CWA were concerned that the commission did not require that any merged newspaper-broadcast operation in the same market maintain separate newsroom and editorial staff, an addition that would have helped to ensure an independent editorial voice in communities, they said.
NAB praised the move; Communications EVP Dennis Wharton stated; “While we think the adopted changes are modest, we believe they are an important step forward in aligning broadcasting regulations with the realities of today’s communications marketplace.”
