A torrent of reaction to the court decision reversing the FCC’s new media ownership rules began arriving even before the decision was officially announced.
FCC Chairman Michael Powell said the decision actually makes it more difficult for the agency to craft tighter ownership rules. “It sets near impossible standards for justifying bright-line ownership limits.”
Powell points to a 100-page dissention by one of the three judges as proof that the results for media law are chaotic. Powell said the commission would study the decision and ponder its next step.
He said this is the second time a court has rejected the FCC’s efforts to set numerical limits for media ownership.
His fellow Commissioners, Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein were pleased, and called for more public hearings on the issue beginning in 30 days. “This time we must include the American people in the process instead of shutting them out,” said Copps.
Cops also said the commission should issue a notice clearly stating it would continue to apply the old limits on transactions.
Commission Split on Court Decision
Commission Split on Court Decision