FCC Bends on Timing of Media Ownership Comments

The FCC is waiving a rule and will consider comments filed by the public early on media ownership as part of the permanent record.
The comments at issue arrived at the agency from June 14, when the commission issued a notice that the matter had been placed on the agenda for the June 21 meeting, until July 24 when the details of the notice were released.
Normally, presentations to decision makers are generally prohibited during that window the agency calls the “sunshine period,” however the FCC believes it’s in the public interest to waive this rule and treat comments filed during the window as part of the record on the media ownership issues (MB Docket Nos. 06-121 et al.)