Getting Women, Minorities On The Ownership Ladder

FCC Chairman Bill Kennard has proposed four ways to promote broadcast ownership by women and minorities in light of market studies showing continuing market-entry barriers including lack of access to capital. Kennard has again suggested bringing back a version of the minority tax certificate, which provided tax incentives for owners, and buyers of stations when the buyer was a minority. Kennard has suggested expanding the concept to include women. Other proposals were: increased funding of the Telecom Development Fund, an FCC review of the criteria used to determine minority station ownership and a joint effort by the commission, industry and public interest groups to promote ownership opportunities for women and minorities in new media.