Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. wants to let regulators impose strict media ownership limits and says he intends to offer such a measure soon. He asked each of the five FCC commissioners if the Communications Act would let them, in effect, re-do the media ownership limits they voted on Monday. McCain was specifically referring to the TV national audience cap.
McCain opposes measures to return to return to the cap back to 35%, but said he’s also not sure what the number should be.
McCain asked FCC Chairman Michael Powell if he felt being required to review the ownership rules every two years was excessive. Powell said the two-year requirement is “destabilizing” for the agency and suggested a five-year break between media ownership reviews.
McCain seemed interested in pursuing this change, along with the TV cap, in legislation. Undecided is whether these specifics would be amendments to other bills or stand on their own.
McCain declared his intent to include language in the upcoming FCC reauthorization to clarify the agency may reimpose ownership restrictions as part of its media ownership review when it finds such actions would be in the public interest.
McCain Wants to Empower the FCC to a ‘Do Over’
McCain Wants to Empower the FCC to a 'Do Over'
