NAB to FCC: Ban the Cross Ownership Ban

NAB believes the restriction that prohibits joint ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations in one market needs to be eliminated. In a more than 60-page filing submitted to the commission, NAB states, “Since the early 1940’s, the commission has tried to identify specific abuses or concrete problems presented by newspaper ownership of broadcast outlets. Despite this effort spanning decades,” states NAB, the FCC has “consistently failed to establish the existence of any competitive or other harms caused arising from newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership.” Comments on cross ownership and the related waiver policy were due Monday.