Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Abstract
The Federal Communications Commission adopted an order on June 2, 2003
that modified five of its media ownership rules and retained two others. The new
rules were scheduled to go into effect on September 4, 2003, but the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Third Circuit stayed implementation of the new rules pending
adjudication of claims that the rules are unlawful. (Prometheus Radio Project v.
FCC, 3rd Cir., No 03-3388, stay issued 9/3/03). Because of the potential that changes
in these rules – which set limits on national television ownership, newspaper-broadcast
and radio-television cross-ownership in a market, and ownership of
multiple television or radio stations in a market – could have far-reaching effects, a
number of bills have been introduced in the 108th Congress that reflect a range of
positions on these issues. This report analyzes each of the areas that have changed
as a result of the FCC action or may change as a result of congressional action. The
various positions in the debate also are summarized
