Public invited to speak directly to FCC Commissioners in Tampa April 20

Mitch Perry
Creative Loafing
April 20, 2010

We do want to remind readers that the members of the very powerful Federal Communications Commission are in Tampa this afternoon on a workshop media ownership rules, and specifically, it’s cross-ownership rules.  That’s the law that prohibits a media company from owning a newspaper and broadcast outlet in the same media market.  Of course that’s not the situation in Tampa, where Media General owns both the Tampa Tribune and WFLA News Channel 8.

You may recall a similar hearing was held in Tampa at the Performing Arts Center back in 2007.  But according to the media activist organization the Prometheus  Radio Project Group, a federal court has lifted its stay on prohibiting the FCC from changing its own rules.  As Prometheus writes on their website:
Now that the stay has been lifted, the FCC’s 2007 rules are temporarily in effect, which means that cross-ownership is permitted in the top 20 markets, and elsewhere with a waiver process. The FCC can still ditch the 2007 plans when they write the rules this year, especially since there’s a new Chairman who may be willing to change course.

The event will be held from 3 to 7:30 p.m. tonight at Marshall Center on the USF campus in Tampa.  Among those who will be participating include USF St. Pete Journalism professor Robert Dardenne, Karen Dunlap from the Poynter Institute, and Patrick Manteiga from La Gaceta.

The public – that means you – will be allowed to speak for two minutes.  That happens by signing up for the forum, which is allowed on a first come, first serve system.  FCC Chair Julius Genachowski will not be in the house, but his Senior Advisor, Steve Waldman,  will be moderating the hours long discussion.

Three years ago, the sentiment expressed by many at the TBPAC was against any increase in media consolidation, which has always been a concern with so few companies owning so many broadcast and print companies.  But with the advent of the Internet, and the fact that the newspaper industry is in crises, is that still the case?  It will be interesting to hear the discussions, from members of media groups and the public.

 

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