Gannett, Media General win exceptions from FCC
By Leah McBride Mensching, Thursday 20 December 2007 at 23:30 :: Press Freedom & Laws :: #1006 :: rss
The chief executives of Media General Inc. and Gannett Co. lobbied the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to obtain waivers to rules that limit broadcast and newspaper ownership in the same markets.
The FCC approved the waivers Tuesday, which allow Media General to continue running newspapers and TV stations in four markets in the southeast United States, and also allow Gannett to keep assets in Phoenix, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Gannett CEO Craig Dubow met with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin on Dec. 7, while Media General CEO Marshall Morton telephoned Martin Dec. 14.The talks were disclosed on filings on the FCC Web site, according to Bloomberg.
The FCC on Tuesday voted to relax its rules, overturning a 32-year-old ban to allow broadcasters in the 20 largest media markets in the nation to also own a newspaper. If the two companies had not received the waivers, they might have had to sell properties because their ownership combinations, even after FCC loosened its rules. rules. Gannett's Craig Dubow met with Martin on Dec. 7. The talks were disclosed in filings at the FCC Web site.
Opponents to the waivers include public interest law firm Media Access Project, in Washington.
“This involves some of the smallest markets in the country where Media General's dominance is overwhelming,” Andrew Schwartzman, the group's president, told Bloomberg. In the past several weeks, Media General has been one of the most active FCC lobbyists, “with obvious success.”
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