Senate Votes To Overturn New FCC Rule on Media Ownership

On a voice vote, the Senate has voted to reject the new FCC rule on media ownership. President Bush has indicated that he will veto a bill to overrule the FCC rule should it reach his desk.

Meanwhile two FCC Commissioners have welcomed the Senate vote. Commissioner Adelstein said, “The Senate’s complete rejection of the FCC’s attempt to permit greater media concentration represents a great victory of the people over the powerful.  In light of the Senate’s action, any proposed transaction seeking to exploit the new rules will likely face intense scrutiny.  This vote reflects a strong consensus across the ideological spectrum against further media concentration, from left to right and virtually everybody in between.  The FCC veered dangerously off-course from the American mainstream, so our elected representatives are trying to steer us back.  This unequivocal, bipartisan rebuke of the FCC is a wake-up call for us to serve the public rather than the media giants we oversee.  Chairman Inouye, Senator Dorgan, Vice Chairman Stevens, Senator Snowe and the many other Senate leaders and public interest organizations who pushed this forward deserve our congratulations and the thanks of the American people.”

Commissioner Copps released a statement saying “The Senate spoke for a huge majority of Americans last night by voting to overturn the flawed FCC decision gutting our long-standing ban on newspaper broadcast cross-ownership. With courageous leaders like Senator Byron Dorgan, the Senate has struck a blow for localism and diversity in a media environment crying out for more of both.”