01.28.05

FCC Should Go Back to Drawing Board on Media Consolidation Rules

Cantwell: "No one should be allowed to corner the marketplace for ideas."

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement in response to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision not to appeal a June 2004 federal appeals court decision that overturned key parts of its controversial 2003 rules concerning media ownership. The FCC's rules – which never took effect – would have allowed large media conglomerates to control a greater number of newspapers and radio and television stations.

"This is an important victory for champions of media diversity," Cantwell said. "Concern over the increasing consolidation of media ownership strikes a unique chord with the American public, one that cuts across party lines. Our democracy is strengthened when a vast array of voices have access to the airwaves, print, television and the Internet. No one should be allowed to corner the marketplace for ideas. The FCC should use this opportunity to step back and reflect on what the U.S. Senate, the courts, and the public have said over these past few years before proceeding with any further action."

Cantwell was joined in opposing the FCC's media consolidation rules by more than 2.3 million Americans who wrote to the Commission and Congress in opposition to greater media consolidation. On June 24, 2004, an appeals court reversed the FCC on many of the most important aspects of its decision and continued to freeze implementation of the rules. The FCC had until the end of this month to decide whether to appeal this decision. Yesterday the Commission announced it will not take defense of its media consolidation rules to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2004, Cantwell joined with a bipartisan group of Senators to sponsor an amendment to reverse the FCC's rules. While the legislation passed the Senate as part of the Defense Authorization bill, it was stripped from the bill by House negotiators. Cantwell in September 2003 also voted to adopt a "resolution of disapproval" on the FCC rules, which passed the Senate on a 55-40 vote. The House of Representatives failed to take action on the measure.

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