FCC Releases Studies Confirming Benefits of Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-ownership

On July 31, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released 10 research studies on media ownership intended to inform the commission's comprehensive review of its broadcast ownership policies. The studies, which were conducted by outside researchers and FCC staff, examine a range of issues from how people get news and information, to the ownership structure of current media, to the effect of newspaper broadcast/cross-ownership on televisions news coverage.

Based on NAA's preliminary review of these studies, the findings overwhelming confirm that newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership significantly enhances the quantity and quality of local broadcast news without posing any threat to local viewpoint diversity. For example, one of the studies determined that newspaper/TV cross-ownership is associated with an increase in news production of 18 minutes (or 11 percent) per day. Another study found that, in comparison to the other stations, the newscasts for the cross-owned stations contained approximately 30 percent more news coverage of state and local political candidates and 6-8 percent more local news.

The Commission is scheduled to hold the fifth of its six public hearings on the media ownership rules on Sept. 20 in Chicago. The Commission could wrap-up its review of the broadcast ownership rules by the end of the year.

First Published:
September 03, 2007