Government Regulations on Media

By Nate Vargas

  • Local Radio Ownership Rule

    National TV Ownership Rule enacted. A broadcaster cannot own television stations that reach more than 35% of the nation's homes.

  • Local TV Multiple Ownership Rule enacted

    prohibiting a broadcaster from owning more than one television station in the same market, unless there are at least eight stations in the market.

  • Radio/TV Cross-Ownership Restriction enacted

    prohibiting a broadcaster from owning a radio station and a television station in the same market.

  • Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Prohibition enacted

    Ban ownership of both a newspaper and a television station in the same market.

  • minimal amounts of non-entertainment programming are abolished

    FCC guidelines on how much advertising can be carried per hour are eliminated.

  • FCC Conducts review of media ownership rule

    THE NEW YORK TIMES reports that the FCC will conduct a review of media ownership rules, as mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The FCC commissions several studies of the media marketplace to review the rules on an empirical basis. They start the review in September, 2002.

  • The Media Ownership

    Thirty Congressmen sign a letter to Chairman Powell criticizing the FCC for not adequately publicizing the media ownership debate and rushing the rules-changing process to favor major media outlets.

  • a provision to block the FCC decision

    The House voted 400-21 to approve a spending bill that included a provision to block the FCC decision to allow major television networks to own up to 45% of the country's viewers. The Bush administration has voiced opposition to the attempt to rescind the FCC ruling.

  • bill that contained a provision

    The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill that contained a provision that would effectively block the ownership rule changes.

  • the full House be allowed to consider the resolution of disapproval

    A letter signed by 208 members of Congress is sent to House Speaker Dennis Hastert requesting the full House be allowed to consider the resolution of disapproval passed in the Senate on September 16, 2003.

  • TV station ownership cap

    In a last minute deal Senate Republican leaders and the White House compromised on the TV station ownership cap. It was increased just enough to allow Viacom and News Corporation to keep all their stations (39% limit).

  • Omnibus spending bill

    January 22, 2004- Omnibus spending bill incorporating the ownership cap adjustment passed first by the House on December 8, 2003, and by the Senate on January 22, 2004.

  • 2004 will be a breakout year for Viacom

    At the Smith Barney Citigroup Global Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference, Sumner Redstone, Chairman and CEO of Viacom remark that "2004 will be a breakout year for Viacom." Media reporters speculate that 2004 will be a year of mergers.

  • The survey found

    The Consumer's Union released its new national survey of where people turn for local news. The survey found "newspapers are more than twice more important a source than the Federal Communications Commission determined when it relaxed its media ownership rules."

  • when the FCC's decision will take effect.

    The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled a hearing for this date to decide if and when the FCC's decision will take effect.