FCC Should Repeal Media Ownership Rules
Contact for Interviews:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252
Washington, D.C., May 30, 2003—As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to vote on whether to relax or eliminate several media ownership rules, the Competitive Enterprise Institute is pointing out how further deregulation in this area will benefit Americans.
“Over the last few decades, there’s been an explosion in the number of channels we can surf through, especially with the advent of cable, and now there’s also the Internet,” says Braden Cox, counsel for CEI’s Project on Technology and Innovation. “We are flooded with choices today, not fewer.”
Many of the FCC’s rules were originally drafted in the 1940s when the broadcast industry was still in its infancy. Even though they’ve been modified over the years and fortunately don’t affect cable or the Internet, Cox says these outdated rules are likely hurting consumers by not allowing media outlets to use resources as effectively as possible.
“The fear that deregulation will lead to a monopoly is unfounded. Several media conglomerates exist in the marketplace, which is not a monopoly by any means. Yes, there has been consolidation, but despite this, ownership concentration has not increased. In fact, the number of separately owned media outlets has skyrocketed over the last four decades.”
Experts Available for Interviews on FCC Media Ownership Rules
Braden Cox
Counsel, CEI’s Project on Technology & Innovation
202.331.2254
Fred L. Smith
President and Founder
202.331.2252
CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy group dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government. For more information about CEI, please visit our website at www.cei.org.