Cross Ownership Rules - House Bill

Exhibit 4: Proposed Changes in Concentration and Cross-Ownership Rules - HR 1555 (as passed by the House)

Newspaper Local Exchange Telephone Cable TV Broadcast TV Broadcast Radio Cellular PCS DBS
Newspaper nc
Local Exchange Telephone nc nc
Cable TV nc Prohibition on telcos owning or operating cable systems in their service areas would be lifted (see Sec. 652 and following). Moreover, telcos would be allowed to purchase incumbent cable systems within their telephone service area if the cable system serves a "rural area," or if the system serves less than 10% of the households in the telephone service area and serves a franchise area with less than 50,000 inhabitants (35,000 if contiguous), or if the system is not in the top 25 TV markets and is not owned by any of the 50 largest cable operators (see Sec. 655). nc
Broadcast TV Current FCC ban on joint ownership of newspapers and TV licenses in same market would be eliminated. On a case by case basis the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast TV station and a newspaper only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)). The prohibition on telcos providing video programming would be lifted. However, on a case by case basis, the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast TV station and a telco only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)). nc The one license per market rule is modified. Entities would be allowed to own two TV licenses in a local market, as long as one of the licenses is a UHF license. Moreover, the FCC is given authority to allow ownership of two VHF stations in the same market, if this will not harm competition or diversity of media voices in local market. The current national limit of 12 TV licenses would be eliminated. The national broadcast TV audience cap would be raised to 35%. (Sec. 337(a) and Sec. 377(b)).
Broadcast Radio Ban on joint ownership of newspapers and TV licenses in same market would be eliminated. On a case by case basis the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast radio station and a newspaper only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)). nc nc The prohibition on local cross-ownership of TV and radio stations would be lifted (Sec. 337(a)). All local or national ownership limits are eliminated. A single entity could own an unlimited number of radio stations nationwide (see Sec. 337(a)).

Cellular nc nc nc nc nc nc
PCS nc nc nc nc nc nc nc
DBS/ Satellite nc nc nc nc nc nc . nc
Newspaper Local Exchange Telephone Cable TV Broadcast TV Broadcast Radio Cellular PCS DBS/
Satellite

Complied by James Love and Andrew Saindon, Consumer Project on Technology. Send corrections or comments to P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036. voice 202/387-8030; fax: 202/234-5176; internet: love@tap.org

	Newspaper	Local Exchange Telephone	Cable TV	Broadcast TV	Broadcast Radio	Cellular	PCS	DBS
Newspaper	nc
Local Exchange Telephone	nc	nc
Cable TV	nc	Prohibition on telcos owning or operating cable systems in their service areas would be lifted (see Sec. 652 and following). Moreover, telcos would be allowed to purchase incumbent cable systems within their telephone service area if the cable system serves a "rural area," or if the system serves less than 10% of the households in the telephone service area and serves a franchise area with less than 50,000 inhabitants (35,000 if contiguous), or if the system is not in the top 25 TV markets and is not owned by any of the 50 largest cable operators (see Sec. 655).	nc
Broadcast TV	Current FCC ban on joint ownership of newspapers and TV licenses in same market would be eliminated. On a case by case basis the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast TV station and a newspaper only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)).	The prohibition on telcos providing video programming would be lifted. However, on a case by case basis, the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast TV station and a telco only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)).	nc	The one license per market rule is modified. Entities would be allowed to own two TV licenses in a local market, as long as one of the licenses is a UHF license. Moreover, the FCC is given authority to allow ownership of two VHF stations in the same market, if this will not harm competition or diversity of media voices in local market. The current national limit of 12 TV licenses would be eliminated. The national broadcast TV audience cap would be raised to 35%. (Sec. 337(a) and Sec. 377(b)).
Broadcast Radio	Ban on joint ownership of newspapers and TV licenses in same market would be eliminated. On a case by case basis the FCC would be authorized to prohibit local cross-ownership of a broadcast radio station and a newspaper only if it specifically finds an "undue concentration of media voices" (see Sec.s 337(a) and 337(c)).	nc	nc	The prohibition on local cross-ownership of TV and radio stations would be lifted (Sec. 337(a)).	All local or national ownership limits are eliminated. A single entity could own an unlimited number of radio stations nationwide (see Sec. 337(a)).
Cellular	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc
PCS	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc
DBS/ Satellite	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc	nc	.	nc
	Newspaper	Local Exchange Telephone	Cable TV	Broadcast TV	Broadcast Radio	Cellular	PCS	DBS/ Satellite