FCC: Minority Ownership Sinks

The minority population in the U.S. is expanding.

But its ownership of American broadcast properties is not.

The San Antonio Business Journal reports non-Hispanic whites owned 69 percent of the country’s 1,348 television stations in 2011, according to a new FCC report. That’s up from 64 percent in 2009.

Non-Hispanic whites have also gained greater control of radio. African Americans owned only 231 broadcast stations, including radio and television.

In 2011, non-Hispanic whites owned a majority interest in 95.2 percent of all commercial AM radio stations in the U.S. — up from 94.6 percent in 2009.

The data mined from the Form 323 filings shows that “racial minorities owned 196 commercial FM stations (3.5%) in 2011 and 123 stations (2.3%) in 2009.”

Just 58 of those stations were in the top 100 Arbitron markets. 63 were in smaller Arbitron markets, and 75 were in unrated markets.

African-Americans owned 93 FMs in 2011, up from 63 in 2009. Asians owned 45 stations in 2011, up from 20. American Indians or Alaska Natives owned 28 stations in the most recent year, compared to 16.

Washington, D.C.-based media reform group Free Press warns that, despite the extremely low levels of female and minority ownership, the FCC is currently proposing relaxing its cross-ownership rule.

That rule limits a person or entity from owning television stations and newspapers in the same market.