Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Watchdog Group Issues Report Critical Of FCC

A new report from the media watch dog group Free Press accuses the Federal Communications Commission of turning a blind eye toward media consolidation in the television industry, according to the LA Times.

The study -- "Cease to Resist: How the FCC's Failure to Enforce Its Policies Created a New Wave of Media Consolidation" -- scrutinizes several major TV station owners including Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar and says they are using "shady tactics" to build "national media empires."

"Companies are swallowing up stations at an alarming rate, often through deals that violate the law," said S. Derek Turner, author of the 44-page report. "If the FCC doesn't start enforcing its rules, the damage to local competition and viewpoint diversity will be overwhelming and irreversible."

Free Press takes issue with broadcasters controlling multiple stations in the same city through what's known as local marketing agreements or shared service agreements.

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