FCC Inaction Burdens Broadcasters With Rules

Michael O'Reilly

FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly told an audience of TV executives in Washington Tuesday that it was past time for the FCC to update its media ownership rules, and to start letting the public see items in advance of FCC votes, reports Broadcasting&Cable.

O'Rielly was addressing the National Association of Broadcasters annual State Leadership Conference, a chance for those execs to come to Washington and press their issues on the Hill and at the FCC.

O'Rielly was preaching to the choir when he said that the commission continued to saddle broadcasters with restrictions like the newspaper-broadcast ownership rule.

He said the FCC recently had "virtually ignored" the 1996 Telecommunications Act mandate to review and adjust media ownership rules every four years, and repeal or modify any that are no longer in the public interest due to increased competition. O'Rielly worked on the bill as a Republican staffer, so has a personal rooting interest in FCC compliance with its directives.

O'Rielly had plenty to say about FCC process reform, particularly making items public before they are voted on in meetings. O'Rielly and fellow Republican commissioner Ajit Pai have been calling on FCC chairman Tom Wheeler to make the net neutrality draft order public before the Feb. 26 vote, but Wheeler has signaled that is not happening.

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