Senate Vetoes FCC's Broadcast-Ownership Rules
By Bill McConnell -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/16/2003 9:58:00 AM
The Senate Tuesday morning voted 55-40 to approve a "legislative veto" of the Federal Communications Commission’s relaxed broadcast-ownership rules.
The effort -- led by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) -– which would invoke the rarely used congressional authority to nullify new agency rules may be largely symbolic because House leaders are refusing to allow a similar measure to come to a vote.
President Bush's aides are also threatening a veto of any rollback of the FCC's new rules.
The National Association of Broadcasters was among the industry trade groups lobbying against the Senate measure Monday.
In an appeal for members to contact their senators, the NAB called the proposal a "meat ax" that would do away with deregulatory measures its members like in addition to ones they hate.
The measure would return the national TV-ownership cap to 35% of television households, a measure they like, but would also kill deregulation NAB members have pursued for years, such as relaxed limits on local TV duopolies and broadcast/newspaper cross-ownership.
Consumer and activists groups, on the other hand, were full of praise. "This vote demonstrates the power of the grassroots," said Eli Pariser, campaign director for The Senate Tuesday morning voted 55-40 to approve a "legislative veto" of the Federal Communications Commission’s relaxed broadcast-ownership rules.
The effort -- led by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) – which would invoke the rarely used congressional authority to nullify new agency rule may be largely symbolic because House leaders are refusing to allow a similar measure to come to a vote.
President Bush's aides are also threatening a veto of any rollback of the FCC's new rules.
The National Association of Broadcasters was among the industry trade groups lobbying against the Senate measure Monday.
In an appeal for members to contact their senators, the NAB called the proposal a "meat ax" that would do away with deregulatory measures its members like in addition to ones they hate.
The measure would return the national TV-ownership cap to 35% of television households, a measure they like, but would also kill deregulation NAB members have pursued for years such as relaxed limits on local TV duopolies and broadcast/newspaper cross-ownership.
Consumer and activists groups, on the other hand, were full of praise. "This vote demonstrates the power of the grassroots," said Eli Pariser, campaign director for MoveOn.org, a group formed to fight the Clinton impeachment proceedings that has moved on to new causes. "Millions of people have contacted Congress to voice their opposition. Now the Senate has demonstrated that it's listening."
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