FCC Inspector General Report: Nothing on Allegedly Suppressed Studies

Federal Communications Commission's Office of the Inspector General: Media-Ownership Reports to Be Addressed in Next Semiannual Report

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/3/2007 3:42:00 PM

The Federal Communications Commission's Office of the Inspector General released its semiannual report to Congress on how it was doing its job, but there was nothing on the most recent flap over allegations that the FCC suppressed draft studies for political purposes under a previous administration.

IG Kent Nilsson in October released the result of its investigation concluding that the evidence did not support allegations that the FCC under former chairman Michael Powell suppressed or destroyed drafts of two media-ownership reports by staff economists.

There were some complaints from media activists over that conclusion, but the IG report did not address them in the report released Monday because they fell outside of the time frame of the report, which was for six months ended Sept. 1.

"The investigation the OIG initiated regarding allegations of inappropriate conduct by individuals at the FCC, past and present, concerning the possible destruction and/or suppression of draft studies or reports regarding localism and media ownership was completed soon after the reporting period for this report," the IG said. "That investigation will therefore be addressed in the next semiannual report."