Media Ownership Policy
Media are essential to our democracy. They shape our attitudes and keep us informed. We depend on media to make decisions, participate in politics and hold our leaders accountable. But only a handful of companies produce and own the majority of programming that Americans listen to and watch every day.
Media-ownership rules at the FCC are designed to ensure a diversity of voices and viewpoints and to protect local communities from media monopolies. They limit media concentration in TV and radio markets because broadcasters use public airwaves — a valuable, limited resource that requires them to serve the public interest.
Free Press supports media policies that preserve and strengthen the FCC's media-ownership rules. These policies should support diverse and democratic media ownership, ensure that broadcasters are serving their communities, secure a place for independent programming and push the FCC to collect more accurate information that supports smart policymaking.
The Latest Media-Ownership Policy Updates
Free Press: FCC Must Address Barriers to Entry in Media Ownership
WASHINGTON -- On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it will solicit ideas for new research on barriers to entry for small businesses and underrepresented groups to participate in the communications and media industries.
New Report Shows Big-Money Politics and Broadcast Media Are Undermining Democracy
WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, Free Press released Citizens Inundated, a report that follows the money trail from big-spending political donors to the bank accounts of the nation's largest broadcast companies.
News Corp.’s Admission of Guilt Shouldn’t Fall on Deaf Ears in Washington
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, News Corp. admitted to British officials that “senior employees and directors” of the company’s British newspaper division, News Group Newspapers, knew about illegal phone hacking by News of the World staff “and sought to conceal it by deliberately deceiving investigators and destroying evidence.”
Free Press: FCC Ignores Public by Pushing Failed Ownership Policies
WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission proposed rules that would further weaken media ownership limits for local newspapers and broadcast stations. The agency's proposal is strikingly similar to one adopted in 2007 under former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
Public to FCC: We Don't Want More Media Consolidation
WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, Free Press delivered a petition with more than 30,000 signatures to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski urging him to make the public, jobs, and journalism the top priorities in the agency's imminent review of media ownership rules.
More Media Ownership Policy Updates »
