Democrats Decry "Compromise" on FCC Rule (WashPost)

[DeepModem Mom]

Prominent Senate Democrats were angered by the deal struck late Monday between the White House and Republican congressional leaders that would limit how many television stations networks may own and said they would fight it in Congress next year.

At issue was the Federal Communications Commission's "media ownership cap." In June, the FCC relaxed several media ownership rules and raised the television station cap, saying broadcast networks such as CBS and Fox can buy more stations and expand their reach to 45 percent of the national audience, up from 35 percent.

Many members of Congress and advocacy groups said the change would allow the big media companies to grow too big, potentially at the expense of local broadcasters. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) added a rider to an omnibus spending bill under consideration that would fix the 35 percent cap in federal law. In July, the House passed a spending bill with language identical to Stevens's. The White House, however, backed the FCC's rules and threatened to veto any legislation overturning them.

The White House and Senate Republican leaders compromised on a national cap of 39 percent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14556-2003Nov25.html

[izzie]

1. All crooks

n/t

[dusty64]

2. "compromise my ass".

This is just another Congressional rollover to our regime and it's donors. This whole thing is little more than bad theatre scripted way in advance.

[truthspeaker]

3. am I the only one

who thinks this is a quid pro quo?

Report the news the way the White House tells you to, and we let you own more stations and newspapers.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

4. Ka-ching!

With Powell's boy running the FCC, all major media is now beholding to the RNC.

Free press is on its deathbed in America.

[otohara]

5. After Medicare Vote

does anyone think the democrats whining means anything to criminal thugs?