Cardin on Media Consolidation

Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland wrote me in part:

I support a transparent and informed FCC rulemaking process that takes into account the unique obstacles that minorities and women often encounter in getting their small businesses off the ground.

I am concerned that Chairman Martin's introduction of new media ownership rules at the end of last year rushed what should be a deliberative and democratic rulemaking process . I have major reservations about any agency rulemaking process, whether employed by the FCC or any other agency, which does not provide a reasonable window of time for public comment, response, and review.

I am further concerned that Chairman Martin's rule change, which loosen s restrictions on newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership , would benefit national media conglomerates at the expense of my state's small business owners. This same rule change and several others were rejected by Congress in 2003 for good reason.

Senator Byron Dorgan introduced S. 2332 as bipartisan legislation to address some of these concerns. S. 2332 would require the FCC, before adopting any new broadcast ownership rules, to give 90 days notice for public comment, and to initiate, conduct, and complete a separate rulemaking to promote the broadcast of local programming and content. It also would require the FCC to establish an independent Panel on Women and Minority Ownership of Broadcast Media and to conduct a full and accurate census of the race and gender of broadcast owners.

On December 4, 2007, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation reported S. 2332 out of committee favorably . Please be assured that I will follow the progress of this bill closely and look forward to giving it my support should it come to the Senate floor for a vote. I will also continue to keep a close eye on any proposed FCC rule changes and weigh in on the rulemaking process as necessary.

Good for you Senator Cardin!