Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Radio Ownership Rules In Question, Boxer Calls For Investigation Into FCC Reports

Sen. Boxer Calls For Investigation Into FCC Reports
September 19, 2006, www.fmqb.com

Last week during FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's renomination hearing, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) revealed the existence of a 2004 study on localism in the media that she claimed was killed by the Commission. Later in the week, a former FCC attorney confirmed its existence and a draft of the study appeared on the FCC.gov. Now a second report on media ownership has been unearthed and Boxer has written an open letter to Chairman Martin, calling for an investigation into the matter.

In her letter, Boxer revealed the existence of a draft of the 2003 FCC report “Review of the Radio Industry.” According to the report's findings, "while there was a 5.9 percent increase in the number of radio stations in the country between March 1996 and March 2003, there was a 35 percent decrease in the number of radio owners. The report also found that Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio group owner, went from owning 62 stations in 1996, to 1,233 in 2003."...READ MORE: HERE