Feingold Calls FCC's Easing of Media Ownership Rules Harmful to Local Diversity Senator Indicates He Is Considering a Number of Legislative Options June 2, 2003 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today expressed his deep disappointment in the FCC's decision to relax media ownership rules. Feingold has been an outspoken critic of media consolidation since the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The Senator indicated that he is considering a number of legislative options in response to today's ruling. "The rules approved by the FCC today threaten to undermine the diversity of voices in the television and newspaper industries, just as diversity in the radio industry was diminished by the Telecommunication Act of 1996," Feingold said. "Further concentration in these industries will guarantee that the range of voices that Americans have come to expect – whether we open the newspaper, turn on the television or tune into the radio – will continue to fade away." Feingold has introduced legislation specifically targeting consolidation in the radio industry and is a co-sponsor of legislation to prevent further consolidation in the television industry. The Senator has said that the consolidation that has occurred in the radio and concert promotion industries should serve as an example of the negative effect these new rules could have on TV and newspapers. "It is unfortunate that the FCC did not consider the lessons we have learned over the last seven years from the consolidation in the radio industry," Feingold said. "Ignoring congressional requests for a delay and the hundreds of thousands of public comments that oppose relaxing the newspaper and television ownership rules was the wrong approach to this crucial issue. If these new rules do to newspapers and television what the Telecommunications Act of 1996 has done to radio our country will suffer greatly." (Click here for Senator Feingold's telecommunications page)

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