NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

Dingell Encourages Greater FCC Focus on Minority Ownership of Broadcast Outlets

GAO Report Released Today Indicates Minority Ownership Limited; FCC Data Collection Flawed

Washington, DC – Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement regarding the release today of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on broadcast ownership:

“It is vital to our democracy that distinct and varied voices be heard and represented in our media. Increasing minority and female ownership of broadcast stations should be a priority for the FCC. While some progress has been made in this area, today’s Government Accountability Office report demonstrates that much work remains.

“I am particularly concerned that the GAO found that the FCC does not have a reliable data set to describe the current state of diversity in broadcast ownership. If we are to foster further diversity in media ownership, we first need sound and reliable facts about the current state of affairs.

“The Committee on Energy and Commerce will continue to exercise vigorous oversight to ensure that the Commission fulfills its responsibility to collect accurate and timely data about the state of broadcast ownership in this country.”

On December 5, 2007, the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on media ownership. The GAO report is available online here: http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-383.

-30-