NEWSReport No. MM 96-12      MASS MEDIA ACTION                March 8, 1996


           FCC REVISES NATIONAL MULTIPLE RADIO OWNERSHIP RULE 
          AND LOCAL RADIO OWNERSHIP RULE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
                     TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996
                                    
     The FCC has revised its national multiple radio ownership rule and local radio
ownership ("radio contour overlap") rule, thereby conforming these rules to provisions of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996. The revised national multiple radio ownership rule will
eliminate caps on the number of AM or FM broadcast stations which may be owned or
controlled by one entity nationally. The revised local radio ownership rule will increase the
number of commercial radio stations an entity can own in a local radio market.

     With regard to the national multiple ownership rule, commercial radio ownership on a
nationwide basis generally has been limited to no more than 20 AM stations and no more
than 20 FM stations. An additional 3 AM and 3 FM stations has been allowed if they are
small business-controlled or minority-controlled.  The Commission has eliminated these
national limitations in accordance with Section 202(a) of the Telecommunications Act.

     With regard to the local radio ownership rule, Section 202(b)(1) of the
Telecommunications Act directs the FCC to revise the permissible number of commonly-
owned commercial radio stations in a local radio market as follows: 

     (A) in a radio market with 45 or more commercial radio stations, a party may
     own, operate, or control up to 8 commercial radio stations, not more than 5 of
     which are in the same service (AM or FM); 
     
     (B) in a radio market with between 30 and 44 (inclusive) commercial radio
     stations, a party may own, operate, or control up to 7 commercial radio
     stations, not more than 4 of which are in the same service (AM or FM); 
     
     (C) in a radio market with between 15 and 29 (inclusive) commercial radio
     stations, a party may own, operate, or control up to 6 commercial radio
     stations, not more than 4 of which are in the same service (AM or FM); and
     
                                      (cont.)(D) in a radio market with 14 or fewer commercial radio stations, a party may
     own, operate, or control up to 5 commercial radio stations, not more than 3 of
     which are in the same service (AM or FM), except that a party may not own,
     operate, or control more than 50 percent of the stations in such market.
     
                                  - FCC -
  
         Action by the Commission March 7, 1996, by Order (FCC 96-90). Chairman Hundt,
Commissioners Quello, Barrett, Ness and Chong.

       News Media contact: Rochelle Cohen at (202) 418-0500.
       Mass Media Bureau contact: Alan Aronowitz at (202) 418-2130.