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Inslee listens to a constituent.

Montage of Wing Point in Bainbridge Island and the Edmonds Ferry.

Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District

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Media Ownership

Inslee Moves to Preserve Media Diversity;
Working to Roll Back New FCC Media Ownership Rules

2 June 2003

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee today reproached the FCC decision to weaken media ownership rules and spoke out against the changes tonight on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Said Inslee, “Today’s FCC ruling will be a detriment to our democracy. A democratic society flourishes under diverse media sources and full exchange of information, yet shrivels under restricted information. The new media ownership rules approved by the FCC today will allow large corporations to restrict the information for our citizenry to be fully informed. The number of media channels has grown over the years, but in fact the loosening of media-ownership rules has historically resulted in media mergers, with more stations owned by fewer companies. Further media consolidation poses a danger to our system of free press and American democracy. Despite opposition from many in Congress and widespread public disapproval, ninety-nine percent of public comments opposed the new rules, Chairman Powell has pursued these rule changes with abandon. While the new ownership rules will lead to consolidation that could obviously benefit corporate interests, the FCC has shirked its primary responsibility by choosing to ignore the interests of the American public. We cannot allow the private appetite for corporate efficiency to overwhelm the public appetite for the truth. Americans must have access to a diverse media and many voices.”

Today’s rule changes will allow a national network to acquire numerous local broadcaster stations and control up to ninety percent of the national market. The current limit prohibits a company from controlling stations that collectively reach 35 percent of all households. Previously, rules limited somewhat the number of stations that any one entity can own in a single community. Now, a single company may acquire three television stations, eight radio stations, the cable TV system, many cable TV stations, and the only daily newspaper.

Inslee cosponsored a bill today to maintain the current limit of thirty five percent that any company can have in a television market, which will be raised to forty five percent under the rules approved today. Inslee is also a cosponsor of a bill that calls on the FCC not to weaken any current media ownership rules and for extensive public review of any proposed changes to current media ownership rules before issuing a final rule. Inslee recently joined his colleagues in sending a letter to FCC Chairman Michael Powell, signed by one hundred members of Congress, demanding that Powell delay any FCC decision on media ownership rules, open the process to public comment, and demonstrate how changes in media ownership limits will benefit the public interest and not jeopardize the democratic goals of diversity, competition, and localism. In spite of this request and having held only one hearing to discuss these changes publicly, Chairman Powell did not slow the process and today approved the new rules.