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Dead Constitution See other Dead Constitution Articles Title: Veto Threat Leveled at Bill to Overturn FCC Media Concentration Rule Veto Threat Leveled at Bill to Overturn FCC Media Concentration Rule By Kathryn A. Wolfe, CQ Staff The administration leveled a veto threat Thursday against a Senate bill that would nullify a Federal Communications Commission rule allowing more media consolidation. In a letter to Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said he will recommend the bill (S J Res 28) be vetoed. “The administration supported this FCC action and strongly opposes any attempt to overturn these rules by legislative means,” the letter reads. The letter was dated April 1, the same day Commerce was scheduled to approve the bill, sponsored by Byron L. Dorgan, D-N.D. But the markup was cancelled at the last minute and rescheduled for April 24. Rob Blumenthal, a Commerce spokesman, said the markup was postponed because Inouye was “feeling under the weather” after having just returned from a trip to Israel, as well as an earlier trip to Hawaii. The measure in question is a “resolution of disapproval” (S J Res 28) that would block a Feb. 21 FCC decision to relax cross-ownership restrictions in the 20 largest U.S. media markets. The FCC rule also would set up a system through which firms in some smaller markets could seek the same treatment. Cross-ownership refers to the practice of allowing a single company to own more than one type of outlet, such as a broadcast station and a newspaper, in the same media market. FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin has argued that the rule change is necessary to help save the newspaper industry, which he said is struggling to adapt to competition from new media. But critics argue that media consolidation could decrease diversity of local voices and make it harder for minorities and women, who are already underrepresented, to own media properties. Dorgan’s resolution is a privileged measure that would move under expedited procedures in the Senate. For instance, it is not amendable, cannot be interrupted for other business once brought to the floor and requires only a simple majority for passage. However, the Senate has only 60 legislative days from the date the rule was published to act before the expedited procedures expire. The resolution also must be adopted by the House. A similar measure (H J Res 79) has been introduced in the House by Jay Inslee, D-Wash. A host of lawsuits have been filed against the rules change, ranging from media activists such as Free Press, which thinks the change goes too far, to media outlets such as Sinclair Broadcast Group, which argues the change doesn’t go far enough.
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