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Rep. Upton Urges FCC to Eliminate Newspaper-TV Station Ownership Rule

Feb 16, 2006  •  Post A Comment

House telecommunications subcommittee Chairman Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., said Thursday that he has urged the Federal Communications Commission to eliminate a rule that bars owners of daily newspapers from buying broadcast stations in their markets.

In a speech sponsored by the Media Institute in Washington, Rep. Upton said that the regulation, originally intended to ensure that the public had access to diverse media sources, is no longer needed in an era when most enjoy access to multiple sources of information on TV and the Internet.

“Repeal of the rule is long overdue, and I urge the commission to do so expeditiously,” the congressman said in a letter to the FCC. Rep. Upton also said he asked the FCC to loosen regulations that limit the number of radio stations that can be owned in 17 of the nation’s largest markets.