Common Cause Urges Court to Protect Broadcast Ownership Diversity in FCC Lawsuit
Today, Common Cause, joined by Prometheus Radio Project, Media Mobilizing Project, Free Press, Office of Communication, Inc. of the United Church of Christ, and National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communications Workers of America, filed a petitioner’s brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit requesting the Court vacate its 2017 Reconsideration Order, which eliminated or relaxed several media ownership rules. The rules prohibited a single entity from owning too many newspaper, radio, and television entities within a local market. The petitioners also asked the Court to reverse and remand the FCC’s 2016 Second Report and Order and 2018 Incubator Order to the extent they repeal or modify media ownership rules without examining the impact to broadcast ownership diversity.