Number: RL32460
Title: Legal Challenge to the FCCs Media Ownership Rules: An Overview of Prometheus Radio v. FCC
Authors: Kathleen Ann Ruane, American Law Division 
Abstract: On June 2, 2003, the FCC adopted a set of comprehensive rules addressing six different aspects of media ownership, including cross-ownership of broadcast and print media, local televison and radio ownership, and national television ownership. On June 24, 2004, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Prometheus Radio v. FCC, remanded several of these rules back to the Commission for further consideration finding that the Commission failed to adequately justify the numerical limitations used in the rules. This report provides an overview of the Commission's 2002 Biennial Review from which the 2003 rules originated and the Prometheus case. The report also addresses current issues facing the actions taken by the FCC in response to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in Prometheus. On December 18, 2007, the FCC concluded its review of broadcast ownership rules by relaxing the newspaper/broadcast station cross-ownership restrictions in certain markets. All other broadcast ownership rules, however, shall remain unchanged.
Pages: 12
Date: June 30, 2008