[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3662-S3663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN:
  S. 641. A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to 
eliminate from its regulations the restrictions on the cross-ownership 
of broadcasting stations and newspapers; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.


                      THE NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP ACT

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce the Newspaper 
Ownership Act. This legislation would eliminate one of the most archaic 
provisions remaining in telecommunications law: that which prohibits a

[[Page S3663]]

newspaper from being co-owned with a local radio or television station.
  Mr. President, at a time when the number of outlets for news, 
information, and entertainment has expanded exponentially, and at a 
time when other restrictions on ownership of mass media companies have 
been rethought and liberalized one fossil from the age of Walter 
Winchell and the Dumont Network remains--the law that keeps one entity 
from owning both a newspaper and a radio or TV station in the same 
market. It's time to finally get rid of this relic.
  The newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership prohibition dates from a day 
when there was a realistic fear that common control of both media in 
the same locale could result in the public's receiving only one point 
of view on important issues.
  Radio and television outlets abound. Many are supplemented by 
multichannel news and entertainment outlets like cable TV and satellite 
broadcasting. Even in the smallest markets, diversity of viewpoints is 
as close as clicking on the Internet.
  It is not surprising that, in this era of media diversity, newspapers 
have found it tough going, their numbers steadily declining over the 
years. In this environment, the infusion of resources that would result 
from allowing them to be owned by local radio and TV station owners 
would be most beneficial. Moreover, is there any reason to think that 
an attempt to make a newspaper walk in the lock-step with a co-owned 
broadcast station would not be readily detected by the public, and 
rejected in favor of more diverse sources of information? It is 
difficult to believe that, given the almost bewildering variety in the 
numbers and types of information sources available in even the smallest 
markets, any seeker of information could be either so passive or so 
defenseless.
  Mr. President, I introduce this bill in an effort to engage informed 
debate on this outdated restriction. I ask unanimous consent that the 
text of the bill be printed on the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 641

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CROSS-OWNERSHIP OF BROADCASTING AND NEWSPAPERS.

       (a) Rule Changes Required.--The Federal Communications 
     Commission shall modify section 73.3555 of its regulations 
     (47 C.F.R. 73.3555) by eliminating any provisions limiting 
     the granting or renewal of an AM, FM, or TV broadcast station 
     license to any party (including parties under common control) 
     on the basis of the ownership, operation, or control by such 
     party of a daily newspaper.
       (b) Deadline for Action.--The Federal Communications 
     Commission shall complete all action necessary to complete 
     the modifications required by subsection (a) within 90 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
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